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 have a deposit date for Today Feb 6th and still have yet to see the funds in my account or the WMR say it was sent….anyone know if it will update on the WMR to refund sent prior to receiving the deposit or if the money will just show up in the bank being they only update it once a day

  2. I filed mine through turbo tax on the 26th of Jan and was accepted on the 28th then received a DDD for Feb 6th…just checked the WMR and it still doesn’t say refund sent nor is it in my account yet…just wondering when they will be sending their batches of deposits and if it will update on the WMR prior to receiving the funds

  3. I recieved a deposit date of Feb.6th …..I’ve checked it just now on the wmr and still does not say refund sent and my bank account still has not received anything ???? So where is my refund??

  4. i filed on the 1/20/2014 IRS received n 2/2/2014 till now its still on tax receive bar!! im sure everyone needs a answer!! no e-mails or nothing yet!!..still waiting!! OMG

  5. I filed on 1/24, accepted 1/27 and given a dd of 2/6. Just checked bank thinking it would dd at midnight, notta. Guess we’ll see in the am. Does anyone know if there is a specific time of day the dd is sent to bank?

  6. Says my direct deposit date is feb6th
    But I don’t see it in my bank??? When does direct deposit hit the bank anybody know???

  7. Where’s My Refund Shows Refund Sent With Yellow Bar And Orange Strips @ 1:20 AM, It Was Black At 12:59 AM Does This Mean It Is Transmitting To My Bank? I Called My Bank At 1 AM And The Where Not Showing Any Pending Deposits At That Time So I’m Wondering If It’s On It’s Way Now. Thanks In Advance For Any And All Help! Hope Everyone Get’s There Monies Soon!!! 🙂

  8. Hey guys just a quick update. My status has not change but I was just able to order transcripts. Not sure if it is true that I will get my refund soon but I will keep you all posted!

      • I called Santa Barbara bank and was t I told the IRS didn’t send my refund until after midnight and they were closed. They didnt release my refund to my bank until 6am. And it can take up to 24 hrs. Call 18007177228 to see if the IRS to the bank. This is only if you used TurboTax. If they did, you are probably in the same boat as me. The rep said this is the case with many people. On Feb 6, 2014 10:34 AM, “Tax Break: The TurboTax Blog” wrote:

        > angeljohnson68 commented: “WMR is down I keep getting that the system > is unavailable”

  9. I have the turbo tax app and it says my refund dd date is the 20th! I sent my refund on the 26th and on the 28th got an email says that the Irs has my refund. Wmr has been on one bar since then. Is the 20th really my DDd?

  10. Yeah I’m I’m Indy too n Im still pending. When I check the state website it says processing. This is really confusing!!

  11. What time will where’s my refund be updated? I just checked and there is no change. It is now 11:25pm Eastern time.

      • This is really irritating. I was accepted on the 24th and was stuck at one bar up until Monday and now I am stuck at “still processing…date will be given when available.” Why the heck are some people getting refunds that were accepted a week after I was. I get that it is a process, but why the vague messages? My taxes arent any different from any other year…

  12. My state as deposited yesterday and my federal will b deposited tomorrow. Tomorrow is the 1st DDdate. No one will get it before then. if it says the 6th. You should see it in there tomorrow morning! Mine always goes state first…federal two days later. Some banks receive it tomorrow and processit as avail. For the fowing day. So if u have a dd date of the 6th u will see it tomorrow morning or fri morning. Alwatsays check after 8am!

  13. I filed 1/22 accepted 1/26 I know they didn’t open until 1/29 but the tax site says it was accepted thru irs yet the irs wheres my refund as of today says no information found regarding a return for me?? HELP!!!!

  14. Why do we file with TT and pay if we can get itsooner with in office?I would like a REAL answer from TT.Not the bull you have been giving us.This will be my last year ith TT

  15. My DD Date is 02/06/14. I used the service with turbo tax where they deduct the cost of processing the returns from your return amount. That being said if the DD from the IRS is scheduled for 02/06/14 when should intuit deposit the funds into the account that I gave them when filing?

  16. I submitted mines Jan 10th. It was accepted on the 30th. DD is tomorrow. I sure hope it comes through. I’m trying to move and have today this darn title loan. Some one said the bank can hold it a few days. I havd BOA. Is that true?

  17. My refund was accepted on the 29 and then approved on31st I got a date of the 10th I opted for a check will it be mailed on the10th what I’m asking is when should I expect my check

  18. I got an approval and a date and a date of the 10th for my refund I opted for a check is the 10th the day it will be mailed out?

  19. We did ours jan 14th through turbo tax. We still don’t have an expected date. It’s still on the first step. I know someone else who filed the 30th and is scheduled to get it the 8th…I guess you never know what to expect! We received ours the first week of feb last year.

    • I filed TT free addition and filed to have it DDep. Now I find out that something went wrong with TT and hundreds are not deposited, instead IRS is sending out paper checks. WHY? Who knows. Turbo Tax isnt answering quesstions to hundreds.

  20. This says it takes 1-5 business days for your bank to deposit your money. That’s not true. Your bank accepts your funds directly into your account as soon as its recieved. I think this should be edited because it will cause confusion and have customers asking questions at their banks that Turbotax should be answering. I’ve used Turbotax before. What happens is that your refund is deposited into a bank that Turbotax uses. Fees are calculated. An amount is determined and THAT bank sends those funds out to your account. It then takes 1- 5 business days to deposit to YOUR bank account. I know this because I had an issue and had to contact that bank ( I think it was in California. ) please update the Q&A so that it is ACCURATE and TRUE.

