Business
Here’s When to Expect Your Money
Millions of Americans are poised to receive some of the largest federal tax refunds in recent history during the 2026 filing season, with average amounts potentially rising by $1,000 or more compared to prior years, thanks to retroactive tax cuts enacted under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Donald Trump.
The Internal Revenue Service officially opened the 2026 tax filing season on Jan. 26, allowing taxpayers to begin submitting their 2025 federal income tax returns. The agency expects to process around 164 million individual returns by the April 15 deadline, with most filers opting for electronic submission.
Experts and administration officials project this year’s refunds could mark the largest cycle ever, driven by provisions in the landmark legislation that extended and expanded elements of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, introduced new deductions for overtime pay, tips, certain car loan interest and an additional standard deduction boost for seniors, among other changes. The White House has highlighted the bill’s impact, noting that many workers saw continued higher withholding during 2025 despite the retroactive reductions, leading to larger overpayments that will now return as refunds.
The average refund issued in the 2025 filing season was approximately $3,167, according to IRS data, up slightly from $2,939 in the prior cycle. Analysts from firms like Piper Sandler, Morgan Stanley and the nonpartisan Tax Foundation estimate the 2026 average could climb to between $4,000 and $4,167 or higher for many filers, with some projections suggesting increases of 15% to 30% depending on individual circumstances. The Tax Foundation has calculated that the bill could deliver up to $129 billion in total individual tax relief for 2025, with a significant portion — potentially $60 billion to $100 billion — manifesting as higher refunds rather than reduced withholding throughout the year.
Middle-income households earning between $50,000 and $150,000, families claiming dependents, workers with tip or overtime income, and seniors qualifying for enhanced deductions stand to see the most noticeable boosts. The changes include expanded Child Tax Credit benefits, Adoption Credit adjustments and education-related provisions that could further increase refunds for qualifying families.
To receive refunds as quickly as possible, the IRS strongly recommends electronic filing with direct deposit. Most refunds for e-filed returns with direct deposit are issued within 21 days of acceptance, often faster — sometimes in as little as 10 business days for early filers. Paper returns typically take six weeks or longer, and the IRS has phased out paper refund checks under an executive order modernizing federal payments, meaning those without direct deposit information on file may face temporary holds until they provide banking details or request alternatives.
For early filers who submitted returns shortly after Jan. 26, refunds could have begun arriving as early as Feb. 6. Those accepted in early February might see funds by mid- to late February. The IRS provides estimated timelines based on acceptance dates: returns accepted by Feb. 2 could arrive by Feb. 13, while those from mid-February might land by late February or early March.
Special rules apply to certain credits under the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act. Refunds claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) face a mandatory review period to prevent fraud. The IRS lifts this hold after Feb. 15 (or the next business day), with most qualifying refunds expected to be available by March 2 for direct deposit filers with no other issues. The “Where’s My Refund?” tool on IRS.gov will show projected deposit dates for most early EITC/ACTC claimants by Feb. 21.
Taxpayers can track their refund status using the “Where’s My Refund?” tool, which updates within 24 hours of e-filing or about four weeks after mailing a paper return. It provides real-time information on processing stages, any holds and expected issuance dates. The agency advises checking with your financial institution if a refund appears processed but funds are not yet visible, as some banks may take additional time to post deposits.
Several factors can delay refunds beyond the standard timeline. Returns requiring manual review — such as those with identity verification issues, math errors, claimed credits needing substantiation or potential fraud flags — may take longer. Amended returns or those involving large refunds over certain thresholds could trigger additional scrutiny from the Joint Committee on Taxation.
New direct deposit rules introduced in 2026 aim to streamline processing but could cause temporary freezes for returns filed without valid bank information. The IRS will hold such refunds until taxpayers update their details via the agency’s online portal or request a paper check, which may take six weeks or more after a 30-day response window. To avoid this, experts urge filers to double-check routing and account numbers before submission.
The filing deadline remains April 15, 2026, for most taxpayers, though extensions to Oct. 15 are available for those needing more time — though any taxes owed must still be paid by April to avoid penalties. The IRS Free File program and other online tools remain accessible for eligible filers, with resources on IRS.gov detailing changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill.
Administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, have described the upcoming refund wave as potentially historic, injecting significant funds into the economy during the spring. Economists note that while larger refunds provide a short-term boost for consumer spending, the retroactive nature means many Americans effectively loaned the government interest-free money through higher withholding in 2025.
As more returns are processed in the coming weeks, the IRS will release weekly filing season statistics showing actual refund amounts and volumes. Early indicators suggest strong participation, with electronic filing rates historically around 94%.
Tax professionals advise reviewing pay stubs, W-2s and other documents early to maximize credits and deductions. Those unsure about eligibility for new provisions can use interactive tools on IRS.gov or consult a tax preparer.
The combination of tax law changes and efficient processing promises a smoother — and more lucrative — experience for many this year, though patience remains key for those claiming complex credits or facing reviews.
