IRS Refund Status: IRS Processing Dates Chart

We have recently found great information regarding the IRS Processing Dates Chart. We have attached both images from the IRS and see the quoted information below to learn more about the upcoming IRS Processing Dates Chart.

Thank you,

2016 IRS Where’s My Refund Updating Schedule

There are two ways of estimating when you will get your 2016 Tax Refund. The more user friendly simple Refund Schedule, 2016 IRS E-File Cycle Chart for Tax Year 2015. After the IRS stopped releasing a refund schedule, they begin using a  much more advanced  IDRS (Integrated Date Retrieval System) TIF Processing, Production, and Posting Cycles. This is much more difficult for the common(non-accountant) to understand, but we wanted to provide it to our users as a way to help better understand the IRS Where’s My Refund timelines.
Where’s My Refund Updating Schedule below:

There are three cycles included in the IDRS TIF System;

1. Processing, this is the dates that IRS processes 2016 tax returns. If you file on one of these days, you will likely be accepted on the same day or next day.
2. Production, this is the dates that the IRS updates your tax refund to approved and then you await the Posting Cycle
3. Posting, this is the dates that IRS makes direct deposits. As a note, your direct deposit will be made within 4 days of this date. The IRS does not actually make any deposits, the Treasury does, so they do not have the exact date there. This is usually within a day of direct deposit in the past though.

2016 IRS Where’s My Refund Updating Schedule – IRS Processing Dates

2016 IRS Where’s My Refund Updating Schedule – IRS Production Dates

2016 IRS Where’s My Refund Updating Schedule – IRS Posting Dates

1/25/2016: The IRS Posting Dates schedule is still not available yet. As soon as we have it, we will update this page.

The IRS is currently in stage 201604(4th cycle). IRS Production dates for stage 201604 are January 21st to January 27th, IRS posting dates for stage 201604 are January 22nd, to January 28th. For 2016, stages  201601-201604 are dead IRS posting stages, There are no dead cycles for IRS processing and production cycles. So today is the first day an 2015 tax return in IRS production stages 1, 2 and 3 will be in IRS posting stage 4 (1/22 to 1/28).

This is very confusing for most, so we do still recommend users to our 2016 Refund Schedule, this will give you roughly the same information, but at a much easier to read level.