How Long Will It Take To Get Your Tax Refund In 2026?

Tax season is officially here, so it's time to collect those W-2s and 1099s, crack open your laptop, and get to work. While filing your taxes isn't exactly the most enjoyable process, thanks to all the modern tools that exist to make filing easy in 2026, it doesn't have to be as bad.

Either way, filing and getting it over with sooner rather than later means that you'll end up getting your refund in a more prompt manner. After all, it's best not to put off filing until the last minute, just in case you accidentally miss the deadline and have to find out what happens to your tax refund when you file late. That being said, when you can expect to receive your tax returns in 2026 largely depends on how, exactly, you file.

For those wanting their refund the fastest, the best way to file your taxes is electronically. E-filers can expect their refund within 21 days of filing. Adding to this is the fact that President Trump began phasing out paper check returns in late 2025, meaning almost all refunds will be handled via direct deposit this tax season. That said, if you choose to file your tax return via mailed-in form you could be waiting as long as a month or more.

The IRS kicked off tax season this year on January 26, and is expecting to receive around 164 million tax returns by the time the deadline hits on April 15. When you file during the season can also impact how quickly you receive your refund — with later filers likely facing longer wait times than early filers. Also keep in mind that any incomplete, inaccurate, or amended returns will also likely increase your processing time. This is why it's so important to remember to avoid mistakes that might cause the IRS to delay, or even fine, you.

With that in mind, it may be worth checking out which is cheaper: using an online tax service or hiring a professional in order to figure out how to get the most out of your refund. This can be especially true for those with more complicated returns. Regardless of how you end up filing, if you want to check on the status of your return, the IRS' refund status webpage can be used just 24 hours after electronically filing your return (or four weeks if you file a paper return).