Tax refund timelines are stretching into June 2026 for millions of Americans, with the IRS processing payments throughout the month. The average federal tax refund is around $3,268, roughly 8% higher than last year. Delays are partly due to Executive Order 14247, mandating electronic refunds, which has led to over 1.4 million notices being sent to taxpayers without banking information.
Tax refund payments for returns accepted in late May and throughout June are being processed on a rolling schedule. Direct deposits for filings accepted from May 31 to June 6 are estimated around June 12, with paper checks around June 19.
Subsequent weekly acceptance windows follow similar patterns, with paper checks arriving about a week after direct deposits. These are approximations, and refunds can fall outside these ranges due to backlogs or verification checks. A significant source of delay stems from Executive Order 14247, which mandated electronic refund payments.
By late March 2026, the IRS had already sent 1.4 million CP53E notices to taxpayers without banking details. House Ways and Means Committee Democrats stated these taxpayers could face over a 10-week delay. An earlier letter from the lawmakers argued the order was causing undue hardship by delaying paper refunds for months.
The CP53E notice indicates the IRS could not process direct deposit details, holding the payment until updated information is provided. Returns claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit also undergo mandatory verification. Math errors, missing forms, or mismatched income data can trigger additional manual reviews.
Taxpayers can check their refund status using the IRS “Where’s My Refund” tool, which updates within 24 hours of accepting an e-filed return. Paper filers may wait several weeks for status information. State refunds are processed independently from federal payments.
Filers in certain disaster-impacted areas had a May 1, 2026 deadline, so their refunds are also arriving now or in early July. If a CP53E notice arrives, the IRS advises responding only through an official IRS online account. The agency warns against responding to unsolicited emails or texts claiming to be from the IRS.
