What To Do if You Haven’t Received Your State Tax Refund

If you haven’t received your state tax refund yet, there’s no reason to panic right away. Most states understand that taxpayers want their money back in a hurry and have a system set up to check this very thing. Here’s how:

1. Click here to find your state’s tax office or department of revenue.
2. Check your tax refund status by clicking on a link that says ‘Where’s My Refund?’ or something similar. Sometimes, this link is located in the ‘Online Services’ section.
3. Fill out the provided web form. You will need your Social Security Number and the amount you’ll be receiving. It helps to have a copy of your form on hand when checking your tax refund status.
4. If you’d rather not enter that information on the internet, you can call. Look for the phone number on this page or under ‘Contact Us.’

Give It Time

Before inquiring on your tax refund status, consider how long it’s been since you filed. You may not have given the office enough time to process and send out your check. This is doubly more so if you filed with a paper form.

The general rule is if you filed electronically, you should wait around a week before you consider inquiring about your refund status. If you sent in a paper tax form, you should give it up to three to four weeks before checking your tax refund status.

This is especially true closer to the end of the tax season. Make sure to give your state tax office ample time before you check on your tax refund status.

Report It Stolen

If you’ve checked your tax refund status and you truly believe your refund was stolen, lost, or destroyed, you should contact your state’s tax office immediately. You can use the phone number on your state tax office’s website, usually the same one used to check your refund status, to call them and explain the situation.

Don’t wait around if you suspect you could be the victim of a stolen refund check. Hesitating could lead to problems getting your money. It also could cause issues at the tax office. So after you check your tax refund status and discover an issue, jump on it as soon as possible.

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