Where’s My Tax Refund?

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The IRS officially opened for the 2014 tax season today and a common question asked around this time is “Where’s My Refund?”

Many taxpayers also have questions about how the process of getting tax refunds and refund timing works.

We know you work hard for your money and wanted to answer some of the most common questions we see about the issuance of tax refunds.

Here is a breakdown of how your tax return will progress through 3 stages with the IRS -“Return Received”, “Return Approved”, and “Refund Sent” once you e-file and where you can go to check your refund status so you understand “Where’s My Refund?”:

Refund Process

  1. Start checking status 24 – 48 hours after e-fileOnce you e-file with direct deposit, you can start checking the status of your return 24 – 48 hours after you e-file on the IRS Where’s My Refund tool.
  2. Return Received Notice within 24 – 48 hours after e-file – The IRS Where’s My Refund tool will show “Return Received” status once they begin processing your tax return.  You will not see a refund date until the IRS finishes processing your tax return and approves your tax refund.
  3. Status change from “Return Received” to “Refund Approved” – Once the IRS finishes processing your tax return and confirms your tax refund is approved, your status will change from “Return Received” to “Refund Approved”.  Sometimes the change in status can take a few days, but it could take longer and a date will not be provided in Where’s My Refund? until your tax return is processed and your tax refund is approved.
  4. Where’s My Refund? tool shows refund date – The IRS will provide an actual refund date once your status moves to “Refund Approved”.  The IRS issues more than 9 out of 10 refunds in 21 days or less.
  5. Where’s My Refund? shows “Refund Sent” – You’re now closer to your biggest tax refund! If the status in Where’s My Refund? shows “Refund Sent”, the IRS has sent your tax refund to your financial institution for direct deposit.  It can take 1 to 5 days for your financial institution to deposit funds into your account.  If you requested that your tax refund be mailed, it could take several weeks for your check to arrive.

Here are more answers to your common questions about your tax refund:

Will I see a date right away when I check status in “Where’s My Refund”? 

Where’s My Refund will not give you a date until your tax return is received, processed, and your tax refund is approved by the IRS

It’s been longer than 21 days since the IRS has received my tax return and I have not received my tax refund.  What’s happening?

Some tax returns take longer than others to process depending on your tax situation.  Some of the reasons it may take longer are incomplete information, an error, or the IRS needs to review it further.

What other sources can I use to check my refund status?

Once you have e-filed your tax return with TurboTax, you can check your status using MyTurboTax.  You can even check your status on the go from your mobile device using TurboTax free app MyTaxRefund.

If you haven’t e-filed your taxes yet, you can start today.  You may even be able to e-file your federal tax return for free and have your biggest tax refund in your pocket within 21 days.

3,444 responses to “Where’s My Tax Refund?”

  1. I e-filed 2/3/14 and was accepted 20 minutes later. Checked the wmr a couple days later and every day since and it said return recieved every time. I’ve seen many people who filed after me already receive their refund and I still haven’t got to step 2 on wmr. What could the hold up be?

  2. I filed my return on 1/312014, it was accepted but not yet approved I wonder whats going??. My cousin filed on the 4th and she gets her check 2maro

  3. I e-filed my return at a local H&R Office and had the Fed sent to my Emerald Card and requested a check from the state. I rec’d a notification that both state and federal were accepted on the 6th. I go to “Where’s My Refund?” says nothing. I call- can’t give me any info. What gives? Too soon? I see other ppl are receiving DD’s

      • I filed 1/23 and was told it was received 1/28 but it’s still on the first bar. When I called yesterday they said it had not been processed yet. Why is some taking longer than others?

  4. Still no upate!! I filed 0201/14, got accepted 02/05/14 and I’ve been in Return receive since then!!! Can’t order my transcript so bascially they are not even done processing my tax reurn this is crazy!! What is going on!!!!

    • I haven’t receive my refund either mines still on the first line file on 1/22/14 said irs receive it on 1/31 @933am still haven’t moved off the first line.wen am I going to receive my refund wen you call irs there’s no option you CaN speak to somebody.

  5. I tried to check the Santa Barbara thing but it says that it has no records of me but I do have a direct deposit of 2/12 im not sure exactly if my sister filed my taxes through TurboTax but as long as I have a ddd of 2/12 im fine mine should hit either tonight or tomorrow morning I have it going on a prepaid debit card called the READY debit card

  6. You people crack me up! You’re saying you have a DD date of 2/12 but you haven’t gotten or seen anything yet. Don’t you think you might want to wait til 2/12 gets here first? Some banks don’t show pending deposits. Patience.

  7. Someone filed my taxes last year illegally. So this year I called to get my pin in it told me to enter 0 for the prior year. Is this a good or bad thing??

    • I believe they do. But it can also take the bank 1-2 days to post to your account. I got my DDD 2/12. SB shows they received the money and wired to my money card but nothing is there. I am hoping it will show tomorrow. Keeping my fingers crossed and will try to get some sleep.

