White House Economist Predicts ‘Biggest Refund Cycle Ever’ During 2026 Tax Season

‘A lot of the tax changes, which affect last year, weren’t in any tax forms that people filled out at the beginning of’ this year, the economist said.

Director of the National Economic Council Kevin Hassett speaks with reporters outside of the West Wing at the White House in Washington, DC on Dec. 16, 2025. Andrew Cabllero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

The White House’s National Economic Council director predicted the largest-ever tax “refund cycle” in 2026 as several measures included in a congressional spending bill that passed earlier this year are set to go into effect.

“We are going to see the biggest refund cycle ever in the history of America, and people are going to get massive refund checks,” National Economic Council head Kevin Hassett said in an interview with Fox Business on Thursday. “We’re expecting just that part of it alone to be worth a couple-thousand-dollar refund.”