You filed your tax return in January, and still haven’t received your refund. PATH Act delays some refunds until February 15th… read on to learn if you might be affected.
🐝Why do I care about the PATH Act?
The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act was a law passed in 2015 that expanded some tax credits and implemented measures to limit fraudulent claims of these types of refundable tax credits. What this means for YOU is that because of this law, the IRS won’t release some tax refunds until February 15th.
This allows the IRS more time to limit fraud, ensuring only the correct taxpayers are receiving the credits they are entitled to. Identity thieves steal personal information and file false tax returns to claim refunds that don’t belong to them… the IRS wants to protect the hard-working families who are ENTITLED to those credits.
🐝How do I know if I’m affected?
Any tax return filed with the Earned Income Tax Credit (EIC or EITC) or the Child Tax Credit/Additional Child Tax Credit (CTC/ACTC) will be held until February 15th. The IRS remains committed to processing electronically filed tax returns within 21 days — however, if the return has either of these credits and is filed early in the tax season, it may be affected by the PATH Act.
🐝It’s after Feb. 15th and I STILL haven’t gotten my refund!
Sometimes, it may take a few days for your bank to receive your refund once the IRS releases it. The IRS plans to release refunds on February 15-17th, with several waves of refunds being released through the Presidents Day weekend and through the end of the month.
If it has still been some time since February 15th AND you still haven’t gotten your refund, your tax return may be delayed for other reasons. Check your mail regularly to see if the IRS has sent any notices or letters to the address on your tax return. Common reasons why a refund may be delayed beyond the normal 21-day processing time include:
- PATH Act (as discussed above)
- IRS is requiring you to Verify Your Identity
- IRS is asking to Verify or Substantiate Information on your tax return
- IRS is asking to Verify You Can Claim the Dependents listed
- You filed a paper return (normal processing time is 6 weeks)
- You claimed an injured or innocent spouse on your return
🐝Have more questions, or ready to file?
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