The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) processed 87.5 million tax returns as of March 27, with 72% resulting in a refund—the highest proportion in at least five years. The average refund per taxpayer reached $3,521, representing “an 11% increase compared to the same period in 2015, when the average was $3,170, according to the IRS itself.
This increase is attributed to new deductions introduced by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included benefits on tips, overtime, and auto loan interest, according to the Tax Foundation.
By that date, the IRS had issued 62.9 million refunds. The volume of processed returns continues to increase as the April 15 deadline approaches. The agency maintains a disbursement schedule based on the acceptance date of each electronic return.
IRS Tax Refunds: Disbursement schedule for mid-April
The IRS sets payment deadlines based on the date the electronic return is accepted by its systems. Direct deposit is typically credited within 21 days of acceptance. Applying this criterion, taxpayers whose return was accepted between March 22 and 29, 2026, will receive their refunds between April 12 and 19.
Returns submitted by mail require longer processing times. Mailed returns take between four and eight weeks to process. Therefore, those who opted for physical submission during March could also see their payments credited around this time, although the exact date is less certain.
Profile of taxpayers receiving payments this week
Those receiving refunds between April 12 and 19 belong primarily to a specific group. Those who claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) already received their payments weeks ago, since the IRS cannot issue those refunds until mid-February. Consequently, this week’s refunds are mainly for taxpayers who did not claim those credits or who filed their returns close to the April 15 deadline.
Another defining factor for this group is the chosen payment method. In 2026, the IRS definitively eliminated paper checks for refunds by executive order. All payments are now made exclusively via direct deposit. Taxpayers expecting a refund this week should have already provided their bank details at the time of filing.
How to verify your refund status
The IRS provides taxpayers with a digital tool to monitor the progress of their refunds. Where’s My Refund? shows the refund status approximately 24 hours after filing an e-return, three to four days after filing an e-return for prior years, or four weeks after a paper return.
To access this information, taxpayers need three pieces of information: their Social Security number, their filing status, and the exact amount of their expected refund. The tool is available on the IRS website.
Possible delays in the April 12-19 window
Although the standard schedule places refunds within 21 days of the return’s acceptance, several factors can extend this timeframe. These include errors on the return, withholdings for child support payments, prior tax debts, or delays in bank processing.
Taxpayers who filed their electronic return between March 22 and 29 but haven’t yet seen the deposit in their account should check the status using Where’s My Refund?. The tool indicates whether the refund has been approved, sent, or if there is an active hold.
Regarding postal processing
A smaller portion of the refunds issued this week were for those who filed by mail. Because the IRS processes paper returns with a four- to eight-week turnaround, taxpayers who submitted their paperwork by mail during the first half of March may be receiving their payment now. However, the exact date of deposit is less predictable than for electronic returns.
The IRS recommends using e-filing for future tax seasons because it reduces processing times and allows for more accurate tracking. The agency has not announced any changes to this policy for the remainder of tax year 2026.
