Tax season is in full swing. We’re just weeks away from launching and already tens of millions of Americans have filed their 2023 taxes. Many are now anxiously awaiting their refund from the IRS.
Thanks in part to a large infusion of liquidity from the Inflation Reduction Act, the IRS says it is on solid footing this tax season. To that end, the agency is processing returns at a much faster pace than in recent years. Of the nearly 26 million returns it has received so far, it says it has processed virtually all of them, or 99.5%, to be exact.
Another important difference is that refunds are lower so far in 2024. The average tax refund is currently $1,741, about 13% less than last year.
Even as inflation begins to moderate, daily prices are still much higher than before the pandemic, and many Americans rely heavily on tax refunds to make ends meet. All of this raises questions like “where’s my refund?” even more urgent.
Luckily, there are three ways to find out.
How to track your tax refund
After you email or mail your return, you can check with the IRS for updates on your tax refund. That’s how.
1. Check the status of your tax refund on the IRS website
On the IRS website, you can use its refund tracker to check the status of your refund on your smartphone, tablet or computer.
To view the update, you will need to select the “Check Your Refund” button and then follow the instructions, entering your Social Security number, tax filing status, and the exact refund amount. If you entered your information correctly, you should immediately see the status of your refund.
This filing season, the IRS says it will include more detailed updates about your refund in the Where’s My Refund? section. page, including three main states:
- Return received: The IRS has received your tax return and is processing it.
- Refund approved: The IRS has approved your refund and will issue it by the date displayed.
- Refund sent: The IRS sent your tax refund via direct deposit or mail, depending on your preferred method. Direct deposits may take up to five days to reach your bank account, while mailed checks will likely take several weeks.
Please note that you will only see the status of your refund if at least 24 hours have passed since you emailed your 2023 tax return or four weeks since you mailed your paper return. Your tax refund status for your previous year’s return will appear three to four days after filing.
Additionally, if you have set up an IRS account, you can access additional information by requesting tax and accounting transcripts. Some people swear this is a trick to find out when you’ll get your tax refund — and, to be fair, your account transcript includes a record of any recent IRS action — but the IRS says Where’s My Refund ? is the best solution since it is updated daily, usually overnight.
2. Use the IRS2Go app for refund updates
If it’s more convenient than using the website, you can also check the status of your tax refund using the IRS2Go app, available on the Amazon Appstore, Apple App Store, and Google Play Store.
The IRS app has several uses beyond checking your refund status, but if that’s all you need to do, select the refund tab and enter your personal information. Just like the IRS website, you will need to provide your Social Security number, filing status, and refund amount. Then click Submit and you will see the status of your refund.
Again, you’ll want to make sure it’s been at least 24 hours since you emailed your return or four weeks since you mailed it.
Speaking of these extra features, you can also use the IRS2Go app to pay your tax bill, see tax tips, and get directions to on-site tax assistance near you.
3. Call the IRS directly
For updates on the overall status of your tax refund, it’s probably not a good idea to call the IRS unless several weeks have passed since you filed your claim.
The IRS recommends that you do not call directly unless it has been more than 21 days since you filed your electronic return or more than six weeks since you mailed your paper return.
However, in some cases, the IRS may need additional information and will directly ask you to contact them. Where is my refund? the tool may also ask you to call.
If you need to contact the IRS, you can call 800-829-1040 for individual tax returns, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time.
When you call the agency, here is the information or documents you should have on hand:
- Social Security number
- Date of birth
- Storage status
- Tax return for the previous year
- The tax return in question
- Any correspondence the IRS has sent to you
How long your tax refund will (probably) take
In general, the sooner you file your taxes, the sooner you will get your tax refund. Choosing direct deposit as your refund delivery method can also speed up the process because you don’t have to wait for a physical check to arrive in the mail.
Response times are normally quite quick: the IRS issues the vast majority of refunds within 21 days for e-filers. If you filed a paper tax return, the agency says it may take four or more weeks to get your refund. As of Feb. 9, the IRS had distributed about 7.5 million refunds, totaling about $13 billion in tax refunds.
Keep in mind that the IRS is legally prohibited from issuing refunds before mid-February to people who claim the Earned Income Tax Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit. If you claimed one of these credits and filed early in tax season, it may take a little longer than the period above to receive your refund.
Remember: Taxes are due April 15 for most people this year. Since refunds are expected to be lower than in previous pandemic years, you should apply as soon as possible to find out what your refund will be – or to find out if you owe it – so you have plenty of time to plan accordingly.
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