Although many people connect tax refunds with spring, many of filers continue to receive them in the midst of the summer. According to the most recent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) forecasts, people who submitted paper forms between May 16 and 31 could receive their refunds between July 11 and 25, 2025. Those who believed tax season was ended may be surprised to learn this.

What is the key reason? Manual processing. While digital returns are overseen by automated systems, physical returns require IRS staff to double-check each line, document, and signature. This bottleneck explains why these returns are processed up to six weeks after electronic returns. According to one tax agent, “An envelope takes three days just to be opened and registered.”

Is your reimbursement still missing? Follow these steps

Delays grow when red flags appear, such as arithmetic problems, conflicts with W-2 forms, or suspicions of identity theft. In some circumstances, the IRS freezes the refund while it investigates. Even worse are credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC). By legislation (the PATH Act), these reimbursements cannot be released until mid-February, but later revisions may stretch the process until July.

First, use IRS.gov’s “Where’s My Refund?” service. It updates every 24 hours to show if your return is being reviewed, accepted, or submitted. If you filed electronically and are more than 21 days old (or have been filing on paper for eight weeks), contact IRS customer care at 800-829-1040. Get your return and ID ready.

In extreme circumstances, such as ignored verification notices or potential fraud, call the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS). This autonomous IRS unit handles critical cases utilizing Form 911. According to their annual report, they resolved 73% of pending cases in less than 30 days in 2024.

Paper tax returns are your most significant delay

Despite digital advertising, 4.2 million Americans submitted hardcopy returns in 2025. These include older folks, rural populations with limited internet access, and those who are skeptical of online platforms. “My accountant insists on sending paper copies with return receipts,” says Marcos Rivera, a hardware company owner from New Mexico. “I’d rather wait than risk a system error.”

The IRS acknowledges the issue: this year, its modernization budget was reduced by 11%, delaying the digitization of historical records. Meanwhile, paper returns continue to pile up at centers such as the one in Austin, Texas, where overtime shifts are scheduled until September.

Finally, if you want to claim complex credits or file modifications, do so digitally before the end of June to avoid summer congestion on IRS systems and services. Also, always choose direct deposit over paper checks to decrease the chance of delays, loss, or theft as they travel through the mail to your mailbox.