Sat Feb 15 11:00:00 UTC 2025: ## IRS Processes Millions of Returns in First Week of Tax Season; Refund Delays Possible
**Washington, D.C.** – The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced it processed 11.7 million tax returns in the first week of the 2025 filing season, which began January 27th. While this represents a strong start, taxpayers should be aware of potential delays for certain refunds.
Approximately 28% of those processed returns resulted in immediate direct deposit refunds. The IRS expects to receive over 140 million individual tax returns by the April 15th deadline. Taxpayers can track their refund status online using the IRS’s “Where’s My Refund” tool, which updates within 24 hours of electronic filing. Most refunds are issued within 21 days, but those claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) may face delays until after mid-February due to fraud prevention measures.
This year’s filing season benefits from the IRS’s increased funding and staffing from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which aimed to address years of underfunding and improve taxpayer services. However, recent budget cuts have reduced IRS funding by $40 billion, raising concerns about potential future impacts on processing times and services.
The IRS’s free online filing system, Direct File, expanded to 25 states this year, offering a convenient option for taxpayers with straightforward returns. However, the program has limitations on income types and amounts, and its future is uncertain following a recent tweet from Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency, stating he deleted the agency responsible for the program. Despite this, the IRS maintains that Direct File is a permanent program. The IRS encourages taxpayers to file electronically and use direct deposit for faster processing.
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