Tax season officially began last week and American taxpayers are due tax refunds you’ll likely see them hit your accounts within a few weeks, depending on how you’ve filed your returns.

The IRS announced that January 26 was the official start of the tax filing season, allowing taxpayers to begin filing their returns for tax year 2025. Taxpayers who paid more taxes than they owed throughout the tax year will receive a refund.

In announcing the start of tax filing season, the IRS noted that most refunds are issued within three weeks of a taxpayer filing their return, although there are exceptions.

“Although the IRS issues most refunds in less than 21 days, some returns require additional review and may take longer,” the IRS said in its announcement.

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IRS CEO and Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano said Americans will get their tax refunds on time despite a partial government shutdown. (Juanmonino via Getty Images)

The IRS website said it usually takes up to 21 days to process a tax refund declarations submitted electronicallywhile mailed returns can take six weeks or more to reach the taxpayer. Refunds may also take longer if the return needs corrections or additional review.

Taxpayers who are preparing to file their returns should consider setting up direct deposit with the IRS if they want to get their refund sooner.

The IRS also began eliminating paper refund checks last fall, although it will send paper checks if no alternative is available to the taxpayer. Options available to taxpayers without bank accounts include prepaid debit cards, digital wallets or other limited exceptions.

Most taxpayers already receive refunds through direct deposit. During the 2025 tax filing season, 93% of the 93.5 million refunds for individual taxpayers were disbursed to taxpayers by direct deposit.

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The Trump administration expects the biggest tax refund cycle “in history” this spring in 2026. (Getty Images)

The IRS offers an online service “Where is my refund?” tool for taxpayers to check the status of their tax refund.

Taxpayers who issue their returns can usually see the status of their refund within 24 hours using the “Where’s My Refund?” tool, which can provide reimbursement information not only for the current year but also for the past two years.

If a taxpayer needs to amend their return after filing, it may take longer to receive their return. Amended returns can take up to three weeks to appear in the IRS system and up to 16 weeks to process.

The IRS also offers a “Where is my amended return?” tool for taxpayers who have filed an amended return and want to track the status of their filing and any related refunds.

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Taxpayers who file their returns by email may receive their refund checks earlier than those who send their returns by mail. (Michael Bocchieri/Getty Images)

A partial government shutdown which began Feb. 1, could affect when taxpayers receive their refunds, though lawmakers have expressed optimism it could end as soon as Tuesday.

IRS CEO Frank Bisignano told Fox News’ Aishah Hasnie that there was “no way” a shutdown would affect tax refund payments and stressed that agency staff will still be on the job.

During the previous government shutdown, which at 43 days was the longest in history and lasted from October to mid-November last year, the IRS noted that it generally will not be able to issue refunds except in a specific circumstance.

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“Generally, tax refunds will not be paid during this period with one key exception. For taxpayers filing a Form 1040, refunds will continue to be paid on electronically filed, error-free returns that can be automatically processed and directly deposited,” the IRS wrote in October.