If American taxpayer has already filed a federal income tax return (ITR) and is expecting payment, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) says the funds should arrive in the bank account soon — though the exact timeline depends on the date the return was officially received, according to WAFB.
Especially, Internal Revenue Service strictly uses direct deposit for all paychecks this year. The agency has stopped issuing paper tax refund checks.
Expected refund dates
Refunds sent by direct deposit can appear in the taxpayer’s bank account as early as 10 business days after the IRS receives the electronically filed tax return.
IRS Receipt Date – Expected refund date
26 January 2026* 6 February 2026
HOW TO MONITOR YOUR REFUND STATUS
If a taxpayer’s return has been processed but the funds have not arrived by the expected date, the taxpayer can track the progress using the “Where’s My Refund?” tool on the official IRS website. To access the information, the taxpayer will require:
- Social security number
- Specific submission status
- The exact amount of expected compensation in US dollars
- STRATEGIES FOR FAST PROCESSING
- To ensure that taxpayers’ funds are used as efficiently as possible, consider the following indicators:
- Send electronically: E-filed returns bypass the manual delays associated with paper filing.
- Verify your direct deposit details: As all payments are now electronic, it is essential to ensure that bank routing and account numbers are perfect.
- Submit on time: Filing early in the season usually results in a faster turnaround.
- Check the data: Simple mistakes or typos on returns can cause manual checks and significant delays.
For questions about a unique filing situation or missing payment, it’s best to contact the IRS directly or speak with a certified tax advisor.
IMPORTANT NOTES
* Early submission: January 26 is the announced date the IRS began accepting electronically filed tax returns for fiscal year 2025.
**Refund delay: If a taxpayer’s return includes the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Earned Income Tax Credit (CTC), the refund may be delayed until March as the IRS verifies these credits.
**Later Submission: Later acceptance dates for tax returns filed closer to the tax deadline extend into April.