CPA Practice Advisor has released their annual estimated timeline for when a taxpayer is likely to receive their refund based on when they file, based on what we currently know about the upcoming tax season and projections based on prior years. They point out that the TCJA tax reform is still affecting many Americans’ ability to file timely, that Congress often delays tax season by issuing last-minute tax laws in December, and the IRS is also delaying refunds on tax returns that include the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC). Barring any of these issues, here’s what they’re predicting.
IRS Accepts Between These Dates ===> Direct Deposit Sent (Or Check Mailed)
1/20/19 – 1/24/19 — > Friday 1/31/20 *
1/27/19 – 1/31/19 — > Friday 2/7/20
2/3/19 – 2/7/19 — > Friday 2/14/20 **
2/10/19 – 2/14/19 — > Friday 2/21/20 **
2/17/19 – 2/21/19 — > Friday 2/28/20
2/24/19 – 2/28/19 — > Friday 3/6/20
3/2/19 – 3/6/19 — > Friday 3/20/20 ***
3/9/19 – 3/13/19 — > Friday 3/27/20
3/16/19 – 3/20/19 — > Friday 4/3/20
3/23/19 – 3/27/19 — > Friday 4/10/20
* = IRS may delay tax filing season by one week or more due to changes in tax law.
** = Returns with EITC or CTC may have refunds delayed until late February to verify credits.
*** = Filing during peak season can result in slightly longer waits.
3/29/19 – 4/3/19 — > Friday 4/17/20
4/6/19 – 4/10/19 — > Friday 4/24/20
4/13/19 – 4/12/19 — > Friday 5/1/20
4/20/19 – 4/24/19 — > Friday 5/8/20
4/27/19 – 5/1/19 — > Friday 5/15/20
5/4/19 – 5/8/19 — > Friday 5/22/20
5/11/19 – 5/15/19 — > Friday 5/29/20
5/18/19 – 5/22/19 — > Friday 6/5/20
5/25/19 – 5/29/19 — > Friday 6/12/20
6/1/19 – 6/5/19 Friday 6/19/20
IMPORTANT: If you file electronically (using an online tax program or preparer), the IRS will notify you of the actual date they “accepted” your return. This is often 1-3 days from the time you actually hit the “file” button, and it is this date that you need to use for the above chart.
Taxpayers who mail a paper version their income tax return can expect at least a 3-4 week delay at the front-end of the process, as the return has to be digitized before it can be processed.