IRS tax refund: Here's when you can expect your payment

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FILE-In this photo illustration, a 1040 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return document is seen on a desk on April 15, 2024 in North Haledon, New Jersey. (Photo illustration by Michael Bocchieri/Getty Images)

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Americans are expecting to receive tax refunds soon as the IRS will review filings and distribute payments through direct deposit and mailed checks. 

Here's what you need to know.

When can I expect my tax refund?

Why you should care:

Taxpayers who submitted their tax returns online with the option of direct deposit between May 1 and May 15 can expect to receive their refunds between May 22 and June 4.

If the returns were filed online, taxpayers who chose to get a mailed check, can expect their refunds to arrive between May 29 and June 11. For individuals who filed their tax returns on paper, your refunds will arrive as late as July 10. 

RELATED: Here's the average tax refund for 2025 filers so far, according to IRS

And people who filed their returns between May 16 and May 31 will receive their refunds between June 6 and June 19 for direct deposits, June 13 and June 26 for mailed checks, and July 11 to July 25 for paper filings.

Newsweek reported that the IRS has specific refund timelines depending on the filing date and filing method. 

How can I check the status of my refund?

Local perspective:

If you want to know your tax return payment status, filers can visit the IRS Where’s My Refund? section. 

The "Where's My Refund" tool shows the following refund statuses:

• Return Received – We received your return and are processing it.
• Refund Approved – We approved your refund and are preparing to issue it by the date shown.
• Refund Sent – We sent the refund to your bank or to you in the mail. It may take 5 days for it to show in your bank account or several weeks for your check to arrive in the mail.

How much is the average tax refund?

Dig deeper:

Newsweek reported that the average refund amount for 2025 is approximately $2,939. That figure is slightly higher than last year's average amount of $2,869, though individual refunds vary based on earnings, withholding, tax credits, and deductions.