IRS tax refund may arrive sooner than you think. Here’s a schedule for when you can expect your check or direct deposit.

There are three status updates which the taxpayer might see: “received return,” “refund approved,” or “refund sent.” If the refund has been sent, it could be up to 5 days before the money shows up in your bank account or a few weeks before your check has been received.

Your bank or credit union has not posted the refund. If you're claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit, those refunds can't go out before mid-February, but the IRS says filers should receive their funds by March 3, 2025. (That's if the return had no problems and they chose direct deposit.)