Why Haven’t I Received My Tax Return

If you still haven’t received your federal tax refund, don’t just get worried. There are several things you can do instead of biting your nails and checking the mail.

First, gather some information. You’ll need your Social Security Number, your filing status, and the exact amount you’re expecting. You need it to check your return status and your IRS refund status.

Check Your Return Status

Now to check your return status. We’ll get to the IRS refund status later. Many taxpayers used an e-filing service to fill out their tax forms. If you are one of these people, check with the service you used to find out what your status is. Often, you can simply sign in to your account. This should provide you with your return status.

You can also call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. Whether you login or call, it’s important to check this first. Your return might not have gone through yet, or there was an error. If so, you can start the process of fixing it. Then, move on to checking your federal tax refund status.

Check Your Federal Tax Refund Status

 

If everything checks out with your return status, now you can check on your IRS refund status. Hopefully, you filled out the form for a direct deposit. Contact your bank to check again if your money hasn’t gone in yet.

If not, contact the IRS to determine your federal tax refund status. They have a link on their website for you to enter the information you collected above. You can also call to check your IRS refund status at 1-800-829-1954.

Other Issues Affecting Your IRS Refund Status

Some tax services allow you to pay them with your refund. If you signed up for this, check with your tax service. There might be a slight delay as they take their fee.

If you instead opted to receive a check from the IRS, you will have to wait twice as long than if you signed up for direct deposit. Further delays could be due to a busy time of year. If you waited until near the end of the tax season this could affect your federal tax refund status and have you waiting up to two weeks longer than normal.

Check this chart for a rough idea of your IRS refund status. Notice again there is about a week’s difference between direct deposit and mailed checks.

If you notice any strange activity when checking your federal refund status, such as the possibility that your tax refund was stolen, contact the IRS immediately at 1-800-829-1040.

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