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. Random $13.00 deposited. (PNC)

    My dd hit, but there is a hold on it because I didn’t pay turbo tax up front for the tool. I chose to pay from my refund. So now I have to wait an extra day before it posts the full amount.

  2. Mine were suppose to be DD today (Feb 6) but the bank says ‘nope, deposits are made at 8AM try again tomorrow’…hmmm. On the IRS check your refund status it shows ‘refund approved’ and the date of 2/6 but hasn’t changed to ‘refund sent’ ??

  3. Was suppose to get mine today but the IRS and WMR says there are having technical issues. Hopefully soon. Anyone else waiting on there’s as of today?

  4. My tax refund says it will be deposited on the 6th of feb… It is now the 6th n still no money… My bank says there is still no pending transactions… When should I expect it????

    • I wish I knew as well. I have been on other forums about this and hundreds have had a DD of today but none have received funds yet to their account or the SBBT account to be disbursed yet either.

    • From what the explanation of the statuses say in the exerts above, no money has been sent to your bank until your status has changef to refund sent. My status is at refund approved with a dd date of 2/6/14, which is today. I haven’t received anything yet. In my experience, the IRS is usually full of it. Plus they usually do deposits on Wednesdays and mail checks on Saturdays. My bff is asn accountant

    • I was scheduled to have mine dd today too, still showing same status now, doesn’t say “refund sent”. Last year I got it the same day it said it was going to be dd, so kinda nervous.

    • Mine says the exact same but I didn’t get a direct deposit. I have family that got their state back but not federal yet. I’m awaiting somebody to answer your question. If you get your refund today – could you please update.

    • I have a ddd of 2/6/14. But wmr does not say its been sent. Has anyone with that ddd received there refund besides netspend cardholders?

      • I just checked the SBBT website and they recieved my money and its to be disbursed the next business day.. date of disbursment is today. So, it should be in my account tomorrow.

      • Hey you guys hold on they are depositing them slowly..mines just hit The santa barbara place. you may not get it in your bank until tomorrow though but the IRS did their job.

      • Monique is correct. I have been checking all morning and SBBT literally JUST updated to show they had received the money from the ten minutes prior that I checked and it wasn’t there. They are slowly depositing them so be patient and keep checking SBBT (or your bank) throughout the day. They did put a message that ACH direct deposits will be done the next business day so most likely you won’t see the money until tomorrow.

      • I looked up Santa Barbra bank and trust found number on line said irs deposited mine and they have too could. Take two days to post hit 1 for English then 2 and follow instructions

      • hey guys i figured somethimg out i think!
        go to this website and put your social, status, and refund amount and more details about if you were supposed to get your refund today…
        https://cisc.sbtpg.com/

        this is what a message said that popped up:
        IMPORTANT INFORMATION

        Taxpayers please be aware that there has been a slight delay in IRS funding!

        If the IRS website indicates that your refund will be available February 6th, funds will not be available until February 7th due to the IRS releasing funds one day later than expected. Taxpayers expecting their refund on the 6th by direct deposit will now likely receive their refund on the 7th. Please be assured that Tax Products Group will disburse funds immediately as they are received from the IRS.

      • Tax product groups are releasing them and according to EPS the group that released mine it wa released today at noon ACH deposited to my account but the IRS hasn’t released the hold yet. WILL this happen tomorrow so I can get rent paid so my girls and I don’t end up in the cold

      • The product group my tax preparer sends it to all ready received it and deposited it to my bank via ACH, but I guess because of the wheres my refund being down all day there is a bank hold on the refunds so it should be released tomorrow.

    • Thank you for the replies! I just called my bank and it hasn’t hit it yet. I’m in Minnesota. I talked to a human at the IRS and they said it will be sent to my bank today.
      My bank said that it depends on when they sent the file over. I hope it shows up today. I remember every other year it has gone in as a pending on Thursday and credited after 6pm.

      Does anyone know how Minnesota IRS works? Mine was completed processing on Tuesday but still nothing.

      • Thats great that someone at the IRS actually helped you. They refused to even look into my account because they said it hasn’t been 21 days yet. They can be so rude.

      • Well I called my bank and based on the fact of when Santa B sent it, it wont post till 12 but I’m thankful because last year I waited 4 months due to the HR block mess and had to get my congresses office involved. We needed to move so bad so it was kind of horrible. and you are welcome.

      • I’m here in Minnesota too. My refund is going to my Netspend card they do deposits all day so the IRS much be sending them slowly in batches

      • I always have mine on the Friday after they say it will be sent to my bank. But my bank in MN doesn’t even see it pending they said that means the file hasn’t been sent over from the irs. And I guess the irs sends files over to banks throughout the day.

      • I hope it post soon, I want to take my kids out for the weekend and they kind of deserve it, we have a had a rough month so, I want to leave on Friday afternoon and we come back Sunday night. 🙂

      • Monique

        I am hoping it posts soon too, I want to take my kids out for the weekend. It was just conforms to me again by the IRS a human that it can be sent at any time today. And my direct deposit date hasn’t change at all it is still today 2/6. I’ve had a rough year we finally have a home to live in. They deserve a treat.

    • I’m from mn too, same dd as you. But we got one of those net spend cards t have our refunds depoisted too. Nothing in the account yet…. Has yours came yet???

