Where’s My Tax Refund How to Check Your Refund Status (1440 × 600 px)
Where’s My Tax Refund How to Check Your Refund Status (411 x 600)

Where’s My Tax Refund? How to Check Your Refund Status

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The average direct deposit tax refund was close to $3,100 last tax season, and with tax season well underway, it’s no surprise that the most common tax season-related question we’re now hearing is: “Where’s my refund?”

The time it takes the IRS to process your tax refund is based on how you chose to file your tax return – either e-file or by mail.

  • E-filed tax returns with direct deposit: E-file with direct deposit is the fastest way to get your federal tax refund. Typically, the IRS expects to issue most tax refunds within 21 days after acceptance if there are no issues.
  • Mailed paper returns: Avoiding a paper return is more important than ever to avoid refund delays, if possible. The IRS cautions if you need your refund quickly do not file on paper. Usually, the IRS says to allow 4 weeks before checking the status of your refund, and that refund processing can take 6 to 8 weeks from the date the IRS receives your return.    
Close-up of a man taking a picture of a paper check to upload to the bank.

Tax Refund Processing

  • Start checking status 24 – 48 hours after e-file: Once you have e-filed your tax return, you can check your status using the IRS Where’s My Refund? tool. You will need your Social security number or ITIN, your filing status, and your exact refund amount. 
  • 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 need the following information when checking refund status: Social security number or ITIN, your filing status, and your exact federal tax refund amount shown on the tax return. You will not see a tax refund date until the IRS finishes processing your tax return and approves your tax refund.
  • 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.” The change in status can take a few days, and a tax refund date will not be provided in Where’s My Refund? until your tax return is processed and your tax refund is approved.
  • Where’s My Refund? tool shows refund date: The IRS will provide a personalized refund date once your status moves to “Refund Approved.” 
  • Where’s My Refund? shows “Refund Sent”: 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 opted to receive your tax refund via mail, it could take several weeks for your check to arrive.

 You could experience delays in receiving your tax refund if your return:

  • Includes errors – The IRS has indicated that your refund could be delayed if the information you provided on your tax return does not match the IRS records. 
  • Is incomplete – If you didn’t have all of your documents and filed an inaccurate return
  • Needs further review in general
  • Is affected by identity theft or fraud
  • Includes Earned Income Tax Credit or an Additional Child Tax CreditUnder the Path Act, the IRS cannot issue a refund that includes the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit before mid-February.
  • Includes a Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation PDF, which could take up to 14 weeks to process
Close-up of a woman checking her bank account.

Tax Refund Status FAQ

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

The IRS Where’s My Refund? tool will not give you a date until your tax return is received, and 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 include incomplete information, an error, or the IRS may need to review it further.

I requested my money be automatically deposited into my bank account, but I was mailed a check. What happened?

The IRS is limiting the number of direct deposits that go into a single bank account or prepaid debit card to three tax refunds per year. Your limit may have been exceeded. In addition, for a small number of returns, the IRS decides there may be indications that the bank account on the return is suspicious and they may decide to issue a check instead.

2,010 responses to “Where’s My Tax Refund? How to Check Your Refund Status”

  1. I filled my taxes well over a month ago. Have received the Fed return about 2 weeks ago. Have not received the State return ? Have not received anything from State that something is wrong. When will I receive my return from NY State ?

  2. I filed my taxes on 3/11/2019; I was accepted on 3/14/2019, and unlike the majority of people who post here, I will come back and let you folks know if and when I get approved and my refund. I was able to order my tax account and return transcripts 2 days ago, and previously when I have been able to do that I get my DDD within a few days. I will come back and let you folks know when or if it happens. Don’t waste your time asking someone who works for TurboTax what and when it’s going to happen because they respond with a generic response that never answers the question you’ve asked.

    Good luck,
    Devin Nunes’ gerbil

  3. I E-filed my fed and state tax returns on Feb. 17, to date I have not received notification from either the state or Fed or Turbo tax that they have been received. Its been 5 weeks. Do I need to resubmit them?I have never had this issue in the past and have using Turbo tax doe the past 6 years.

