PATH Act could delay tax refunds up to 6 weeks for as many as 30 million Americans

DENVER -- If you're planning on filing a tax refund this year, plan to wait.

In 2015, Congress passed what's called the PATH Act.

It essentially protects the government from tax fraud by allowing the IRS to scrutinize certain tax returns for a longer period of time -- in particular, those that claim an additional child tax credit and earned income tax credit.

The government says those are two areas are ripe with fraud.

So, if you're one of the roughly 30 million claiming those credits, your refund might be delayed up to six weeks. The IRS won’t be releasing those refunds any earlier than Feb. 15.

“A lot of people have dependents, and so anyone who's going to get an additional child tax credit, that's going to impact them,” said H&R Block master tax advisor, Gerald Spivey.

“I might be impacted,” said Leslie McClain, who always makes a habit of filing early so he can get his refund early. “Yeah, I don't wait until the last minute. I can't afford that because I do have dependents and they need things.”

The good news for guys like McClain -- some companies like H&R Block are offering zero interest, zero fee refund advances in response to this new law.

The H&R Block refund advance pays up to $1,250.