WASHINGTON, D.C. (WOWO) The IRS officially opened the 2026 tax filing season on January 26, allowing Americans to submit returns for the 2025 tax year. Most refunds for electronically filed returns are processed within 21 days, while mailed returns can take six weeks or longer, according to the IRS.
Officials recommend taxpayers set up direct deposit to receive refunds faster. IRS CEO Frank Bisignano told Fox Business that a partial government shutdown, which began February 1, will not affect payments for electronically filed, error-free returns.
Taxpayers can check their refund status using the IRS “Where’s My Refund?” tool, which provides updates within 24 hours for e-filed returns and includes information for the past two years. Amended returns may take up to three weeks to appear in the IRS system and up to 16 weeks to process, and a separate “Where’s My Amended Return?” tool is available for tracking.
The IRS has begun phasing out paper refund checks, but will still issue them when no alternative is available. For taxpayers without bank accounts, options include prepaid debit cards, digital wallets, or limited exceptions. In 2025, 93 percent of individual tax refunds, totaling 93.5 million, were disbursed via direct deposit, the IRS said.
