All anyone knows for sure is that no one knows anything for sure ... all anyone can do is guess ...
The IRS processing is like a "pipeline" with "filters" .... some returns will enter and slide straight thru without any stops. Others may be pulled for some kind of review ... some may be pulled for many stops along the way. Some reviews may clear in a short time and some may take days or weeks requiring a Human and/or an IRS letter. The IRS has never disclosed what the filters are looking for and they change every year to keep taxpayer's on their toes. They even pull returns randomly for review so you never know when your return could be picked. We don't know if the PATH returns were stopped at the beginning of the pipeline and will need to run the gamut after the 15th OR at the last stop and are just awaiting the prescribed time to pass. Of course there are MILLIONS of PATH returns waiting to process and I can guarantee they will not all be released at the same time ... the IRS computers could not handle that volume.
My personal opinion ... Everyone should stop worrying about something you have no control over ... what happened in the past may not be the same as last year EVEN for the same person. Just check the IRS site once a day in the morning for your personal message.
How quickly will I get my refund?
We issue most refunds in less than 21 calendar days.
I’m counting on my refund for something important. Can I expect to receive it in 21 days?
Many different factors can affect the timing of your refund after we receive your return. Even though we issue most refunds in less than 21 days, it’s possible your refund may take longer. Also, remember to take into consideration the time it takes for your financial institution to post the refund to your account or for you to receive it by mail.
It's been longer than 21 days since the IRS received my return and I haven’t gotten my refund. Why?
Some tax returns take longer to process than others for many reasons, including when a return:
- Includes errors
- Is incomplete
- Is affected by identity theft or fraud
- Includes a claim filed for an Earned Income Tax Credit or an Additional Child Tax Credit. See Q&A below.
- Includes a Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation, which could take up to 14 weeks to process
- Needs further review in general
We will contact you by mail when we need more information to process your return.
I claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) on my tax return. When can I expect my refund?
According to the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act, the IRS cannot issue EITC and ACTC refunds before mid-February. The IRS expects most EITC/ACTC related refunds to be available in taxpayer bank accounts or on debit cards by the first week of March, if they chose direct deposit and there are no other issues with their tax return. Check Where’s My Refund for your personalized refund date.
Where’s My Refund? on IRS.gov and the IRS2Go mobile app remains the best way to check the status of a refund. WMR on IRS.gov and the IRS2Go app will be updated with projected deposit dates for most early EITC/ACTC refund filers by February 22. So EITC /ACTC filers will not see an update to their refund status for several days after Feb. 15.
