The IRS delivery campaign has already started and, with it, a common question among taxpayers returns: how long does it take, after all, to receive the refund, and the answer is not linear and depends on several factors that can speed up or delay the process.
The anticipated deadlines are similar to last year, although there are clear differences between those who opt for automatic Income Tax and those who send the declaration via the traditional route, so the waiting time may vary according to the complexity of each tax situation.
According to the same source, the processing of declarations depends on the validation of the data submitted and, therefore, not all taxpayers receive it at the same time, even if they submitted the declaration on the same day.
There is a factor that can speed up repayment
Taxpayers who use automatic income tax must receive their refund in less than two weeks after submitting their declaration, as these are, as a rule, simpler situations with less need for manual verification.
Those who deliver via the normal route may have to wait longer, and, in these cases, the average deadline should be between three weeks and three and a half weeks, depending not only on the complexity of the income, but also on the deductions presented.
Speaking to Lusa, the Secretary of State for Fiscal Affairs, Cláudia Reis Duarte, stated that the “expectation is that the average reimbursement deadlines will be close to or similar to last year”, adding that, in the case of automatic IRS, which tends to be simpler, “a period of less than two weeks” is expected.
Automatic income tax covers more taxpayers this year
This year, the automatic Income Tax should cover around two million declarations, which represents an increase compared to the approximately 1.7 million registered last year, mainly due to the inclusion of workers up to 35 years old covered by the Youth Income Tax in this functionality.
Thus, the greater the number of simple declarations, the less the need for manual intervention on the part of the Federal Revenue Service and, consequently, the faster the overall processing may be.
Changes throughout the year may influence the value
During 2025, three different withholding tax tables were in force, reflecting tax changes throughout the year, as there was a first table between January and July, a second applied in the months of August and September and, finally, a third in the last months of the year.
These changes aimed to bring the tax withheld closer to the tax actually due, although this does not necessarily mean that taxpayers will receive less refund, especially because there are several variables at play.
As the government official explained, “in an ideal world, people would not have taxes to pay or receive”, although she recognizes that such a scenario is difficult to achieve, precisely because incomes and individual situations vary greatly.
Most continue to receive money back
Data from the Federal Revenue indicate that around two thirds of declarations with settlement of accounts continue to result in refunds and, in this sense, the trend should continue this year, without significant changes in relation to the previous year.
Even so, the final value depends on factors such as additional income, capital gains or capital income, which can influence the overall tax calculation and, consequently, the amount to be received.
When to deliver can make a difference
The deadline for submitting Income Tax is June 30th, but the chosen moment may have an impact on the speed of the process, as the Finance Portal usually registers greater attendance on the first and last day of the campaign.
Therefore, the recommendation is to avoid these periods and, instead, opt for intermediate days, as this can reduce the risk of technical failures and contribute to more efficient processing.
Those who wish to receive a refund more quickly should submit the declaration within the first few days, although not necessarily at the start of the campaign, precisely to avoid overloading the system.
Despite the extension of deadlines for entities affected by bad weather, the Government does not anticipate any relevant impacts on the overall campaign calendar, although it admits that, in specific cases, there may be additional validations that slightly delay the process.
In the end, the waiting time depends on several factors, but there is one detail that can make all the difference: the way you submit your Income Tax.
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