Paper Refund Checks Took 36 Days to Arrive in 2026, Up From 13. How to Dodge the Delay in 2027

Expecting a tax refund next spring? Federal auditors say some filers were pushed into a much slower queue, but one simple step can help you avoid it.

For most taxpayers, the 2026 filing season went smoothly. The Government Accountability Office said the IRS handled about 98% of the 177 million returns it received, the same rate as in 2025, and 95% of returns were submitted electronically.

The slowdown affected a smaller group: taxpayers waiting for a paper refund check.

According to the report, those checks took an average of 36 days to be issued in early April 2026, compared with 13 days at the same point in 2025.

The GAO linked the delay to the IRS’s shift away from paper checks under a 2025 executive order.

What changed at the IRS

Following the order, the IRS started phasing out paper refund checks. By early May 2026, it had mailed roughly 4.2 million notices asking taxpayers to provide direct deposit details. Filers who failed to respond within 30 days were set to receive a paper check after six weeks.

At the same time, staffing declined. The IRS division that processes returns finished the season with 8,111 employees, which was 18% fewer than the 9,850 workers a year earlier, the GAO said.

The agency told the GAO that unavailable processing systems and lower staffing slowed paper return processing, and that losing experienced technology workers delayed the programming needed to move away from paper checks.

Average phone wait times more than doubled, rising from three minutes to eight minutes. The number of fully staffed Taxpayer Assistance Centers, the IRS’s walk-in offices, also dropped to 42 from 102, leaving fewer in-person locations for people trying to resolve refund issues.

How to avoid the slower path

The IRS says an electronically filed return usually brings a refund in about three weeks, while a paper return takes six weeks or longer from the date the agency receives it. A few habits can help keep your refund moving faster:

• File electronically and include your bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit on the return so no extra notice is needed.
• If you have to file on paper, plan for a wait that goes beyond six weeks and avoid relying on that money for a near-term bill.
• Check your return status through your online IRS account or the Where’s My Refund tool, which updates about 24 hours after an e-filed return and about four weeks after a mailed return.
• Open IRS mail quickly and answer any notice by the deadline provided. The IRS says common mistakes can delay a refund, and notices are how the agency requests corrections.

When it comes to a spring refund, timing is only part of the picture. The amount may also change, since the large refunds many filers received in 2026 may not be repeated, and missing new tax breaks could reduce the check even more.

If you do not use direct deposit, the IRS process now means waiting six weeks or more for a paper check.