Your tax refund in 2025 will typically arrive within about 21 days if you filed your tax return electronically and selected direct deposit. The IRS usually acknowledges e-filed returns within 24 to 48 hours, and most refunds are processed and sent within 21 days after IRS acceptance. If you mailed a paper return, expect your refund to take about 4 to 8 weeks to process. Several factors can affect your refund timing, including whether you claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), errors in your tax return, IRS processing delays, or bank processing times. You can start checking the status of your refund within 24 hours after e-filing by using the IRS "Where's My Refund?" tool or the IRS2Go mobile app. In summary:
- E-file with direct deposit: about 21 days
- Paper file: 4-8 weeks
- Potential delays with credits or errors
This timeline is based on IRS processing trends and your refund status updates are available on the IRS website from 24 hours after acceptance.
