Where’s My Refund?

“Yeah, I don’t really care to get my tax refund” said absolutely no one, ever. For millions of people, tax refunds are the light at the end of the tunnel that is tax season. Many of them even depend on their refund as a much needed extra boost to pay off debt or bills, contribute to retirement, pay a child’s tuition, you name it.

Although tax refunds are technically the product of a miscalculation (on your part, of course), its arrival is seen as a much needed helping hand, so you obviously need to know how it’s coming along. Well, fear not, because this guide will tell you all about getting your tax refund.

How to Check Your IRS Tax Refund Status

There are several options available for taxpayers who want to check the status of their federal tax refund and they are explained in this article.

Tax Refunds – What to Expect

The IRS issues over 90% of tax refunds within 21 days after a tax return is received. That means you will likely get your federal refund in less than 3 weeks of filing your 1040 return.

Note that this is not a guarantee, and there are many instances where it can take longer for the IRS to process your tax return and issue your refund. If you want your tax return to be processed as quickly as possible, you should use e-file and make sure there are no mistakes on your form(s). If you want your tax refund to be issued as quickly as possible, you should also choose the “Direct Deposit” option as your refund method.

>> Check the Status of Your Federal Stimulus Payment

Check Your Tax Refund Status Online

The IRS provides an online tool that taxpayers can use to track the status of their federal refunds. In order to use the My Refund tool, you will need to have the following information on hand:

• Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
• Filing status
• Exact refund amount

You can check the status of your refund within 24 hours after you e-file your return, or within 4 weeks after you mailed your return if you filed by paper. The IRS updates their system daily, usually overnight, so you can check the Where’s My Refund tool once a day for updates if you want.

Refund Status Phrases: What Do They Mean?

When the IRS has your tax return and starts processing it, one of three status updates will appear on the Where’s My Refund tool. Each of these has a specific meaning that tells you how far along the processing is and how soon can you expect to see your return (if applicable).

Keep in mind that the IRS updates this system once per day, so refreshing the page over and over again will not change anything. The Where’s My Refund Tool is taken offline on Mondays from midnight to 3:00 AM EST for routine maintenance, so don’t panic if you check it late at night and it’s suddenly “gone”.

Here’s what each of the statuses mean:

1. Return Received

The first of the statuses, this one just means that your tax return has been received and the IRS is processing it. You can expect to wait 21 days at most from the day when they got your tax return, so wait at least a few days to a week before checking again.

2. Refund Approved

Once the IRS has finished processing your return and they approve it, the Refund Approved status will appear on Where’s My Refund. Now the tool will actually give you a specific date on which to expect the money to be deposited to your bank account.

3. Refund Sent

As you can imagine, this status means the IRS has already sent your refund as a direct deposit to your bank, or that it has mailed a check for the amount. Now it’s up to your financial institution of choice to actually get and process this payment, which can take an additional five days (or weeks if you’ll be getting it by mail).

Mobile Smartphone Devices – Where’s My Refund App

You can also check your refund status using your mobile device. IRS2Go is the official smartphone app of the IRS and can be used to track your tax refund, make a tax payment, and get free tax preparation help.

IRS2Go is available in English and Spanish. It can be downloaded from the Apple App Store, Google Play, or Amazon.

Call the IRS to Ask About Your Tax Refund

Is your refund overdue? Before you rush to call the IRS, consider how long it’s been since you filed your tax return.r

If it’s been more than 21 days since you e-filed your tax return, you may want to call the IRS to check on the progress of your refund. If you filed a paper return, you should wait until at least 6 weeks before you call the IRS regarding your refund.

The “Where’s My Refund” tool will tell you how to contact the IRS. You can also use this list of IRS contact numbers:   Contact the IRS

Common Reasons For Refund Delays

The IRS knows just how important getting a tax refund is for some people, and believe it or not, they do put a titanic effort in delivering most of them within 21 days of filing. Still, there’s a possibility that yours might be delayed, and the reason won’t be immediately apparent.

The following are some of the most common reasons why your refund might be delayed.

1. The IRS Used Your Refund As Payment

The IRS are the ones who issue your refund, but they also know if you have outstanding debts too. It’s possible that some of your refund (or all of it, in some cases) has been used to pay for those debts.

