Tax Year 2025 Return Processing Updates

As of April 3, 2026, Treasury has processed more than 3.7 million individual income tax returns and issued over $2.3 billion in refunds since the filing season opened on January 26. This processing volume is on pace with last year’s performance.

Nearly 90% of returns are processed and refunds issued within the normal 4–6 week timeframe.

Every tax return is different, and some require extra care or additional review, which extends processing time.

About 10% of returns fall into categories that require more time, such as:

• Missing or incorrect information
• Identity verification to protect from fraudulent activity
• Complex returns with multiple schedules or credits
• Potential debts or court-ordered garnishments requiring refund interception could delay a return

Refund Intercepts and Debt Offsets

If a taxpayer owes certain debts, a portion or all their refund may be used to pay them (e.g., federal or state taxes owed for prior years, past-due obligations owed to DHHS or other state agencies, etc.). · This includes court-ordered garnishments.

Manual Reviews

Some returns are selected for manual review, which is labor-intensive, and processed in the order received to ensure fairness.

Taxpayers who must submit additional documentation should allow about 8 weeks after Treasury receives their response before checking their refund status again.

State law prohibits Treasury from sharing the specific criteria for why any taxpayer is selected for review.

Interest on Refunds

Treasury does not benefit from holding refunds.

Under MCL 205.30(3), Treasury must pay interest on refunds beginning 45 days after the return is received or the due date, whichever is later.

• E-filed Returns: Allow 4–6 weeks from the date the taxpayer received an “accepted” confirmation.
• Paper Returns: Allow 6–8 weeks from the mailing date.
• Status information is updated overnight Monday–Friday.

Once the return has been processed, please allow up to 5-7 business days for the refund to be issued. This is a separate process, and exceptions cannot be made to this timeframe.

How to Check Status or Contact Treasury

Online

Michigan Treasury eServices is the fastest way to:

• Check refund status
• Respond to Treasury
• Upload documents
• Send and receive secure messages
• Make payments

Go to Michigan Treasury eServices

Over the Phone

Taxpayers may call the Individual Income Tax Call Center at 517-636-4486 on Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

To reduce wait times, taxpayers are encouraged to:

• Call during mid-morning or afternoon when the call volume is lower.
• Avoid calling on Mondays, when possible
• Have necessary information ready (SSN, tax year, AGI/THR)

Call volumes are sometimes high due to repeat callers. Treasury asks that taxpayers allow adequate processing time before calling again.

Expedited review is available if a taxpayer has a qualifying hardship:

1. Court approved foreclosure
2. Court approved eviction
3. Official current utility shutoff notice for their principal residence

Documentation must be provided for Treasury to consider processing a return out of order.

Expedited reviews still take time.

• Please allow 10-14 business days after submitting documentation for the return to be processed.
• Once the return has been processed, please allow up to 5-7 business days for the refund to be issued. This is a separate process, and exceptions cannot be made to

Treasury is working as quickly as practical to issue refunds. We continually monitor performance and use taxpayer feedback to improve systems and services.

Our goal is to serve Michigan taxpayers with transparency, efficiency, and fairness.