When Are Fed Meeting Minutes Released in 2026? 3 Steps to Track the Schedule and Key Details

Last semester, while working on a macroeconomics group project, a teammate dropped a question in our group chat: "When are the Fed meeting minutes released?" Five people came back with five different answers—some said the next day, some said a week after the meeting, and some said there was no need to wait at all. That night, I went through the Fed's official website and several news articles and realized there's actually a fixed rhythm to this, but nobody had explained it clearly. This article is based on the notes I took back then, for classmates who are also tracking the Fed for the first time.

Fed Meeting Minutes Release Time | Quick Overview

• One-sentence definition: Meeting minutes are the record of the meeting's contents that the Fed publishes separately after its interest rate decision meeting (FOMC) ends. They are not the post-meeting statement itself.
• Release pattern: By convention, they are released about three weeks after the meeting ends, at 2 p.m. Eastern Time on a Wednesday.
• Taiwan time: Converted, this is roughly around 2 a.m. Taiwan time on Thursday, so most people "see the news after a night's sleep."
• Recent example: For the FOMC meeting on July 28–29, the minutes were officially released at around 2 a.m. Taiwan time on August 20.
• Note: The actual schedule is always subject to what the Fed's official website publishes. This article is just helping you grasp the rhythm.

Below, we'll look at three key points: why you have to wait three weeks, how to convert to Taiwan time, and how to check the next release.

Key Point 1 | Why Are Meeting Minutes Released "Three Weeks After the Meeting"?

FOMC stands for the Federal Open Market Committee. Its main task is to set U.S. monetary policy and balance economic growth against inflation. The FOMC holds eight regular meetings each year, usually lasting two days: the first day focuses on economic analysis and monetary policy, and the second day involves voting on whether to adjust interest rates and by how much.

As for the meeting minutes, their nature is completely different from the post-meeting statement. They record the detailed discussions from the meeting three weeks earlier, including officials' detailed views on monetary policy. Also, because post-meeting statements are often concise and forward guidance has become increasingly limited, investors instead go back and read the minutes carefully, trying to find clues about future interest rate moves. That's why it takes three weeks—time is needed for compilation and approval.

Key Point 2 | Converting to Taiwan Time: Why It's Always Early Morning

Released at 2 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, converted to Taiwan time it crosses into the next day, falling around 2 a.m. on Thursday.

Using the July 2026 meeting as an example makes it clearer: the meeting was held on July 28–29, and the minutes were released at around 2 a.m. Taiwan time on August 20. Counting about three weeks forward from the last day of the meeting lands exactly on that Wednesday.

So if you want to arrange with classmates to "watch together the next morning," aiming for Thursday morning is reasonable. If you want to follow it in real time, you'll need to set an early morning alarm.

Key Point 3 | 3 Steps to Check the Next Release Time

To calculate the next release yourself, you only need three steps:

1. Step 1 | Find the meeting dates: Go to the Fed's official calendar and confirm the dates of the most recent FOMC meeting. For example, the September 2026 meeting is on September 15–16.
2. Step 2 | Count forward about three weeks: Add about 21 days from the last day of the meeting, which usually lands on a Wednesday.
3. Step 3 | Convert to Taiwan time and confirm on the day: Convert 2 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday to Taiwan time (roughly early Thursday morning), then check the Fed's official website again that morning to avoid errors from time zones or temporary adjustments.

What's the Difference Between Meeting Minutes and the Post-Meeting Statement?

The post-meeting statement is a brief conclusion released right when the meeting ends, while the minutes are the complete discussion record added a few weeks later.

Take the July 2026 meeting as an example. The post-meeting statement remained concise, keeping the benchmark interest rate unchanged in the 3.50%–3.75% range, with 3 of the 12 voting officials favoring a rate hike. When the minutes were released, the market focused on the reasons behind those 3 votes and the details of officials' discussions on inflation and the interest rate path. The earlier June meeting minutes listed two scenarios: if inflation cools, most officials support keeping rates unchanged first and then cutting later; if inflation remains high, most officials believe a rate hike may be needed. These contexts are not visible in the post-meeting statement.

How Can Students Turn Fed Meeting Content into Their Own Notes?

When tracking the Fed, the hardest part isn't checking the time—it's "how to organize the information once it comes in." My later approach was: use Tinrec to record and transcribe livestreams or online lectures while listening, then directly find key points in the transcript afterward.

Tinrec is an AI meeting notes and collaboration tool that supports real-time audio-to-text transcription. The desktop version can record online meetings on Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Webex, etc. by capturing system audio, without needing to invite an extra meeting bot. After recording, it generates summaries, chapters, and to-dos, and also allows AI Q&A on the content or exporting to tools like Notion and Google Docs for further use. For students, the free version lets you try the basic quota first; if it's just for a short-term push, you can look at the weekly plan; if you need to organize every week, then consider a long-term plan like Pro. For group projects, the team version centralizes data in a separate team space, and resources remain with the team even when members leave.

To be honest about limitations: transcription quality can be affected by recording quality, background noise, accents, and overlapping speakers. For important numbers, it's still best to go back and check against the original audio. Also, before recording, remember to comply with local regulations and obtain consent when necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are the meeting minutes released on the same day as the interest rate decision? No. The decision is announced right when the meeting ends, while the minutes by convention take about three weeks longer.

Q: Should I look at Wednesday or Thursday in Taiwan time? It's Wednesday afternoon in Eastern Time, which crosses into the next day in Taiwan, so it's usually early Thursday morning. The actual time is still subject to the Fed's official website.

Q: How many times are minutes released each year? The FOMC holds eight regular meetings each year, and in principle there are corresponding minutes after each meeting.

Summary: Get the Rhythm Right and You Won't Miss It

The release time for Fed meeting minutes is actually very regular: about three weeks after the meeting ends, Wednesday afternoon Eastern Time, early Thursday morning Taiwan time. What really causes confusion is how to digest all that content after release. Put the time on your calendar first, then find a recording and organizing method that suits you—it's much more effective than staying up late searching randomly.

References

• 2026 美聯儲Fed利率決策會議時間表一覽【最新更新】｜最新數據、公布時程、台灣時間全整理 - 新百王證券｜快速開戶 即刻下單｜資產的守護者
• 最新 7 月 FOMC 會議降息幾碼？FOMC 是什麼？ 近期 FOMC 會議紀要？ - StockFeel 股感
• 美联储议息会议时间表_会议纪要_美联储 主席_美联储(FED)-汇通网
• FOMC是什麼？2026會議時間表、點陣圖解讀與對投資的影響 | 好好證券 FundSwap
• Fed會議紀錄周三公布！當華許少說話 這份文件將曝利率走向關鍵線索 | 全球財經 | 全球 | 聯合新聞網