    • I have not heard from anything yet I don’t even know if my returns have been accepted bt either the Feds or the state. Can I refile yes or no?

  4. I recieved my state but not my federal. If it was the other way around i would not be as upset, but with the state being 1/6 of what my federal is im pretty upset. Ive never had any issues with my taxes ever. I file with turbotax one year 2018 on feb 4 and its march 19 and no fed. I called the irs abd they say im under review. Looked it up, review is the same thing as an audit. Now im not scared of the audit because ive always been straight with uncle sam. But now i have to wait 8 more weeks before i can even inquire about them. And i paid for the premium or whatever it is. When i recieved my state taxes there was no notification. I had to call my state and have them tell me theyve heen deposited a week ago. Not happy at all.

  5. I’m still waiting on mine….Turbo tax took a lot of money from me and I was told it would get directly deposited into my bank account but I was mailed my state I’m still waiting on my federal not sure why it’s taking so long

  6. I failed my return feb 28 and everytime I log in it’s says ready to mail but still haven’t received anything

  7. It sounds like we’re all having the same issues for the most part, so is it something to do with turbotax or the IRS? I filed on 2/6 both were accepted then I got the ID verify from federal and state in that order, I completed the both over the phone I received my state on 3/12 after receiving the letter for my identity it wasn’t even a week between the two that my state was deposited. Federal is still saying the same thing I ask if its Turbotax or the IRS because I will no longer use Turbotax if that’s the case (used them the past 7 years) never had any issues like this. In 2016 I did receive my state before my federal that year.

    • Hi James,
      The IRS issues your tax refund. TurboTax does not issue your refund. If the IRS accepted your taxes then they are processing them. Hopefully you will see your tax refund soon. Since it has been over 21 days you can call them and check status on your tax refund if you don’t see anything on their “Where’s My Refund?” tool.
      Best,
      Lisa Greene-Lewis

      • What number should we call if we have efiled and haven’t received our refund in almost two months?

      • Thanks for the suggestion and ,We did call and got the answer ,”give the IRS till May 2. To process your refund that we were in a group of people randomly picked to check their returns ” for what? Then we recieved a letter 7 days later saying give the IRS till April 23 to further process. Also gave 5 different reasons ,all vague! From social security to remember it was a random selection. I don’t know but all sounds off to me. I’ve never had a issue before and my form looks the same as before . Never any fees other than turbo tax charge.

  8. I filed my federal and state on Fri 2/22. I never received any email confirmations and to my surprise my federal was in my account on Fri 3/1. Shocked! My state came on Tues 3/12. I logged into my Turbo Tax account that evening and it said I should be receiving my refunds on or around 3/15…. Not complaining and grateful for what I did receive just odd and still no email. My Boyfriend hasn’t gotten as lucky. We filed his on Fri 3/1 and again no email but neither of us felt a need to worry. On the 12th after receiving my state and checking Turbo Tax I checked his as well and little did we know his refund was REJECTED. We fixed the problem and it was accepted and we were given the estimated date to receive refund on 4/2. Nothing has came yet, not even the emails!

  9. I filed my state on feb 7th and still did not receive anything back. It says its been processed, with no offset amount, and it has not been mailed yet. I dont understand its been almost 6 weeks and nothing.

    • I filed my taxes on February 7, 2019 and I received an email that it was received. I have received that my refund is still being processed and that I will receive a date. It has been about 6 weeks and I haven’t heard anything yet and I did efile, could you please tell me what’s going on with my refund.

      • You need to contact irs that’s what I did I didn’t follow the prompts I just did what I had to do to get someone on the phone that’s when I was told my refund was under review and to keep check in the where’s my refund page but it could take up to 60 days to receive my refund and to not call them til may 5th if I haven’t got my refund or received a letter from them about what’s going on so I’m still waiting

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