The 2026 filing season is shaping up to be a year of "refund whiplash." While the IRS reports an average federal tax refund of $2,548 (so far), state-level checks are moving at a snail's pace in several parts of the country. For many households, these delayed funds are needed to cover essentials like groceries, rent, and other bills.
Why the delays? Well, some state software and forms have to be updated to accommodate (or exclude) the new, temporary tax breaks introduced by the 2025 Trump tax and spending bill.
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