2024 IRS tax refund schedule: When will you get your deposit or check?
The IRS has begun receiving income tax returns. After duly filing your paperwork, you could expect to receive your refund check in just a matter of weeks.
The 2024 tax season has begun.
The IRS has started receiving and processing tax returns, and the government agency is reminding everyone to file before the April 15 deadline.
For those who submit their paperwork early, your diligence will pay off as you will get any refund owed you earlier as well. Depending on whether you filed online or on paper, and whether you chose to receive your money through direct deposit or a paper check, it could take as little as two to three weeks for you to receive your federal income tax refund.
Who will receive their tax refund the fastest?
If the tax return you filed online is immaculate and error-free and you choose the direct deposit option, you should expect to receive your refund within 21 days. If there are no problems, you should get your payment by Feb. 27, 2024 at the latest.
The table below provides an estimated date on which you could possibly receive your tax refund depending on the date that you submitted it, and whether you signed up to receive your refund via a direct deposit or by paper check.
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| Online filing date | Direct deposit refund schedule | Paper check refund schedule |
|---|---|---|
| January 29, 2024 | February 19 | February 26 |
| February 5, 2024 | February 26 | March 2 |
| February 12, 2024 | March 3 | March 10 |
| February 18, 2024 | March 11 | March 18 |
| February 25, 2024 | March 17 | March 24 |
| March 3, 2024 | March 24 | March 31 |
| March 12, 2024 | April 3 | April 10 |
| March 18, 2024 | April 8 | April 15 |
| March 25, 2024 | April 16 | April 22 |
| April 2, 2024 | April 23 | April 30 |
| April 7, 2024 | April 28 | June 5 |
| April 12, 2024 | June 2 | June 7 |
| April 15, 2024 | June 6 | June 14 |
READ ALSO: Tax season has begun in the United States: What you need to know
Additional tax credits can take additional time
Keep in mind that processing returns filed electronically is much faster and usually takes only a week, while if you file a paper tax return, it could take weeks to evaluate your documents, and even longer for you to get back any money you are owed.
If you are claiming Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), your refund could also take longer and may need up to one month to arrive. That’s because the IRS will need time to check if you are indeed eligible to receive these credits.
The law dictates that the agency must hold refunds claiming these benefits. The earliest date these particular taxpayers can expect the first refunds in their accounts would be Feb. 27, 2024, and only if they chose to receive it by direct deposit.