Paper Refund Checks Took 36 Days to Issue in 2026, up From 13. Here’s How to Avoid the Wait in 2027

Most taxpayers had a normal filing season in the spring of 2026. The Government Accountability Office found the IRS processed about 98% of the 177 million returns it received, the same share as in 2025, and 95% of returns were filed electronically. The delays landed on a narrower group: people waiting for a paper refund check. Those checks took an average of 36 days to issue as of early April…