When Will the IRS Start Issuing Refunds for the 2021 Tax Year

Below is a chart showing estimated dates for the receipt of income tax refund calendar 2021 when the return was accepted (based on e-filing).  These dates should be close, but many factors can affect them.

Estimated Refund release date 2021

Estimated Refund release date 2021

When is the IRS depositing refunds 2021

According to the IRS, 90% of tax refunds are processed and issued in under 21 days, although many taxpayers report that less complex returns with no mistakes or other problems usually received them in under 2 weeks.  Currently, it’s taking longer than normal to process the 2020 tax returns and issue refunds due to COVID-19 processing delays

When will tax refunds be processed 2021

As indicated earlier, the tax agency takes about three weeks to process returns and pay refunds.  As per IRS, the returns are processed in the order they are received and also in order to avoid delays and speed up processing, they will redirect the tax returns and taxpayer correspondence to different sections where more staff is available.  Sometimes

IRS may take up to 120 days to issue refunds if there are mistakes in the tax return and the data on your tax return doesn’t match IRS records.

IRS' Massive Backlog Continues to Delay Millions of Refunds for Americans | The WealthAdvisor

AOTC and EITC Tax Refund schedule 2021 tax season

Keep in mind that if you claimed either the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), IRS can’t issue your refund before February 15 and your refund is most likely going to be delayed. You can expect to get your refund by the first week of March if:

• You file your return online
• You choose to get your refund by direct deposit
• We found no issues with your return

In order to qualify for EITC, you, your spouse and all qualifying dependents you claim on your tax return must have a valid Social Security number and ITIN or ATIN is not acceptable.  To be valid, the SSN must be valid for employment and issued before the due date of the tax return (including extensions)

Same as EITC, the child must have an SSN to be a qualifying child for ACTC.  You cannot claim the credit on either your original or an amended return for a child who doesn’t have an SSN by the due date of tax return (including extensions), even if that child later gets an SSN.

When to Expect Your Refund if You Claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov)

Some tax returns take longer to process than others for many reasons, including when a return:

• Needs a correction to the  Recovery Rebate Credit amount
• 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 using 2019 income. 
• Includes a Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation PDF, which could take up to 14 weeks to process
• Needs further review in general

How can I speed up my refund?

The IRS says that the most efficient way to receive your refund is to file the tax return electronically with direct deposit as soon as possible to IRS or State Agency and to have your refund directly deposited into the bank account. Also, you can begin tracking the refund status 24 hours after the IRS accepts your tax return, hence always track your refund status. It also helps to minimize tax refund theft as it occurs when someone steals personal information of taxpayer.  Later when the real taxpayer try to process their return, error message will be generated from the tax software saying that the tax return is already filed.   Paper returns and paper checks will always take longer. Normally, paper returns can take 4 to 6 weeks to process - and this year is likely to be longer.

It is best not to count your refund dollars until you receive them. The IRS operates with stringent requirements for direct deposit. No more than 3 refunds will be deposited in a single bank account, or be applied to prepaid debit cards. Plus, the account must be in the filer’s or their spouse’s name. If there is a problem with direct deposit, the IRS sends you an old-fashioned paper check instead.

4 Ways to Speed Up Your Tax Refund - NerdWallet

How can I check the status of my refund?

If you want to check the status of your refund, start here to see more information on the typical timelines, and links to check your refund status. You will need your Social Security number or taxpayer-identification number, your refund amount, and your filing status. This information is updated daily, usually overnight, and should be available within 24 hours of e-filing or 4 weeks after mailing a paper return.

If it has been more than 21 days since you e-filed, or 6 weeks since sending a paper return, and you have not received your expected refund, there may be an issue with your return. Perhaps you made an error, the IRS flagged it for review, or it may be the case that you have been the victim of identity theft. The IRS will send a letter if they need more information, or you can call the IRS to check. If you choose to call, remember that wait times can be quite long.

2022 Refund Schedule: How Long Do I Have to Wait Until I Get My Tax Refund? | The Official Blog of TaxSlayer