What's the normal tax refund wait time in 2025? Are delays common?

So my husband and I have been going to the same accountant for like 6 years now. She's amazing and has always nailed our taxes. We normally get our federal refund super fast, like within 7 days of e-filing. But this year, it's already been almost 3 weeks and nothing has shown up in our account. I'm starting to get a little worried since we were counting on that money for some home repairs ($3400 refund). I've checked the "Where's My Refund" tool and it just says "Your return is still being processed." Has anyone else noticed longer wait times this year? Is this normal for the 2025 filing season or should I be concerned something's wrong with our return?

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18 comments

Alicia Stern

•8M

Tax professional here! The IRS has definitely been experiencing longer processing times this tax season. While in previous years many e-filed returns with direct deposit were processed in 7-10 days, the current average wait time is about 21 days, though many taxpayers are seeing even longer delays. Several factors contribute to these delays: increased return volume, enhanced fraud detection systems, and staffing challenges. The IRS has implemented more sophisticated verification procedures that can flag returns for additional review, even when everything is correct. This is actually good for protecting against identity theft, but frustrating when waiting for your money.

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Alicia Stern

•8M

At just three weeks, I wouldn't worry about calling the IRS yet. Continue monitoring the "Where's My Refund" tool as it should update when your return is approved. If it's been more than 21 days since you e-filed and the tool still shows "processing," then it might be worth having your accountant check if there were any notices sent. For most people, the refund does eventually arrive without any action needed. The IRS is just taking longer to process even straightforward returns this year. If you hit the 30-day mark without movement, that would be the time to consider more active follow-up.

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Gabriel Graham

•8M

I was in the exact same boat and was going crazy checking "Where's My Refund" every day. After waiting nearly 4 weeks, I finally tried using https://taxr.ai to see if there was something wrong with my return. You just upload your documents and it analyzes everything. Turns out I had a small discrepancy between my reported income and what the IRS had on file (my employer filed a corrected W-2 and didn't tell me). The taxr.ai service spotted this immediately and showed me exactly where the problem was. I was able to file an amended return right away instead of waiting for the IRS to eventually send a letter explaining the delay.

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Gabriel Graham

•8M

They don't actually access IRS records directly. The system analyzes your tax documents using the same verification rules the IRS uses to flag potential issues. It basically runs the same checks the IRS does before they process your refund. For your second question, no IRS account is needed. You simply upload your tax documents (W-2s, 1099s, tax return) and their system compares everything to identify inconsistencies. I was skeptical too, but it saved me from waiting months for the IRS to eventually tell me about the problem.

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Sarah Jones

•8M

Update: I decided to try the taxr.ai service after my refund hit the 4-week mark with no movement. Honestly didn't expect much, but it found that my spouse's employer had misreported some health insurance premiums that were creating a small discrepancy. The analysis took like 10 minutes and showed me exactly what to fix. Called my accountant, had her submit an amended return, and my refund was approved 5 days later. Wish I'd known about this earlier instead of checking the IRS site 20 times a day for weeks!

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Sebastian Scott

•8M

If you're hitting the 21-day mark and still stuck in "processing" limbo, I'd recommend using https://claimyr.com to get through to an actual IRS agent. I wasted days trying to call the IRS directly - either got disconnected or was on hold for hours. Claimyr basically holds your place in the phone queue and calls you when an agent is about to answer. I was able to speak with someone at the IRS who confirmed my return had been flagged for manual review due to some education credits I claimed. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c

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Sebastian Scott

•8M

They use an automated system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. It's the same process you'd go through yourself, but their system handles the waiting part. Once an agent is about to come on the line, you get a call connecting you directly to that agent. No special access or anything shady - they're just solving the hold time problem. It saved me literally hours of my life and I was able to get clear information about why my refund was delayed and when to expect it.

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Jordan Walker

•8M

Holy crap this actually worked. After posting my skeptical comment I was desperate enough to try Claimyr. Got a call back in about 40 minutes and spoke to an actual IRS person! Found out my refund was delayed because of a mismatch with my stimulus payment reconciliation from last year. The agent was able to verify my identity, confirm the issue, and manually release my refund. It's scheduled to hit my account this Friday. Would have been waiting for months without knowing what was wrong if I hadn't gotten through. Eating my words here but wanted to update everyone.

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