Bank holidays on Monday follow the same federal calendar as any other day

When a federal holiday falls on Monday, banks close just as they do for holidays on any other weekday. The U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve observe the same 11 federal holidays every year, regardless of which day of the week they land on. Monday holidays do not get moved, combined with another day, or observed on a different date — they simply close the banking system for that one day.

This matters most to people waiting for refunds, because banks do not process electronic transfers on federal holidays. If your tax refund, stimulus payment, insurance refund, or business payment was scheduled to arrive on a Monday holiday, it will not hit your account that day. The transfer will process on the next business day instead, which is usually Tuesday.

Key Takeaways

  • Federal holidays on Monday close all banks and the Federal Reserve, so no refunds or payments process that day.
  • Money scheduled to arrive on a Monday holiday will deposit the next business day, usually Tuesday.
  • The IRS, state tax agencies, and most payment systems account for Monday holidays automatically — you do not need to contact them.
  • If you are tracking a refund and see a Monday holiday in the timeline, add one business day to your expected arrival date.

How Monday holidays affect tax refunds and government payments

The IRS and state tax agencies know which days are federal holidays and build them into their processing timelines. When the IRS says your refund will arrive in 21 business days, that count skips all federal holidays, including Mondays. The same is true for stimulus payments, Social Security deposits, and unemployment insurance payments — the government systems that send them automatically exclude holidays from their calculations.

However, the timeline shown on the IRS website or your state tax portal may still list a calendar date as your expected arrival. If that date is a Monday holiday, the actual deposit will come the next day. For example, if the IRS shows your refund arriving on Monday, May 27 (Memorial Day), check your account on Tuesday, May 28 instead. The payment was not delayed — the system simply cannot move money on a closed banking day.

Which federal holidays fall on Mondays in 2024 and 2025

Federal holidays that commonly fall on Mondays are New Year's Day (when January 1 is a Monday), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (always the third Monday in January), Presidents' Day (always the third Monday in February), Memorial Day (always the last Monday in May), and Labor Day (always the first Monday in September). Thanksgiving is always Thursday, but the day after (Friday) is observed by many banks and the federal government, though it is not an official federal holiday.

In 2024, the Monday holidays are Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 15), Presidents' Day (February 19), Memorial Day (May 27), and Labor Day (September 2). In 2025, they are Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 20), Presidents' Day (February 17), Memorial Day (May 26), and Labor Day (September 1). If your refund or payment is scheduled for any of these dates, expect it to arrive on the following Tuesday instead.

What to do if your refund was supposed to arrive on a Monday holiday

First, check your bank account on the next business day (usually Tuesday). Most refunds and government payments deposit automatically without any action from you. If the money does not appear by Wednesday, log into the tracking system for your specific refund — the IRS website for tax refunds, your state tax agency for state refunds, your insurance company's portal for insurance refunds, or your employer's payroll system for business refunds.

The tracking system will show you the actual deposit date, which may have been pushed back by the Monday holiday. If the system shows a date that has already passed and the money is not in your account, contact the issuing agency directly. For federal tax refunds, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. For state refunds, contact your state's tax department. For insurance or business refunds, reach out to the company that issued the refund.

How banks handle deposits on the day after a Monday holiday

Banks process a large volume of deposits on the day after a federal holiday, because all the payments that were held over the weekend or holiday process at once. This can sometimes cause a slight delay in the time a deposit appears in your account — it may take a few hours longer than usual to show up. However, the Federal Reserve and most banks prioritize government payments like tax refunds and stimulus checks, so these typically post early in the morning on the next business day.

If you are checking your account repeatedly on Tuesday morning and the deposit has not appeared by mid-morning, wait until the afternoon. Some banks post deposits in batches throughout the day. If the money still has not arrived by end of business Wednesday, then contact your bank to confirm the deposit was received and is processing correctly.

Monday holidays and private refunds from businesses and insurance companies

Private companies — insurance companies, retailers, and other businesses — are not required to close on federal holidays. Many process refunds on Mondays even when banks are closed. However, the actual deposit into your bank account will not happen until the next business day. So if an insurance company initiates a refund on Monday, May 27 (Memorial Day), your bank will not receive and post that transfer until Tuesday, May 28.

This is why it is important to check the refund status with the company itself, not just your bank account. The company's system may show the refund as "processed" or "sent" on Monday, but your bank will not show it as received until Tuesday. If a company tells you a refund was sent on a Monday holiday and you do not see it by Wednesday, ask them to confirm the transfer went through and provide you with a confirmation number or tracking reference.

Planning around Monday holidays when you are expecting money

If you know a refund is coming and a Monday holiday is in the timeline, plan your budget assuming the money will arrive the day after the holiday. Do not count on deposits arriving on the Monday itself, even if a tracking system shows that date. This is especially important if you are waiting for a refund to cover a bill or expense due shortly after the holiday.

If you are filing a tax return close to a Monday holiday and want the refund as soon as possible, file a few days before the holiday so the processing timeline does not overlap with the closed banking day. For example, if you file on Friday before a Monday holiday, the IRS will begin processing your return immediately, and the 21-business-day clock will not be interrupted by the holiday — it simply skips that day in the count.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my refund be delayed if it was supposed to arrive on a Monday holiday?

No, it is not delayed — it will simply arrive on the next business day instead. The government and most payment systems account for Monday holidays automatically. Your refund will deposit on Tuesday (or the next business day after the holiday) without any action from you.

How do I know if a Monday is a federal holiday?

The main federal holidays that fall on Mondays are Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January), Presidents' Day (third Monday in February), Memorial Day (last Monday in May), and Labor Day (first Monday in September). You can also check the U.S. Office of Personnel Management website for the full federal holiday calendar.

Should I contact the IRS if my refund was supposed to arrive on a Monday holiday?

No, you do not need to contact them. The IRS automatically accounts for federal holidays in its processing timelines. Check your bank account on the next business day. If the refund does not appear by Wednesday, then contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to confirm the status.

Can I get my refund early if a Monday holiday is coming up?

No, but you can file your return before the holiday so processing begins immediately. The IRS counts business days, not calendar days, so the Monday holiday simply does not count toward your 21-business-day timeline. Filing earlier gives you a better chance of receiving your refund before the holiday week, not after it.

Do private companies close on Monday holidays?

Most do not. Insurance companies, retailers, and other businesses often process refunds on Monday holidays. However, your bank will not receive and post the deposit until the next business day. So the refund may be sent on Monday but will not appear in your account until Tuesday.