The usual types of debt that cause the IRS to offset your refund if you owe federal taxes. In this case, you will get the CP49 notice “Overpayment Applied To Taxes Owed”. Other types of debt can also make the IRS take a cut of your refund through the Treasury Offset Program (TOP), which is caused by past-due child support, unpaid state taxes, unemployment compensation payments, and debts to other federal agencies.

2. The IRS Is Holding Your Refund

Usually, when the IRS holds your refund, they also send you a request for more information—not because you’re being audited, mind you, but because there might be a mistake or lack of clarity somewhere in your return.

Unlike the IRS just taking a chunk of your refund, which is usually very cut and dry (and you will be notified of it), having your refund on hold can point to a number of situations:

• Math Error Detected: Taxpayers using software to file their return probably won’t face this issue, since the software detects math errors beforehand. But, if you mail in your return, it’s possible the IRS will detect a math error. Now, the IRS calls them “math errors” but it’s actually a catch-all term for all sorts of missing information, such as in your SSN or missing documents to support a credit or deduction.
• Identity Theft Suspected: The IRS has several filters in order to prevent identity theft, and sometimes those filters can delay your refund until you verify your identity. You will get IRS Letter 5071C asking you to confirm your identity by providing a few different documents.
• You Are Not Eligible For A Tax Credit: You might have claimed a tax credit in your return that the IRS does not believe you are eligible for, such as the EITC, ACTC, American Opportunity Tax Credit, and others. This instance does actually count as an IRS audit, and they will send you Letter CP75 asking you to produce proof that you qualify for the credit.
• ACA Health Insurance Issues: Sometimes, issues may arise with the accuracy of tax returns in relation to health insurance coverage, such as a lack of information in your tax return.
• Missing Old File Return: Not being up to date in your filing can bring about issues. We’ve discussed these consequences more in-depth before, but the relevant part now is that one of those consequences is that the IRS can freeze any refunds coming your way until you properly file the past-due return (regardless of what year it was).
• You’re Being Audited: If you’re under audit, the IRS can freeze your tax refund until the audit is completed. Should the IRS ask you to prove you qualify for, say, the EITC or ACTC, your refund will remained freeze until the audit’s resolution.
• Return Filed Too Late/Early: Filing your tax return too early or at the very last minute can trigger some IRS anti-fraud filters and add at least another week to your waiting period. In general, returns filed before January 26 will most likely get your refund delayed.
• Filing A Paper Tax Return: The IRS still process physical tax returns by entering the data by hand into the system, so that can really slow things down. This is the reason why taxpayers who mail-in their returns have a longer waiting period (six weeks compared to the three weeks for people who file electronically).

How To Check The Status Of Your Tax Refund: FAQ

1. How can I check the status of my tax refund?

The quickest ways to check your refund status are the “Where’s My Refund?” online tool or the mobile app “IRS2Go”. Both of them require your Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), as well as your filing status and the amount listed on your tax return.

2. How long do I have to wait to receive my refund?

It depends. If you chose the fastest route (e-filed your return and asked for direct deposit), your refund should be issued within 21 days. If, however, you mailed in your physical return and asked for a check, it could take up to 8 weeks (or even longer) depending on processing times.

3. How soon can I check my refund status?

As soon as 24 hours after you submit your return electronically. If you mailed a physical form, however, it can take up to four weeks for the status to become available.

4. What’s the difference between “received” and “approved” mean?

“Received” is the first step after submitting your return to the IRS. It means your return is already being processed and no further action is required on your part (unless contacted by the IRS). “Approved” means the IRS has already reviewed and approved your refund, and it is being prepared to make its way to you; the deposit or mailing dates are usually indicated along with the status.

5. Why is my refund delayed?

There’s plenty of reasons why a refund might be delayed, such as spelling or calculation errors on your return, missing information, or even because you claim certain credits (such as the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit). Claiming a credit can delay your return until mid-February because it requires extra consideration from the IRS.

6. What can I do if I don’t receive my refund?

You should contact the IRS if you haven’t received your refund after 21 days of e-filing (or six weeks since mailing) your return. It’s also a good time to check the “Where’s My Refund?” tool to receive updates on the matter. Remember, the IRS Refund Hotline is 800-829-1954.

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