Millions of U.S. taxpayers are awaiting their federal tax refunds like Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC).
IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank J. Bisignano said, “The IRS encourages every taxpayer who qualifies for the credit to claim the full amount they are due under the Internal Revenue Code.”
Eligible low-to-moderate-income working Americans can now claim the Earned Income Tax Credit thanks to the annual Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day outreach effort, which was started by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and its partners across the country.
However, EITC and ACTC refunds have been delayed before. This puts taxpayers through frustrating problems. Even after their return is approved, they do not receive their money back right away.
Read more: How to avoid tax refund delays amid new IRS rules? Here’s all you need to know
Why do EITC and ACTC get delayed?
According to Refund Talk, the IRS is legally required to delay refunds for taxpayers who claim either EITC or ACTC under the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act.
EITC/ACTC refunds cannot be issued by the IRS before the completion of the mandatory hold period.
This creates a discrepancy for the taxpayers as they receive no refund approval for weeks or no deposit date. Furthermore, taxpayers are unable to track transcript activity as the WMR tracker freezes.
Read more: IRS refund 2026: Who qualifies for $1,700 EITC payment? Here’s how to claim it
When can taxpayers expect EITC/ACTC?
Refunds, including these credits, cannot be released before mid-February, and the IRS has outlined a timeline for when most filers in this group can expect their refunds.
According to the IRS, by February 21, 2026, Where’s My Refund will include estimated deposit dates for the majority of early filers claiming ACTC and/or EITC. Accordingly, a refund date on WMR won’t appear for many PATH Act taxpayers until Saturday, February 21.
If direct deposit is selected, and there are no issues requiring further IRS review, most early EITC/ACTC refunds are expected to be available in bank accounts or on debit cards by March 2, 2026.
However, the exact timing can vary based on how early taxpayers filed and how they submit their returns.