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Average IRS Refund Release Trends (2013–2025)

Over the past decade, IRS refund timing has evolved with new systems, security checks, and the PATH Act law that affects early filers. This chart shows when the majority of refunds were released each year, from the first IRS acceptance day through the peak refund weeks.

Tax Year Filing Year IRS Opening Date Average Refund Issued (First Wave) Notes / Key Factors
20122013Jan 30, 2013Feb 14–21, 2013 IRS delayed opening due to system changes after fiscal cliff; refunds resumed mid-February.
20132014Jan 31, 2014Feb 14–20, 2014 Normal cycle; most refunds within 14–21 days after acceptance.
20142015Jan 20, 2015Feb 4–11, 2015 Earlier start; average refund time 10–16 days for e-file with direct deposit.
20152016Jan 19, 2016Feb 3–10, 2016 Strong refund flow year; 9 out of 10 refunds issued in under 21 days.
20162017Jan 23, 2017Feb 23–Mar 1, 2017 PATH Act enforced for first time; EITC/ACTC refunds delayed until mid-February.
20172018Jan 29, 2018Feb 22–Mar 2, 2018 PATH Act delays continued; most refunds after Feb 22 for credit filers.
20182019Jan 28, 2019Feb 21–28, 2019 Normal season; government shutdown briefly affected refund schedule.
20192020Jan 27, 2020Feb 14–21, 2020 Efficient start; pre-COVID season with strong 21-day average.
20202021Feb 12, 2021Mar 5–12, 2021 COVID delays and staffing issues extended processing times.
20212022Jan 24, 2022Feb 18–25, 2022 Refunds normalized; IRS still catching up from pandemic backlog.
20222023Jan 23, 2023Feb 17–24, 2023 Strong digital cycle; 90% of refunds issued within 21 days.
20232024Jan 29, 2024Feb 23–Mar 1, 2024 PATH Act delays extended; most EITC/ACTC refunds released by Feb 27.
20242025Jan 27, 2025 (Est.)Feb 21–28, 2025 (Est.) Expected to follow standard pattern; most refunds within 21 days for e-filed returns.

Trend Summary (2013–2025)

  • 2013–2015: IRS modernization shortened refund times to 10–16 days for e-filed returns.
  • 2016–2017: PATH Act introduced mandatory refund holds until mid-February for EITC and ACTC claims.
  • 2018–2020: Normal refund flow returned; most refunds issued within 2–3 weeks.
  • 2021–2022: COVID-related delays caused processing times up to 8–10 weeks for some filers.
  • 2023–2025: IRS return to normal operations; improved direct deposit timing and transcript visibility.

*Data compiled from IRS announcements, RefundTalk reports, and industry averages. Refund timelines apply to accepted electronic returns using direct deposit.

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