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 filed early April, got my Fed Return quickly but have not received NM State Return. I have looked on the NM State Refund tool and they don’t have any information/status on a filing. What gives?!!!!

  2. I want to know where my money is that it was sent out February 10, 2017 and it never went into my bank account. The IRS says it went to TurboTax account. How am I supposed to get my money if I can’t talk to anybody!!! I won’t be doing TurboTax next year! Is anyone else having this problem?

    • Hi Larissa,
      TurboTax does not receive tax refunds. The IRS issues refunds to the your account designated on your tax return. Please call an IRS agent to get the specific information about your account. The IRS is supposed to send your refund to the account you designate on your tax return.
      Thank you,
      Lisa Greene-Lewis

  3. Where my refund is garbage. This tool. You always hear from professionals that you can check the status of your refund within 48 hours and everyday after. But year after year it has taken two weeks to get an approval. You can find the schedule online that tells you the date you file and when to expect your check. If you lucky it comes fast but for some of us it’s going to be two weeks. Where is my refund will then go from processing to approved give you a release date. And if you are able to check your balance you will find the money.

    Years back you could file your taxes and get a refund the next day. Scams took that away. And we now get our w2 at the end of Jan verses with our last check of the year. The date of the irs accepting funds was moved up to late Jan.

    So this year if you need the money the most because you made so little throughout the year past. You have to wait. And you are given two dates. Feb 15th or Feb 27th.

    I have been working and homeless all of 2016. I am still homeless and it has been two weeks since I filed my taxes to date. I plan to use my tax money to hold me over for two weeks training for my cdl license. I do not have savings. What I have saved I have given to the school. Why do I need to be encouraged to check a website that yields no results. I did my taxes online. The company walked me through it. Not sure if I have earned income credit. I do my taxes that way for years and every year I am awaiting anxiously unnecessarily. Checking my refund status which doesn’t change until after the money is in the bank.

    The irs says there will be delays because the bank will take days or weeks to process the checks. Checks that come yearly. I don’t think so.

    I’ll just have to find another way and forget about the money. Try to make it so that I don’t need the irs refund ever again in my life.

  4. It is now September and no refund. I requested a transcript of action and it just says dollar amount of my refund and no other action. So why don’t I have my money?? I have checked. It says still processing. I have called. Can’t get a real person. This is extremely frustrating.

  5. Filed my federal tax since January 2015 online. File was accepted with IRS and I waited 21 days no direct deposit of my refund. “In Processing” has been the message forever. I went to my local IRS office and they said my tax had never been filed so they did it for me then I waited 8 weeks only for the next delay. IRS needed a copy of my 1095-A and at present half of the year is gone and still I have no Federal tax refund I suppose because of the new healthcare credit. I want to lodge a large complaint to congress or someone who can investigate the incompetence of the IRS. There is no phone number you can call to get any answers at the IRS and that stupid “Where’s my Refund” always and forever gives you a message “In Processing”. I want interest paid on my Refund and I will not pay my taxes on time next season if I have not received my Federal refund by the end of the year. I will send my tax forms directly to the IRS by Registered Mail with a big Note on it stating: “In Processing”. I will see how the IRS likes that.

    • Get a tax advocate now! I filed through my CPA early Feb and it took until May to get it, but that was after my CPA called the IRS, got nowhere, then got a hold of a tax advocate for us. IRS did not get more funding this year and they are making things “painful” for taxpayers because of it. The IRS Commish warned it would be a “miserable” tax season this year, and the agents are making sure that happens.

    • Filed in March 2015, it’s August 27, still waiting .. called several times, one and the same answer : ” you have to wait until.. and they give you another 30 days and another and another… that “where is my refund ” shows it’s still processing… I talked to tax payers advocate services a week ago and they promised me to get back on September 11… we’ll see what happens. Because my taxes are on hold my immigration case is in hold also and I might pay all my immigration fees again… IRS defiantly will pay the interest but it’s nothing comparing we, who has to wait are going through.

  6. I am so upset after reading all these comments…I was supposed to get my refund on May 22, 2015…I have yet to receive my refund, can’t get through on telephone, no correspondence has been received from IRS to me explaining what’s going on, and on top of all this, my question is: Will the IRS pay us interest on our tax money due to them being late on our refund…I guarantee if I owed money to them and they gave me a date to pay, and I failed to pay by their date, interest to them would begin immediately until my bill was paid… I am also a 30 year accountant and have applied to work for IRS (no response from that either)…I have plenty of experience and if they are in need of tax professionals to help them, why are they NOT hiring at this time? I am sure qualified people, such as myself, would apply if given the opportunity to work for the agency…So So Frustrating…What is really going on?

