If your IRS refund status changed to “Sent” overnight but your bank account still shows $0 this morning, you are in the most confusing stage of the refund process, and it feels personal.
Thousands of taxpayers wake up, check “Where’s My Refund,” see the word issued, then open their bank app only to find no deposit pending, no ACH credit IRS TREAS 310, and no available balance.
That gap between “refund sent” and “refund received” triggers a wave of urgent searches: refund says sent but not received, IRS refund approved but not deposited, does IRS update at midnight, how long after refund sent will it deposit.
The anxiety is real, especially when bills, rent, or credit card payments are waiting. But here’s what most people don’t realize: when the IRS marks a refund as sent, it has entered the federal settlement system, not your bank ledger.
The final step happens inside overnight clearing cycles and morning bank posting cycles. And that invisible timing layer is where most of today’s confusion lives.
What “Refund Sent” Actually Means
When the IRS updates your status to “Sent,” it does not mean the money is instantly inside your checking account. It means the refund has been released from the Treasury and transmitted through the federal payment system.
Most electronic refunds move as an ACH credit labeled something like ACH CREDIT IRS TREAS 310. That code often appears once the deposit posts, but the posting itself depends on your bank’s internal timing.
Many taxpayers assume that once the IRS refund status changes overnight, the funds should arrive at midnight. That is not how the money movement system works. The IRS can update its database late at night or early in the morning, but banks operate on their own posting schedules.
The gap between “refund sent” and “refund available” is usually caused by ACH batch processing, internal reserve checks, and bank ledger update windows.
Does the IRS Update Refund Status at Midnight?
One of the most common questions right now is: Does the IRS update at midnight? In many cases, yes. The IRS frequently pushes status updates overnight, which is why so many people see changes early in the morning. That overnight update often leads to the belief that the deposit should also arrive at midnight.
But the IRS updating its system is different from your bank making funds available. After the status update, the Treasury transmits the refund in an ACH batch, and your bank receives, processes, and settles that batch before releasing the funds to your account.
So even if your refund status changed overnight, your bank may not post it until its next scheduled bank posting windows, which could be 6 AM, 8 AM, or even later in the business day.
Why Your Bank Still Shows $0 Today
If your bank account still shows $0 today despite the refund status saying “Sent,” there are several common explanations. First, ACH processing is not real-time. Refunds move in batches. After the Treasury release timing occurs, funds pass through the ACH network and are delivered to banks.
Your bank then runs its own internal checks before updating customer balances. That is why people searching pending before clearing or bank processing overnight often see the money appear a few hours later.
Second, some banks show incoming refunds as pending before they become available. Others do not show anything until the funds are fully settled. This difference in posting policy explains why someone with the same refund timing guide at one bank may see funds earlier than someone at another bank.
Third, if you are seeing searches like IRS refund Bank of America delay or similar bank-specific phrases, it is usually about internal posting times, not an IRS error.
How Long After “Refund Sent” Will It Deposit?
A frequent search right now is: How long after refund sent will it deposit? In most cases, direct deposits arrive within one business day of being marked “Sent.” However, the actual availability time depends on your bank’s posting schedule.
If your refund was marked sent overnight, it may post later in the morning. If it was marked sent late in the afternoon, it may post the next business day.
During heavy refund weeks, processing time can stretch slightly as ACH cutoff timing batches grow larger. That does not mean the refund is lost. It means it is still moving through the clearing and settlement window timing process.
IRS Refund Delay Today: What Causes It?
When searches spike for IRS refund delay today or approved not paid, the reasons are usually operational, not punitive. High-volume weeks can slow the final posting stage at banks. Federal holidays can shift ACH windows. If you are checking during a weekend, you may also wonder about an IRS weekend update.
The IRS may update your status on a Saturday, but most banks do not process ACH settlements until the next business day. That creates the illusion of a delay even when the refund is already in transit.
What About Treasury Offset or Other Holds?
If you are searching Treasury offset refund delay or worrying that the refund disappeared, it is important to separate status wording from posting timing. If the IRS applied an offset for unpaid debts, your refund status typically reflects that before showing “Sent.”
And if your status clearly says issued or sent with a deposit date, and there is no offset message, the issue is more likely related to settlement window timing. The phrase refund processing time 2026 is trending because many taxpayers compare current timelines to previous years.
While refund processing times can vary, once the status changes to “Sent,” the remaining step is typically mechanical, clearing and posting.
Direct Deposit Timing and Bank Processing
Another cluster of searches rising right now includes direct deposit timing IRS and why is my IRS refund not in account yet. Direct deposits from the IRS follow standard vs same-day ACH rules. Once transmitted, they settle through the banking system. Banks then update their ledgers during designated posting windows.
This is why two people with the same refund issue date can see different arrival times. One bank may credit funds at 6 AM. Another may post closer to 9 AM.
Some may not update balances until late morning. The phrase will my direct deposit hit at midnight continues to trend because many assume deposits are automatic at 12:00 AM. In reality, posting depends on each institution’s processing schedule.
Where’s My Refund Not Updated — Or Bank Not Updated?
There is also confusion when people search Where’s My Refund not updated. Sometimes the bank receives the deposit before the IRS tool reflects the latest stage. Other times, the IRS updates first and the bank follows hours later. These systems are separate.
The IRS tracks refund approval and issuance. Banks control availability and posting. When you see refund sent not in bank, you are usually witnessing that handoff between systems.
When Should You Be Concerned?
If your refund was marked sent more than one full business day ago and your bank shows no pending balance issue, it may be reasonable to contact your financial institution. In rare cases, incorrect account numbers or routing details can delay a deposit.
However, most of the time, especially when the status changed overnight or early this morning, the refund is still within normal processing flow. The majority of sent but not received situations resolve within hours once the bank completes settlement.
The Bottom Line
If your IRS refund status changed to “Sent” overnight and your bank account still shows $0 today, the most likely explanation is timing, not disappearance. The IRS and Treasury release funds in batches. Banks receive them through ACH. Each institution posts deposits according to its own internal schedule.
The surge in searches, IRS refund sent not in bank, refund approved but not deposited, does IRS update at midnight, how long after refund sent will it deposit, reflects real-time anxiety during refund season. But in most cases, the deposit is already moving through the system.
Before assuming a delay, give the deposit after 8AM window time to complete. Often, what looks like a problem at 6 AM resolves by 9 AM. Understanding that overnight processing gap can turn panic into patience and in refund season, that difference between available balance rules and processing time matters.
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