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Dow Jones Tops 50,000 With Apple, Boeing, These AI Stocks New Buys, But Market Still Divided
Dow Jones futures will open Sunday evening, along with S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures. The stock market rally had a strong, broad rebound Friday, with bitcoin surging following massive losses. The Dow Jones hit a record high above 50,000 as many sectors are thriving. The S&P 500 rallied back above its 50-day moving average. But the Nasdaq remains below…
Nationally ranked stock picker for 30+ years. Victory Formation and Bottom Fishing Club quant-sort pioneer…..Paul Franke is a private investor and speculator with 39 years of trading experience. Mr. Franke was Editor and Publisher of the Maverick Investor® newsletter during the 1990s, widely quoted by CNBC®, Barron’s®, the Washington Post® and Investor’s Business Daily®. Paul was consistently ranked among top investment advisors nationally for stock market and commodity macro views by Timer Digest® during the 1990s. Mr. Franke was ranked #1 in the Motley Fool® CAPS stock picking contest during parts of 2008 and 2009, out of 60,000+ portfolios. Mr. Franke was Director of Research at Quantemonics Investing® from 2010-13, running several model portfolios on the Covestor.com mirror platform (including the least volatile, lowest beta, fully-invested equity portfolio on the site). As of December 2025, he was ranked in the Top 4% of bloggers by TipRanks® for 12-month stock picking performance on suggestions made over the last five years.A contrarian stock selection style, along with daily algorithm analysis of fundamental and technical data have been developed into a system for finding stocks, named the “Victory Formation.” Supply/demand imbalances signaled by specific stock price and volume movements are a critical part of this formula for success. Mr. Franke suggests investors use 10% or 20% stop-loss levels on individual choices and a diversified approach of owning at least 50 well positioned favorites to achieve regular stock market outperformance. “Bottom Fishing Club” articles focus on deep value candidates or stocks experiencing a major reversal in technical momentum to the upside. “Volume Breakout Report” articles discuss positive trend changes backed by strong price and volume trading action.
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Fanatics Betting & Gaming CEO Matt King discusses Superbowl bets, a commercial collaboration with Kendall Jenner and more on ‘The Claman Countdown.’
Super Bowl commercials reportedly aim to target a less traditional audience ahead of the NFL title game on Sunday.
Though the league’s championship game has often been associated with older men, major companies are using the game to reach out to both Gen Z and female viewers with their latest advertisements.
“[I]f we had made something that didn’t speak to Gen Z or didn’t appeal to women, I think we would have been missing the mark,” Laura Jones, chief marketing officer of Instacart, told Variety on Wednesday.
‘SUPER BOWL BREAKFAST’ RETURNS WITH FOCUS ON LEADERSHIP AND LEGACY AHEAD OF NFL SHOWCASE
Ads ahead of the Super Bowl are hoping to reach broader audiences. (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images via Reuters / Reuters)
Super Bowl ratings reached record levels in 2025 with approximately 127.7 million people tuning in to the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs.
This broke the previous record set one year prior in 2024 at about 123.4 million viewers.
With more viewers than ever before expected to watch the Big Game between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, major companies are hoping to appeal to the widest audience possible, which includes a growing female demographic.
“We are seeing female viewership in sports hold or continue to rise,” Mars Snacking senior director Diane Sayler told Variety. “And I do think that networks and leagues are getting better at telling the story of the players and telling more than just the story on the field. And I actually believe that is what is driving a lot more female interest in this space.”
KENDALL JENNER TURNS ‘KARDASHIAN KURSE’ INTO SUPER BOWL LX BETTING STRATEGY FOR FANATICS SPORTSBOOK
2025’s Super Bowl had a record number of viewers with even more expected in 2026. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Companies have attempted to bridge the gap between age and gender demographics by using celebrity appearances, often partnering several celebrities such as actor Ben Stiller and singer Benson Boone to appeal to broader audiences.
“Most marketing today is very targeted. You have to deliver a specific message to specific audiences,” Tim Calkins, a marketing professor at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, told Variety. “With the Super Bowl, that’s not the case, because you’ve got a huge range of differences. And the Super Bowl is so expensive you really don’t want to miss out on a significant portion of the audience.”
Media Research Center video host Justine Brooke Murray told Fox News Digital that the new marketing strategy was “spot on” but urged companies to instead focus on avoiding divisive politics.
HOSTING A SUPER BOWL PARTY? EXPECT A HIGHER FOOD BILL THIS YEAR
Super Bowl LX will air on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in California. (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images via Reuters / Reuters)
“We want to be entertained, not sold a weird version of body positivity that includes ads flashing sweaty armpits across the screen as we reach for another nacho,” Murray said. “Those of us who grew up in the 2000s, zoomers, would love to see a return to ads that sold us things we actually like: chips, and cookies – not a political agenda.”
She added, “Large corporations have already learned their lesson, that appealing to the gender-bending 0.0001% of our population with men wearing bikinis is inclusive to almost nobody. Just be funny and keep politics out of it!”
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Super Bowl LX will be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
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