      • That’s what mines says also. I’m using my Meta Bank card so I don’t have the Bank hold time it just post.
        Hope it does today..

  8. Just so everyone knows if you paid up front for your taxes to be done it will not go through Santa Barbara it will go directly to your bank. I see a lot of comments from people with 2/12 DD who can’t get info from there. That may be the reason .

  9. Hey Nell or Bigmoney. I also have a dad of the 12th but paid mine up front. I see sbb has your refund and you say they are forwarding it to your bank today. The question I have for you is does the status bar on wmr show sent or not for you? Just wondering since we have same ddd. Mine is still on refund approved. Any information you could provide would be most appreciated.

  10. I got approved on january 31 2014 but have not moved froom the 1st stage out of 3 is there some kind of delay? ….& I was alsi woundering watdoesa transcript mean?

    • I am having the same issue. I filed on 1/25 and got accepted on 1/28 and I am still on one bar. My 21 day deadline is next week and I can only request the account transcript and not the return transcript. The only conclusion my husband and I have come up with is that the education credit is holding ours up. I am just hoping we have ours next week so we can get things paid off before we move to another state in two weeks.

  11. I filed on the 29th. It was approved the 30th and shows I will have my refund by the 12th. Nothing yet so I hope it will be there tomorrow.

    • We were accepted on the 29th and still sitting on the first bar. Nothing from the IRS, nothing from Turbo Tax….. NO explanation!

  12. We were accepted on the 29th and are still sitting on the accepted bar. I can’t order transcripts. Turbo Tax is useless in explaining this process to me. I don’t understand how people who filed on the 4th are getting their money back well before those of us who filed earlier. UGGGHHHH

  13. Hello; I filed and was accepted on Feb 2. I was able to finally order transcripts on yesterday. However as of 7:00 am I am still stuck in processing on wmr… Not sure what’s going on this year and a lot of the theories regarding timing of refunds etc from last week are starting to down the drain this week! *I am hoping it’s a system error and I recieve my refund tomorruw or Friday. Any feedback is welcome!

      • Yjefferson– when you are able to order your current year (2013) tax transcript, it “usually” means your refund was approved and that you will soon have a DDD. HOWEVER, that is not a guarantee….

      • Yjefferson: If you can order your tax transcript for 2013, then you know your deposit will be made soon after since it shows they have approved your 2013 tax return. You know, once approved, the money can’t be far behind 🙂

  14. Hello I am in Texas and I filed on 2-2-14 got accepted on 2-2-14 and still in the processing stage. I have family who filed after me and have a DDD of 2-12-14…so frustrating and I’m not able to order transcript

    • Hello Karen…I too am from Texas and I filed on 01/31& was accepted/received by IRS on 02/01….Unfortunately this is as far as it has gotten. I even called the treasury offsite line to see if there were any debts that I didn’t know of associated with my SS# and there is not. Can’t understand why this is taking so long but one thing I do know it has had me on pins & needles for way to long and I will be glad when this whole ordeal is over!

  15. Filed and was accepted 2/5. Ordered transcripts friday and got my ddd (2/12)the next day(Saturday). Today my funds were sent to Santa Barbra bank to take out the TurboTax fees and was sent to my bank today. I bank with usaa so funds should post tonight or in the morning. Hope this helps

  16. My taxes were received on January 31,2014 today is 2-11-14 and they still say processing can someone tell my why it’s taking so long to process.

  17. I filed on the 29th of Jan and its now the 11th of feb..no refund yet and not been approved yet so you guys are not alone on this I even called the IRS they gave me no info except it could take 3 weeks to get my money but a lot of people I knowdid there taxes after me and got there money yesterday….very stressed about this but you have no choice to wait and see what the hold up is?

  18. wow im very NERVOUS me and another person filed with the same tax person back to back maybe 20 min apart on Feb 4pm we both were accepted on the fifth.He got APPROVED ON the 10th and a date for the 12th!! I still.have no change still being processed:(

  19. I filed on the 3rd of February. I haven’t heard anything. I have been processing since that day ànd no DD. Every time I try to order my transcript it says the information is incorrect. This is so frustrating. Can someone tell me what I’m doing wrong?

  20. Last year I filed at the begining of Feb and I did not get a refund until the middle of May!!! This year I filed on 2/3 accepted on 2/4 and still no DDD. I’m worried!

  21. I called and spoke to a representative this morning because I have a dd of 2/12. She basically told me that date is not in stone. They have 21 days period. I kept asking her so we should not go by the WAR and she kept saying they have 21 days. I asked her so the message states that if I don’t get my refund by 2/17 to call back she said they can’t pull up information for 21 days after you have filed electronically. This is something! The message says that you should get your refund By the 12th not on the 12th. Wow!

  22. Hello; I filed and was accepted on Feb 2. I was able to finally order transcripts on yesterday. However as of 7:00 am I am still stuck in processing on wmr… Not sure what’s going on this year and a lot of the theories regarding timing of refunds etc from last week are starting to down the drain this week! *I am hoping it’s a system error and I recieve my refund tomorruw or Friday. Any feedback is welcome!

