If you’re eagerly tracking your tax refund, understanding how and when the IRS updates your account can help ease some of the stress. The IRS follows a structured update schedule for both daily and weekly processing accounts, which impacts when tax transcripts and the Where’s My Refund? (WMR) tool reflect changes. Here’s a breakdown of how it works.
IRS Update Schedule: Daily vs. Weekly Accounts
The IRS processes tax returns in two different cycles:
Daily Accounts – Processed Monday through Friday Weekly Accounts – Processed once per week, typically on Thursdays
When Do Transcripts Update?
- Daily Accounts: Tax transcripts update on Tuesdays.
- Weekly Accounts: Tax transcripts update on Fridays.
When Does Where’s My Refund? (WMR) Update?
- Daily Accounts: WMR reflects updates on Wednesdays, following the Tuesday transcript updates.
- Weekly Accounts: WMR updates on Saturdays, following the Friday transcript updates.
How Holidays Impact Updates
If a federal holiday falls during the processing week, the IRS may push back updates by a day:
Daily Accounts: Transcript updates shift to Wednesdays, and WMR updates move to Thursdays. Weekly Accounts: The typical Friday/Saturday schedule remains unchanged.
What This Means for Taxpayers
If you’re checking your transcripts and WMR for refund status updates, timing is key:
- If you’re in a daily processing cycle, expect updates midweek.
- If you’re in a weekly processing cycle, check your transcripts on Fridays and WMR on Saturdays.
Knowing these schedules can help you track your refund more efficiently and reduce unnecessary stress.
