IRS Confirms PATH Act Hold Lifts February 17; EITC/ACTC Refunds by February 28, 2025

Just got the update from IRS about PATH Act. For anyone waiting on their refund with kids, I wanted to share the official notice. The IRS officially announced they "will lift the PATH Act holding requirement on February 17, 2025, and fund most refunds of taxpayers claiming either the EITC or ACTC by February 28, 2025." This announcement was dated "Jan 28, 2025" per the notice I received. Been checking my transcript daily and no movement yet on my refund, but at least we have specific dates now. Since the announcement came out January 28, 2025, we're looking at about a month until the hold lifts. Anyone else waiting on EITC or ACTC refunds should see updates hitting their transcripts by February 17th at the latest, with actual refunds funded by February 28th. I'm glad they finally gave us concrete dates instead of the vague "late February" they usually provide. Has anyone who filed early seen any codes updating on their transcript yet, or are we all just stuck in the PATH Act holding pattern until mid-February? I filed on January 15th and claimed both credits, so I'm definitely in the waiting game.

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Amina Diop

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The IRS has provided specific timing for PATH Act refund releases, with two key dates to note: February 17, 2025, when the holding requirement lifts, and February 28, 2025, for most refund disbursements. This official announcement from January 28th affects taxpayers who claimed either the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). The PATH Act holding requirement is a protective measure designed to prevent tax fraud and ensure accurate credit claims. While it may be frustrating for families waiting on their refunds, this mandatory hold period gives the IRS time to verify credit eligibility and prevent improper payments. For affected taxpayers, this means: - No refund movement will occur before February 17th - Most refunds should be received by February 28th - The 11-day window between these dates is when the IRS will process and release the majority of held refunds It's worth noting that the announcement uses the term "most refunds," indicating some cases may take longer if additional verification is needed. Taxpayers can track their refund status using the "Where's My Refund?" tool on the IRS website, though significant updates aren't likely until after February 17th.

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