The Internal Revenue Service is reminding taxpayers that a new law requires the IRS to hold refunds until mid-February in 2017.
The delay in tax refunds will impact people claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit.
In an online press release, the IRS says the new identity theft and refund fraud safeguards may mean some tax returns and refunds face additional review.
"This is an important change as some of these taxpayers are used to getting an early refund," said IRS commissioner John Koskinen. "We want people to be aware of the change for their planning purposes during the holidays. We don't want anyone caught by surprise if they get their refund a few weeks later than in previous years."
The reason for the delay to February 15, 2017 are in part to help the IRS step up its efforts to combat identity theft and tax refund fraud.
"These increased security screening are invisible to most taxpayers," Koskinen said, "But we want people to be aware we are taking additional steps to protect taxpayers from identity theft, and that sometimes means the real taxpayers face a slight delay in their refunds."
