About RefundTimeline
Helping taxpayers estimate when to expect their IRS and state tax refund
Our Mission
RefundTimeline was built to answer one of the most common tax-season questions: "When will I get my refund?" The IRS provides official processing timelines, but individual experiences vary based on filing method, complexity, and time of year. We aggregate that data to give you a realistic picture.
We track IRS federal refund processing times, all 50 state tax refund timelines, and real-time status categories from the IRS Where's My Refund tool — so you can set expectations and stop refreshing your bank account every hour.
What We Track
IRS Processing Times
Average days from acceptance to deposit for e-filed and paper returns, broken down by filing week, method, and delivery type.
State Refund Timelines
Each of the 50 states has its own processing window. We maintain up-to-date estimates for all state income tax refunds.
Where's My Refund Status
We explain what each IRS WMR status (Return Received, Refund Approved, Refund Sent) means and what to expect next.
Delay Reasons & Codes
Common causes of refund delays — PATH Act holds, identity verification, TC 150/570/971 codes — explained in plain language.
Our Data Sources
RefundTimeline is based on two primary sources:
- Official IRS publications — including the annual IRS refund schedule, processing time announcements, and guidance documents published at IRS.gov.
- Aggregated community reports — anonymized, self-reported refund dates that allow us to build real-world processing time distributions alongside the official IRS data.
- State tax agency publications — each state's department of revenue or taxation publishes processing time estimates; we compile and update these throughout the tax season.
What RefundTimeline Is Not
- ✕We are not affiliated with the IRS, any state tax agency, or any government body.
- ✕We do not provide tax advice. Nothing on this site constitutes legal, financial, or tax guidance.
- ✕We do not collect Social Security Numbers, tax return data, income figures, or any sensitive financial information.
- ✕We cannot speed up your refund or contact the IRS on your behalf.
Ready to check your timeline?
Use our refund estimator or browse state-specific processing times.