Season dates
- IRS filing-season opening
- Jan 26, 2026Official
- Ordinary filing deadline
- Apr 15, 2026Official
- Ordinary extended filing deadline
- Oct 15, 2026Official
- Early PATH deposit guidance
- Mar 2, 2026Official
An extension generally extends time to file, not time to pay. Special relief and individual circumstances can change a deadline.
Observed federal holidays
Used only for our illustrative posting adjustment.
- New Year’s Day
- Jan 1, 2026
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Jan 19, 2026
- Washington’s Birthday
- Feb 16, 2026
- Memorial Day
- May 25, 2026
- Juneteenth
- Jun 19, 2026
- Independence Day
- Jul 3, 2026
- Labor Day
- Sep 7, 2026
- Columbus Day
- Oct 12, 2026
- Veterans Day
- Nov 11, 2026
- Thanksgiving Day
- Nov 26, 2026
- Christmas Day
- Dec 25, 2026
Questions you might have
Why does the window begin at 10 days?
It is a planning choice, not an IRS minimum. The IRS publishes typical guidance rather than a guaranteed earliest deposit.
Is the later edge a deadline for the IRS?
No. The IRS’s 21-day guidance covers most e-file refunds; some take longer. The paper model has no official maximum.
Why move dates off a holiday?
To illustrate bank posting using the OPM calendar. Individual institutions may follow different schedules.
What happens to 2027 examples?
The season opening is not set in the data. A projected chart start is labelled separately, and the model does not pretend the IRS has announced it.
Does the bank allowance change processing time?
No. It extends only our later posting edge after the processing example.
Checked 2026-09-30. IRS season evidence and OPM federal holidays.