  23. Anybody received their refund with dd 02/12? My sister had dd02/10 and got hers 02/07 so I’m hoping to get mine early as well!

      • I had them take it out of my refund also, how do you know it is sbbt bank? Do you know when you will receive it? THe IRS website said it was sent but its not in my bank.

  24. Oh well, still no change. Submitted on the 28th and still in the first block. I gotta laugh to keep from crying. This is so aggravating especially since I can’t get any answers. My mother in law’s was submitted right after mines(also on the 28th) and she received hers on the 6th.

      • im 2/12 but have not received money yet but theres this site called “i got my refund” and there is a lot of ppl with 2/12 and got theirs this morning .

      • Good Morning

        If you didn’t pay your fees up front and is having it taking out of your taxes and you filed through turbo tax you can go to Santa Barbara Bank and see if your funds have been sent.

        I have a date of the 12th and they have mine and is sending to my bank today.

        Hope This Helps

      • Santa Barbara has received my refund and I should receive it today. DD date of 2/12.

        The process is a long one but everything will go through.

      • CISC.SBTPG.COM

        CLICK ON MY ACCOUNT AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE AND PUT IN YOUR INFORMATION. U WILL NEED TO PUT IN THE AMOUNT OF YOUR RETUN ALSO.

        THE SYSTEM WILL TELL YOU IF THEY RECEIVED YOUR REFUND FROM THE IRS IF THEY DID THEY WILL GIVE YOU THE BREAK DIEN

      • Marie

        Did you check your bank or Santa Barbara Bank?

        If it’s your bank it won’t show if your bank doesn’t do pending post..

      • I have a ddd of 2/12. Check sbbt a minute ago and they have receive my funds from IRS. Just waiting for my bank (Wells Fargo) to release to me.

      • I have a DD of 2/12 & I went through h&r block & getting a emerald card but still stuck on approved. Anyone else getting a emerald card with DD of 2/12?

      • Mine has a DDD of 2/12 I checked SBB and it says no record was found..I called my bank and there is no pending post..anyone else with this problem???

      • Kelly im on the same page through h&r block emerald card an no dd just accepted please let me know if u get your refundd

    • I did mine on the 29th and I’m still in the 1st status as well…and my friends got there’s already…I called and got no info so I guess its a matter of being patient somthing I’m not lol

      • You are not alone in the impatient department. My husband and I filed on 1/25 and accepted on 1/28 but still in processing. However, when I called the irs once everyone who filed after me are already getting theirs she was very polite and told me that all she could see was that it is in processing. I even called to make sure we didn’t owe any money and of course we don’t so I think their new systems sucks and they should go back to the old system.

    • My husband and I have been on the first bar since we filed on 2/1. Our state is being dd tomorrow. He’s getting angry and im just getting even more impatient. We had a friend who filed hers and was accepted 1/27 and she got hers this past friday. We’re just as irritated as everyone else wondering whats going on!

  25. You have to be patient it can take up to 21days for your return to be process. Just have to set back and wait notthing can really be done.

  26. My refund was accepted 2/7/14 however i have no status bar at all on the website. It just says that their is no information available. Has anyone had this issue?

  27. I am confused i filed on the 30 was accepted according to taxact on 1/31 but didn’t see it on wmr till 2/3. I was able to order my return transcript tonight finally for the first time, but still not even showing approved yet. Is it possible to still not get approved no time soon?

    • Anytime that your able to order your return transcript, that means there about done processing your return so you should see your money soon, I know last year when I ordered my transcript, I got a DDD in a day or two and then my money came, your getting closer

      • I was able to order my transcripts last Thursday and still have not gotten a ddd yet. I filed on 1-23 and received on 1-28. I received my state late Friday but have not gotten past the first bar on wmr.

  28. Has anyone from the ATL area recieved their refund or atleast have a ddd by now if you filed on the 31st like i did? Im still sitting at the first bar on WMR and the irs agents over the phn keep saying i have to wait 21 freaking days… uh so stressing!! :-[

  29. Boy is there alot of frustrated and impatient ppl on here…haha…dont worry though…im jumping on the bus right with yall. my stress is thru the roof right now.I’ve gone thru so much to try to get to the bottom of why my refund has already tooken so long. I filed on the 31st,my sister on the 30th and she recieved hers on the 7th. Only 5 business days!!! my brother in law filed on the 7th and his is already approved and scheduled to be sent to his bank on the 12th.it seems like everyone around me but ME is getting their refunds and flashing it in my face. not literally but i feel that way. days seem like weeks for me right now. but after finding out some additional information. i here that if you have any offsets then it may very well be the reason why its taking longer than usual. i however do owe 1,500 to the Texas Attorney General. So best thing to do is just be patient and investigate to why your refund is being delayed. good luck and happy spending.!! 🙂

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