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IRS Delays EITC and ACTC Refunds Until March 2026

2/11/2026

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IRS Refund Delays

Refunds for Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) claimed in early 2026 will not be issued before March 2, 2026, due to mandatory fraud verification.
The Internal Revenue Service has staffing reductions that could further slow refund processing times.
Taxpayers who file electronically and select direct deposit may receive refunds faster.
The IRS Where's My Refund? tool will offer status updates by February 21, 2026.

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IRS Faces Delays

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) faces significant tax-refund delays due to a backlog of nearly 590,000 amended returns and a 27% workforce reduction.
A Treasury Department report shows the backlog has risen by 20,000 since last year and stands four times higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Taxpayers filing amended returns are at particular risk of delays.
Late refunds could cost the IRS more than $2.6 billion in interest payments.

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IRS Refund Delays

Refunds for Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) claimed in early 2026 will not be issued before March 2, 2026, due to mandatory fraud verification.
The Internal Revenue Service has staffing reductions that could further slow refund processing times.
Taxpayers who file electronically and select direct deposit may receive refunds faster.
The IRS Where's My Refund? tool will offer status updates by February 21, 2026.

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