You've probably been refreshing your mobile banking app since 5:00 AM. It’s that time of year when every notification ping feels like it might be the one. If you’re staring at a balance that hasn't budged, you’re likely asking one specific question: what time do taxes get deposited today?
The short answer is usually between 12:00 AM and 6:00 AM in your local time zone. But honestly, it’s rarely that simple. The IRS doesn't actually have a giant "send" button they hit for everyone at once. Instead, they send out massive batches of payments to the Federal Reserve, which then routes them to your specific bank.
If today is your scheduled date and the money isn't there, don't panic. Yet.
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The Reality of Direct Deposit Posting Times
Most big banks like Chase, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America tend to post these deposits early in the morning. We’re talking about that window right before the sun comes up. However, if you use a credit union or a smaller local bank, they might not finish their "nightly processing" until 8:00 AM or 9:00 AM.
Then you have the "neobanks" or fintech apps. Chime, Varo, and Current often brag about getting you paid "up to two days early." This happens because they don't wait for the funds to fully settle; they see the "pending" notification from the Federal Reserve and just spot you the cash. If you’re using a traditional bank, they’re going to hold onto that money until it’s officially cleared, which is why your neighbor might have their refund while you’re still waiting.
When the IRS "Refund Sent" Status Is a Liar
It’s frustrating. You check the Where’s My Refund? tool, and it clearly says "Refund Sent." You look at your bank account. Nothing.
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Basically, "Refund Sent" just means the IRS has finished their part. They’ve given the green light to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS) to move the money. From that point, it can take anywhere from one to five business days for the cash to actually show up in your account. If there's a weekend or a federal holiday in the mix, add another day or two of waiting.
Why Your Deposit Might Be Delayed
- The Path of the Refund: If you had your tax preparation fees (like from TurboTax or H&R Block) deducted from your refund, your money goes to a third-party bank first. They take their cut and then send the rest to you. This adds an extra "hop" for the money, often delaying it by 24 to 48 hours.
- The PATH Act: If you claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), the IRS is legally barred from sending that money before mid-February. Even if you filed on the very first day of the season, you're stuck in a holding pattern while they verify those credits to prevent fraud.
- Bank Account Typos: This is the nightmare scenario. If you fat-fingered your routing or account number, the bank will eventually reject the deposit. The money goes back to the IRS, and they’ll have to cut you a paper check.
What Time Do Taxes Get Deposited Today If You're on the West Coast?
Time zones matter more than people realize. The IRS operates on Eastern Time for many of its internal schedules. If you’re in California or Washington, you might actually see that deposit hit your account late the night before your scheduled date, simply because 12:01 AM in New York is still 9:01 PM for you.
But again, this isn't a rule. It's a pattern.
The 2026 Filing Season Shifts
Things are a bit different this year. With the IRS phasing out paper checks almost entirely under recent executive orders, the system is under more pressure to handle direct deposits. While the agency claims 9 out of 10 refunds are issued within 21 days, that’s an average, not a guarantee.
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If you e-filed and chose direct deposit, you’re in the fastest lane possible. If you filed on paper? Well, you’re looking at weeks, if not months. The IRS is dealing with significantly lower staffing levels this year following the recent government buyouts, so manual processing is slower than it’s been in a decade.
Actionable Steps to Take Right Now
Stop refreshing your app every five minutes. It won't make the money move faster and it’ll just stress you out. Instead, follow this checklist:
- Check your tax return copy: Look at the direct deposit section. Verify that the account and routing numbers are 100% correct. If they aren't, you need to call your bank immediately to see if they can intercept it.
- Look for a "Pending" section: Many bank apps have a separate section for "Pending Transactions" that doesn't show up in your main balance. Sometimes the money is there, but the bank hasn't "released" it for spending yet.
- Check the "Where's My Refund?" tool after midnight: The IRS updates their database once a day, usually overnight. Checking it ten times during the day is a waste of time; check it once in the morning to see if your status changed from "Received" to "Approved" or "Sent."
- Contact your bank after 5 days: If the IRS status says "Sent" and it has been five full business days (excluding weekends), call your bank's ACH department. Ask them if they see an incoming "IRS TREAS 310" transaction. If they don't see it, then you'll need to start a trace with the IRS.
The reality is that "today" usually means "sometime before lunch." If the clock hits noon and you’re still empty-handed, it’s likely your bank is just taking their sweet time, or you’re caught in one of the many processing loops that happen during peak tax season.