2027 PATH Act refund schedule
Estimated arrival windows by acceptance week.
Every range is a planning example, including the later edge.
Projected season. The IRS has not announced the 2027 opening or PATH deposit guidance.
Read the EITC / ACTC column for PATH examples. The mid-February hold applies to the whole refund.
View the ordinary season guide| Accepted during | Direct deposit estimate | With EITC / ACTC | Eligible check estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25 – Jan 31 | Feb 4 – Feb 22 | Feb 16 – Feb 22 | Feb 11 – Mar 8 |
| Feb 1 – Feb 7 | Feb 11 – Mar 1 | Feb 16 – Mar 1 | Feb 19 – Mar 15 |
| Feb 8 – Feb 14 | Feb 18 – Mar 8 | Feb 18 – Mar 8 | Feb 25 – Mar 22 |
| Feb 15 – Feb 21 | Feb 25 – Mar 15 | Feb 25 – Mar 15 | Mar 4 – Mar 29 |
| Feb 22 – Feb 28 | Mar 4 – Mar 22 | Mar 4 – Mar 22 | Mar 11 – Apr 5 |
| Mar 1 – Mar 7 | Mar 11 – Mar 29 | Mar 11 – Mar 29 | Mar 18 – Apr 12 |
| Mar 8 – Mar 14 | Mar 18 – Apr 5 | Mar 18 – Apr 5 | Mar 25 – Apr 19 |
| Mar 15 – Mar 21 | Mar 25 – Apr 12 | Mar 25 – Apr 12 | Apr 1 – Apr 26 |
| Mar 22 – Mar 28 | Apr 1 – Apr 19 | Apr 1 – Apr 19 | Apr 8 – May 3 |
| Mar 29 – Apr 4 | Apr 8 – Apr 26 | Apr 8 – Apr 26 | Apr 15 – May 10 |
| Apr 5 – Apr 11 | Apr 15 – May 3 | Apr 15 – May 3 | Apr 22 – May 17 |
| Apr 12 – Apr 18 | Apr 22 – May 10 | Apr 22 – May 10 | Apr 29 – May 24 |
| Apr 19 – Apr 25 | Apr 29 – May 17 | Apr 29 – May 17 | May 6 – Jun 1 |
| Apr 26 – Apr 30 | May 6 – May 21 | May 6 – May 21 | May 13 – Jun 7 |
How to read the dates
Each row takes the earliest example for the first day of the acceptance week and the latest example for its last day. The same estimator builds both the chart and individual results.
The direct-deposit example uses a 10–21 calendar-day processing illustration, then moves the posting edges away from weekends and observed federal holidays. The ten-day lower edge is our assumption; the IRS publishes no guaranteed minimum.
Paper checks are being phased out. The check column applies only to a payment issued under an exception and adds an assumed 5–10 business days for mail.
The PATH difference
A return claiming EITC or ACTC has a whole-refund hold until mid-February. The model’s February 16 floor is conservative and illustrative. No season-specific available-by date is used in this guide.
Use your exact acceptance date
Start with your acceptance date
No personal tax detailsFeb 16 – Feb 16, 2027
Direct deposit · Projected season. An estimate, never a guarantee.
See how the window is builtQuestions 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.
Sources: season announcement, IRS refunds, PATH guidance, OPM holidays. See every assumption.