If you’re filing for your tax returns, you might be wondering about the IRS tax deadline and Refund schedule for 2022. Amidst the continuing pandemic there are a lot of uncertainties with deadlines and schedules. Here’s the lowdown on what you need to know:
Tax season officially kicks off on January 24, 2022. That is the first day that individual tax returns can be accepted and the IRS will start processing returns.
The deadline for submitting tax returns (or filing for an extension) remains Monday, April 18, 2022. Taxpayers in Maine and Massachusetts have until April 19, 2022 due to the Patriot’s Day holiday observed in those two states.
So, by now, you have already filed your tax returns, and are probably wondering how long it will take to get your refund.
Federal Tax Refund Schedule
The answer to that depends on how you filed your tax return, and how you want to receive your refund. For federal tax refund, here’s what you need to know:
- Electronically filed, direct deposit to bank: anywhere between 1-3 weeks
- Paper filed by mail, direct deposit to bank: 3 weeks
- Electronically filed, refund check sent through mail: anywhere between 6-8 weeks
- Paper filed by mail, refund check sent through mail: anywhere between 6-8 weeks
If you’re wondering about specific dates, you should know that the IRS usually issues over 90% of tax returns in less than 21 days after tax returns have been processed.
As of writing, the IRS has yet to release an official tax refund calendar for this year’s tax season (2021 tax year.) Still, we have got this chart that shows an estimate of when you can expect to get your refund based on the IRS’ schedule reported turnaround time for refunds.
The IRS Refund Schedule for 2022
| Date Return Filed | Date Direct Deposit Sent | Date Paper Check Mailed |
| January 24, 2022 | February 4, 2022 | February 11, 2022 |
| January 31, 2022 | February 11, 2022 | February 18, 2022 |
| February 7, 2022 | February 18, 2022 | February 25, 2022 |
| February 14, 2022 | February 25, 2022 | March 4, 2022 |
| February 21, 2022 | March 4, 2022 | March 11, 2022 |
| February 28, 2022 | March 11, 2022 | March 18, 2022 |
| March 7, 2022 | March 18, 2022 | March 25, 2022 |
| March 14, 2022 | March 25, 2022 | April 1, 2022 |
| March 21, 2022 | April 1, 2022 | April 8, 2022 |
| March 28, 2022 | April 8, 2022 | April 15, 2022 |
| April 4, 2022 | April 15, 2022 | April 22, 2022 |
| April 11, 2022 | April 22, 2022 | April 29, 2022 |
| April 18, 2022 | April 29, 2022 | May 6, 2022 |
| April 25, 2022 | May 6, 2022 | May 13, 2022 |
| May 2, 2022 | May 13, 2022 | May 20, 2022 |
| May 9, 2022 | May 20, 2022 | May 27, 2022 |
| May 16, 2022 | May 27, 2022 | June 4, 2022 |
| May 23, 2022 | June 4, 2022 | June 11, 2022 |
| May 30, 2022 | June 11, 2022 | June 18, 2022 |
| June 6, 2022 | June 18, 2022 | June 25, 2022 |
| June 13, 2022 | June 25, 2022 | July 2, 2022 |
| June 20, 2022 | July 2, 2022 | July 9, 2022 |
| June 27, 2022 | July 9, 2022 | July 16, 2022 |
| July 4, 2022 | July 16, 2022 | July 23, 2022 |
| July 11, 2022 | July 23, 2022 | July 30, 2022 |
How To Track Your Federal Tax Refund
Since we’re in the middle of a pandemic, there might be changes to the schedule. But fret not, the IRS has two free tools that you can use to track your tax refund.
The first one is Where’s My Refund? Tool that you can see on the IRS website. The second one is through the IRS2Go mobile app. You can download this on your smartphone.
You will need your Social Security Number or your Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), your filing status, and the exact amount of your tax refund in dollars to check the status of your tax refund on the tools mentioned above.
Both tools practically work the same way, but the mobile app is only updated once every 24 hours, so you can only check once a day.
