2025 Tax refund timeline thread: Share when you submitted, got accepted, & received your refund for tax year 2024

So I mailed in my paper return on January 31st. The Where's My Refund tool still says "return received" but not processed. It's been 7 weeks now. Is that normal this year or should I be calling them? I'm expecting about $2,200 back.

For paper returns, 7 weeks is unfortunately still within the normal processing window. The IRS is making progress on paper return backlogs, but they still take much longer than e-filed returns. I'd recommend waiting until you hit the 8-week mark before calling. At that point, it would be reasonable to contact them to check if there's any specific issue with your return. If you do need to call, try early morning (right when they open) or later in the afternoon on Wednesdays or Thursdays for shortest wait times. Make sure you have your return information handy when you call.

Does it actually give you more info than the Where's My Refund tool? That thing is basically useless - just tells me "it's processing" for weeks. Can this taxr.ai thing tell you if there's a specific problem or how much longer the wait will be?

I'm kinda suspicious of giving my tax info to random websites. How do you know it's secure? Sounds like you're just giving away sensitive financial data.

It definitely gives way more detailed information than the Where's My Refund tool. Instead of just "processing," it broke down that I had a specific code on my transcript indicating an adjustment review and estimated when that would likely be completed based on current IRS processing patterns. It showed me exactly which line items were being reviewed. Their security is actually really solid - they use bank-level encryption and don't store your documents after analysis. They explain all this on their site, but I was initially cautious too. The analysis happens in real-time and then the documents are purged from their system. I researched them pretty thoroughly before using the service.

How does this even work? I've tried calling the IRS like 5 times and always hung up after being on hold forever. Do they have some special direct line or something?

This sounds like a total scam. There's no way they can get you through to the IRS faster than anyone else. The IRS phone system is the same for everyone. They're probably just taking your money.

They use an automated system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. When they reach a live agent, you get a call connecting you directly to that agent. No special access or line - they're just handling the hold time so you don't have to sit there listening to the hold music for hours. It's definitely not a scam. I was connected to a legitimate IRS customer service rep who had full access to my tax account and resolved my issue immediately. I was skeptical too, but it genuinely works. They just found a clever way to handle the most frustrating part of calling the IRS.

Do you think filing with something simple like TaxAct vs more expensive software like TurboTax or H&R Block makes any difference in how fast your return gets processed? Or is it all the same once it hits the IRS?

I don't think the tax software you use affects IRS processing time at all. Once your return is transmitted to the IRS, they can't even tell which software you used to prepare it. The differences between tax software are mostly about user experience, support options, and additional features. The main factors that affect processing speed are how you file (e-file is way faster than paper), whether your return has certain credits that require special handling (like EITC or ACTC), and whether there are any issues that trigger manual review. Having a simple return with just W2 income definitely helps speed things along.

I claimed CTC for my kids too and got my refund after about 4 weeks. Did you also claim Earned Income Credit? That usually takes longer. You might want to try getting your tax transcript from the IRS website - sometimes it shows more details about what's happening with your return.

You're even more detail oriented than me lol! Have you always used FreeTaxUSA? I've been thinking about switching from TurboTax to save some money.

I've used FreeTaxUSA for the last three years after switching from TurboTax. The interface isn't quite as polished, but it's completely adequate and handles all my tax situations correctly. The federal filing is free and state is only $15 compared to the $120+ I was paying with TurboTax for the same exact results. If you have a fairly straightforward tax situation (even with some common deductions and forms like I listed), it works great. The only people who might want to stick with the more expensive options are those with extremely complex situations like multiple businesses, complex investments, or unusual tax situations.