when do they start releasing taxes

For the 2026 filing season in the U.S., the IRS will start accepting and processing 2025 federal income tax returns on Monday, January 26, 2026. That date is effectively when they “start releasing taxes,” meaning the system opens for e‑filing and processing.

Key dates for 2026 tax season

• IRS opens to accept 2025 returns: January 26, 2026.

• Tax filing deadline for most individual returns: April 15, 2026.

• Employers’ W‑2 deadline to send forms to employees: January 31, 2026, though some people may actually receive them in early February.

When refunds actually show up

Once filing opens, most electronically filed returns with direct deposit are processed and refunded in about 21 days, though it can be longer if the return is flagged or includes certain credits. Many refund-schedule estimates show that people who file in the first days after January 26 could see refunds in early to mid‑February, assuming no issues and using direct deposit.

In forum discussions, people often say “taxes dropped” or “they released taxes” once those first February direct deposits start hitting, but the official start is the IRS opening date in late January.

TL;DR: They start “releasing taxes” (accepting and processing 2025 returns) on January 26, 2026, and the earliest refunds typically land in bank accounts in early February if you file right away and choose direct deposit.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.