Originally published on 2/19/26

If you’re one of the millions of Americans filing 2025 taxes this year, be aware. Refunds by mail are expected to take a lot longer this year due an executive order signed by President Donald Trump back in March 2025, which only allows a select group of people to get their refunds via physical check. We share what you need to know about this decision, including how you can track your 2026 tax refund, below. 

What to know about the 2026 tax refund delay 

On March 25, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14247, Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Account into law. In doing so, he made it mandatory for the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to send out electronic federal payments instead of physical checks to all Americans receiving tax funds and monthly Social Security and/or Supplemental Security Income payments, unless they are dealing with hardship or legal issues. 

The order was made to help prevent fraud and improper payments. It was also designed to make the entire payment system less costly and more efficient, but since it’s only been in effect since September 30, financial experts haven’t been able to track just how much this change has affected Americans. 

“The continued use of paper-based payments by the federal government, including checks and money orders, flowing into and out of the United States General Fund, which might be thought of as America’s bank account, imposes unnecessary costs, delays and risks of fraud, lost payments, theft and inefficiencies,” the White House wrote in a press release in May 2025. “This order promotes operational efficiency by mandating the transition to electronic payments for all federal disbursements and receipts by digitizing payments to the extent permissible under applicable law.” 

Following the official start of the executive order last September, all Social Security payments have been sent out via direct deposit, but since the traditional tax season was over at that point, the change didn’t affect refunds for most Americans. Now that the 2025 tax season has begun, that has changed. 

According to the IRS, all filers should receive their tax refund 21 days after they file if they get it via direct deposit, but if they opt for a paper check it can take up to six weeks for the money to arrive. 

That is because the organization plans to only send out the checks to Americans with predetermined exceptions such as hardships, and/or legal and procedural requirements, or to filers who enter their bank account information incorrectly, which can result in delays.

“One of the goals of Executive Order 14247 is to reduce delays and ensure timely, accurate payments. Electronic delivery is faster and more secure than paper checks. In most cases, taxpayers will receive their refunds sooner by using electronic methods, eliminating the risk of their paper check being lost or stolen,” the IRS explains. “Unlike checks sent via U.S. mail, electronic payments immediately generate a confirmation number and receipt or send confirmation emails that can be saved and/or printed for recordkeeping.” 

In the past, it typically took about four weeks for the IRS to mail out physical checks, but it has also taken as long as 12 weeks, depending on how many returns they had to process. Digital returns, on the other hand, normally took 21 days or less.  

How does the Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Account affect IRS payments? 

The Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Account only focuses on payments being sent out by the government, not checks being sent to the government. Even so, the IRS recommends all Americans who owe money on their taxes send it via electronic payments methods, not physical checks. 

“For now, mailed payments to the IRS, including cash, checks and money orders, will still be accepted and processed. However, over time, the IRS will fully transition to electronic methods,” the organization says. 

How to track your tax refund 

To track your federal tax refund, click here. To track your state refund, you must visit your state’s tax website. You can learn how to do so here. 

How to speed up the tax refund process 

To speed up your tax refund, the IRS recommends double checking your bank account information for errors, filing as early as possible and making sure that you opt for direct deposit even if you are available for a physical check. This will then help them approve and issue your refund as soon as they are able.

Link to original: https://www.womansworld.com/life/money/2026-tax-refund-delays-explained-how-to-track-your-payment