The IRS starts accepting tax returns on January 27, 2025. Refunds for e-filed returns are typically issued within 10-21 days. Taxpayers can track their refund using the IRS website or app. Extensions to file until October 15 are available.

If you receive a tax refund of over $1,000, you might have paid too much in taxes throughout the year to the government. With inflation still too high and many of us living paycheck-to-paycheck or leaning on credit to get by, that tax refund might have been more helpful throughout the year.

If you mail in a paper return, the refund should be issued within roughly six to eight weeks of the date the IRS receives the filing, again assuming it's accurate and complete. Once you file your taxes, you can track your refund on the IRS website.