  21. I filed my tax on 1/27/2014 got approve on 1/30/2014 and said I will receive my money dd on 2/6/2014 so I find out tomorrow if im really going to get it.

  22. This is the message I received for my state taxes after I was told by turbo tax that it was accepted please help. A return has not been submitted for this taxable period.

  23. I did my taxes on1/28/2014 and it went through then i got via mail asking for my agi number but soon as i put that in they accepted at 10:00amthat morning on 2/1/2014 so when will i get mines on the 2/6 or 2/8 or 2/12 can someone please tell me something

  24. I did my taxes on the 31st of jean and I still don’t have a date man this is ver disturbing I need money and I need money now.

    • I called irs today and she said the next batch of DD dates will be updated online on wmr over night tonight, So let’s all check tomorrow and please post if you got a date finally or your still waiting.

      • What number did you call to talk to someone? I always just get a recording then it hangs up. Never a option to talk with anyone??

      • What number did u call. I filed 1/18 and got accepted 1/28 but no DD for me ??? Don’t know why….

      • Still waiting. Accepted 1/28 still says processing. No approved date nothing. I have called all the IRS numbers and I can not find a way to talk to a human. I have children and am wondering if it is because of that. Liberty tax told me that they are cracking down on things because of all the fraud that has gone on in past years, I had to provide records with my children’s names and my address to prove that they lived with me for the whole year. I am fed up I can tell you that

    • yeah i was accepted on the 29th and still don’t even have a DD. According to the refund chart 9/10 are getting sent out tonight, to be in our accounts tomorrow. But I think we are that 1/10 that it doesn’t happen to bc still stuck on the first bar, processing.

      • mine has had the approved bar for days and today i was supposed to get it and still nothing……. its 7:40am here in nj.

  25. I Efiled. But got reject then it says I was missing a form 8862 Earn income credit this is the first time I’m filing for my daughter then my return got accepted on the 29th is there going to be a delay?? Because there still in process??

  26. Im so confused, my status still says received and was accepted on Jan 31st. I wonder if something went wrong.
    Last year I received my deposit on feb 7th

  27. I also have dd of 2/06/14. I just checked my bank acct today 02/05/14 and my state was dd today. Does that mean my federal will be dd tomorrow?
    I have never received my state refund first.

    • I agree. Never have I rec’d my state first! This year I did! Now just waiting for my Direct Deposit from the IRS. My date given is tomorrow. 🙂

  28. Stuff seems to be going slow this year. My state taxes were not even accepted yet. What does the IRS do in the approval process? Does a human have to manually look at and calculate each return? That is where the mystery seems to be.

  29. I have a feeling it is not going to be there tomorrow. I am pretty good with my intuition and this year I didn’t get it early. The WMR site is always down now. I hope I am wrong. So many of us are struggling not enough money to cover expenses. And this is a one time in a year I get a good chunk at one time. Please, IRS be on time. No need to hold our money like gremlins.

  30. I filed on Jan 25th and get my federal tomorrow. On turbotax it says my state is still pending. Is that normal that my state hasn’t even been accepted yet? Everyone here in the state of Indiana that I have spoken with also haven’t been accepted.

    • My turbo tax states pending for mine in indiana as well. I filed and was accepted 1/31 by federal. But good news I saw on indiana website my dd for my state is on 1/10. I just thought I’d check it out, I had no idea my state was even accepted yet! Yay!

    • Hi there I filed on the 28 got rejected cause I put my husbands ssn in wrong. I redid it got acceptex on 30th its still saying its in processing it hasn’t been approved yet do you usually know how long it takes. I live in marion indiana my syay

    • Hello I filed on the 31st and my federal was accepted that day. The state just got updated today on the Indiana IRS website but not on turbo tax. Visit the Indiana IRS and track it. Hope this helps.

  31. I have a DD of BY 2/6/2014…is there a chance I will get it sooner and how many times a day does the IRS send direct deposits to the banks?

    • Quit. Ur crying like a little kid some of us filed weeks before u and still know nothing u r a greedy whiny person to even as that

      • How bout you go somewhere else. You’re the idiot that filed weeks ago even though the IRS specifically said they would not accept them until January 31st

      • U cry like a little biotch are u on ur period u little momas boy cryin bout money u get once a year broke little queer

      • Right? I filed on the 17th and i just not got the approval . It say by the 14 i should be getting my return. Im just hoping they come on time

      • You are rude and need to just go away. Sometimes this money is what people live on for a while. Like me I’m a single mom and this money lasts me to support my kids for a while.

  32. I did my taxes 3 days before my sister (we both e-filed) Why is the site showing that they have accepted her refund but not mine? They do not do them in the order in which they are sent?

    • Hi Gloria,
      Once the IRS opened on 1/31 they began processing tax returns in the order received, but processing times can vary depending on your tax situation.
      Thank you,
      Lisa Greene-Lewis

  33. My federal refund was accepted on January 28, 2014, it finished Processing on Friday January 31, 2014. It says my refund will be sent to my bank on February 6, 2014. Is that the date it will direct deposited into my account or will it be Friday?

  34. Does anyone know why my efile was rejected. I used housewife for occupation as I always have and it came back highlighted in red and was rejected. I then left it blank and have not received anything back as of yet. Shouldn’t there have been an error code? My husband and I file together.

  35. I have ddd of 2/6/2014. Does anyone know if that is accurate because the bank has no file for me or anyone elsein this area with that date. Thank you! 🙂

    • Mine was accepted on the 3rd but still no approval as of yet. I read there will be another update done tonight @ 12am so ima check in the morning.

  36. I filed on Jan. 31, and got accepted same day, but I still have only 1 bar. Is there an issue with their system or what?

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