    • I was told my dd is the 10th if I don’t hear anything by the 15th then call the irs. So I guess it could take a few days. If anyone received there’s today please let us k ow thanks

      • Hey I had my refund split between tow banks. Part of my refund I sent t credit union is pending and I see it pending but says a settled date on the 10th. I cannot get it yet. My other bank shows nothing as pending yet. But she said IRS send all through the day and it may not show up in my bank until 12 am in the morning. Kind of weird it is showing pending in credit union and not my other bank which is a major bank here in MS. But I assume they send it out in batches to different banks at different times. So it may be in there in morning or Monday. Good luck to you. Let me know the outcome.

  5. Does anybody know if theres a problem with the DD that were scheduled for today.. 2/6? I was given a DD date of today, and theres nothing in my account. When i check WMR site it doesnt even show refund sent on the bar.. but it says DD date today…makes no sense…

  6. Accepted on 1/28, one bar on WMR, EIC and edu credits. Ordered transcript and it said no record of a form filed for my ss#.. called the 800# n it said return is being processed. This is making my head spin.. should I be concerned transcript says no record???

  7. I filed on 2/01/14. I received a DDD of 02/10. However, my boyfriend filed the same day and his hasn’t been approved yet. I filed single and he filed HOH with 2 dependents. I don’t know if that is what’s causing the delay for him.

  8. What are transcripts? My notice has shown DD to be sent for Feb. 6th but it is still showing as of this morning’s update as refund approved not refund sent.

  9. I was scheduled dd today the 6th. Nothing there at my bank nor pending. And the SBTPG hasn’t got my money yet. Does anybody know what is going on? Is anyone experiencing the same thing?

  10. Ours was accepted Jan 28th still in first bar?? This is the longest wait we have to do. Why some people got their ddd. We have same amt of tax return every year only thing added was a education credit.. anybody gave us insight??

  11. I had a dd date of today 2/6/2014. I still haven’t received it and the SBBT website says they haven’t received them either. Why?

  12. I have a deposit date of feb.6, today. Went to wmr, and it still has not been sent by irs. I am also expecting the funds to be deposited via netspend, a prepaid debit card. Any suggestions coould help me. Thank you.

    • I got my State on Net Spend on Feb 5 with an accepted return on 1/31/14..still waiting on Federal..however since state processed I am assuming it should be there tomorrow or Monday.

  13. I filed January 5th, accepted January 24th and still not processing return.

    Return was no different than the last 4 years at least. Last year got refund 1 week after acceptance.

    Its starting to get on my nerves

  14. Filed mine Jan 22 mine has said the refund would be in my bank BY Feb 6th whats going on ?? Still doesnt say refund sent !!

  15. I e-filed my taxes on 1/31/14 but I still haven’t received a confirmation E-mail nor can I get a status on “WHERE’S MY REFUND “……. Should I be concerned?

  16. i filed on jan.27th and check that “wheres my refund” and i put my information down it says” we can’t provide information about your refund” what does this mean? people that have filed a day or two after me already recieve a direct deposit date or even got their refund tonight; still nothing for me

  17. Ok guys so I think it is true that if you can order transcripts then your refund is close! I was able to finally order transcripts last night and this morning I finally got a direct deposit date for the 10th!!! Thank god!

      • The easiest way to do it is through the app. Click on tax records instead of refund status. Enter your information and 2013 refund transcripts. If it says they are unable to process your request then it is not processed yet. Good luck. It is called I R S 2 go.

      • You don’t have to order them, but people were saying that if the system lets you order them then your refund is close. I was finally able to order mine and this morning I had my dd of 2/10. I did it with the IRS 2 go app. Click in on documents instead of refund status. Plug in your information and 2013 return transcript. If it allows you to order then you should get a date very soon!

    • What are transcripts? My notice has shown DD to be sent for Feb. 6th but it is still showing as of this morning’s update as refund approved not refund sent.

  18. I had a DD for today and nothing I bank with Municipal Credit Union and usually my money is available the day before the actual DD after 4pm I checked and when it wasn’t there I knew I wasn’t getting an deposit today from the IRS does anybody know what’s going on and why is the IRS misleading ppl

  19. Well, was supposed to be sent and wasn’t…maybe next week. Sucks because it still takes two days to clear my bank after they send it.

  20. I thought mine was going to be in my account like WMr said it was going to be today the 6 th and imagine my surprise when my account is not even showing a pending deposit??? I’m getting worried anyone else going thru the same

  21. I was supposed to receive my check today directly to my direct deposit per the where’s my refund website. It’s not there. Anyone get their money??

  22. My taxes were received 1/31. approved 2/2 and the dd date of 2/6 I checked my account and my refund has not been added also where’s my refund still says approved other then sent.. Does anyone know what’s going on.?

  23. I filed on on Jan 15. I was approved by the irs on Feb 2nd. I got my DD the next day. My boyfriend filed on Jan 31 and his DD was today just like mine but he has received his and it is 6:22am. I still haven’t received mine and we have the same bank. why?

  24. I just checked WMR and my status is still Refund Approved with a DD date of 2/6/14. I just checked my account and there is nothing there. I will check my account throughout the day with my fingers crossed. Come on IRS!!!

  25. Our refund was accepted on 2-1-14 and I just checked this morning and wmr says it was accepted on 2-10-14 and had a ddd of 2-10-14, how can they say it’s accepted on a future date when it’s already been accepted? And is the tenth my actual ddd?

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