02/14/2026
The PATH Act hold lifts on February 17th ‼️
If you claimed:
💰 Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
👶 Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC)
Your refund has been on hold by the IRS — not by your tax preparer, and not by your bank.
By law, the IRS must hold refunds that include EITC or ACTC until at least February 17th as a fraud prevention measure.
Here’s how the process works 👇🏾
1️⃣ You file your tax return
2️⃣ The IRS accepts it
3️⃣ If EITC or ACTC is included, your refund is automatically placed on hold
4️⃣ The PATH Act hold lifts February 17th
5️⃣ The IRS begins releasing eligible refunds
6️⃣ Your bank then processes and posts the deposit
⚠️ Important to know:
When the PATH Act lifts on February 17th, that does not mean funds hit your account that same day.
If you filed early and were accepted, most deposits typically arrive toward the end of February, depending on IRS processing times and your bank’s posting schedule.
Seeing movement after the 17th is completely normal.
If you haven’t filed yet, you won’t be in the first round of released refunds.
No filing = no refund.
Let’s get it done 📝💼
