This is ‘the best and fastest way to get your tax refund,’ IRS says

February 2, 2026

By Claudia Dimuro, pennlive.com

Tax season 2026 has begun.

And for those of you who still have yet to file, maybe consider submitting in a way that gets you your refund faster.

According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), direct deposit is the number one way of receiving your refund the quickest and the most efficiently.

“Now, more than ever, you need a reliable, fast, secure, contactless way to receive your money,” the IRS states. “The best and fastest way to get your tax refund is to have it electronically deposited for free into your financial account.

“The IRS program is called direct deposit. You can use it to deposit your refund into one, two or even three accounts. Even if you don’t have a checking account, there are other options available for direct deposit.”

One of these other options, the IRS explains, could be a retirement account, such as a traditional Roth IRA. Some mobile payment apps, too, accept a direct tax refund deposit.

As for how fast this method is, the agency notes that people who opt for a direct deposit refund could receive it up to 21 days later. Those sent by mail, for context, tend to receive it after six weeks or more.

“As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, the IRS and its employees are excited to once again serve American taxpayers in meeting their tax filing obligations during the 2026 filing season,” said IRS CEO Frank J. Bisignano via statement. “Not only does 2026 commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, but it also coincides with the 40th anniversary of electronic filing.

“Just as we did back in 1986, today the IRS encourages taxpayers to speed the processing of their returns by using e-file instead of paper. And to speed the processing of any refund due, we also encourage the use of direct deposit.”

©2026 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit pennlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

https://www.courant.com/2026/02/02/this-is-the-best-and-fastest-way-to-get-your-tax-refund-irs-says/

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