  7. I filed my Oklahoma State taxes on good time, but as of today I have not received my refund. Every time I contact them they say it would be processed in 3 weeks . I am getting tired keep contacting them every three weeks.

  8. I filed on 2-2-15 and was accepted the same day. I am having the same issue as everyone else. Was able to get through once, only to be told that it was being verified and to call back in 30 days. I am afraid we are at the mercy of the IRS. So frustrating! over two months now and nothing!!!!

  9. i submitted my taxes on 2/7. a month later i receive a letter requesting for a copy of my taxes and also my W2’s which were sent immediately. now it is april and i called to follow up on my status and they advised me that they requested for documents and did not received them but need time to check if it could be in a batch needing to be reviewed. very frustrating! can someone help me to understand this?

    • I filed 2/3 and accepted I called today 4/9. They stated mine was in review and it’s been well over 8 weeks they apologized and sent a referral because they shouldnot have had it just sitting that long but it will be pushed into processing. Since said ma’am it’s been processiING since Feb. She kept saying sorry. I told her so what’s next she said wait another 8 weeks for it to finish processing. So for me I will be calling again because I don’t want anyone to forget again. I know so many people are blaming TurboTax it has left there hands. Many people with that Obama care are also on hold as well because they are comparing income to make sure no one was trying to completely get free health care but again the Irs isn’t sharing this information to the public which doesn’t make sense because it’s entirely impossible to get to someone. Just hold on folKS something will come. I called the identity theft holiness because I was a victim before I think i was on hold for 30 min

      • do you know how to get a live person at the irs number? i sometimes get all the way to the forwarding of my phone call to the department but then it always hangs up on me. frustrating!

    • They told me the same thing. I f/a on February 16th on March 7th bars went missing. Received a letter saying I need to send a copy of my 1095A form. Faxed it back the same day was told to wait 4 weeks. Called backed 2 weeks later to see if the received my form they said no they did not so i faxed over another form and was told to wait 21 more days. Well my 21 days were up on April 8th so i called to see if they made any progress to my return they said they still haven’t recieved my form. So i had my tax preparer call this morning to see if she can find out any info and they told her my documents were never received. She was the one who faxed over my papers and told them she knows that the information was sent because she personally faxed them over. They told her well they never received it so send it again by certified mail. So thats what she did today. Transcripts still say n/a and no tax refund receive. They have no clue whats going on. I’m not in a rush for my money but i want it because its mine. So frustrated!!! can’t wait until its over.

      • very frustrating because i completed my taxes early to avoid any delay. i am in dire need of my transcript for scholarship purposes but last i spoke with irs, they told me that they did not receive my requested forms of which i mailed out mid-march. i can’t get a live person on the irs hotline anymore. it seems to always end my calls prior to getting an irs representative.

  10. hello everyone, i tracked my refund on irs’s where’s my refund, i got a date for 1st april, and now it shows sent today, i checked with bank, it wasn’t there, so i was advised to track it on sbtpg website, which i did, it shows that my refund haven’t been received from irs. please what do you think i can do about this?

  11. IRS said my refund has been processed and the mailing date was the 20th of March and I still don’t have it. What the heck is the hold up? They give you a mailing date and still 12 days later no check, can someone explain this to me I am angry!!

  12. I finally got in touch with my tax advocate and she let me know that my 2013 return was flagged for identity theft which I was completely unaware of. So this year with my 2014 taxes I am on hold until they can go through and process my return by hand. It can not be sped up by calling a tax advocate. It can be pushed through to be processed, but in the case of identity theft issues it will still take at least another 4-6 weeks possibly for me to get my refund. Best bet if you have not heard anything and it is taking longer is to call your local tax advocate. I felt relieved by the honest answers and the time she took to explain things to me. Due to budget cuts and being short staffed things are moving really slow this year. It is unfortunate that honest people get caught up in a holding pattern due to people trying to steal.

  13. where is my tax return turbo tax, I paid all the extra funds $77.98 and $44.99 plus the filing fee to you and was suppose to get $ dropped into my checking account plus the state return. Please respond asap,’

  14. I filed mine with TurboTax and got accepted ever since 02/03/2015 but to this date I didn’t receive my refund and when I check the website its says still processing.

  15. Mine have been in almost 2 months now. No way to contact the IRS with a real Operator to find out if they really are processing it or messing me over in some other way. Last time I will E-File as Paper Snail Mail seems to go faster than this mess.

  16. I filed my tax forms the last weekend in February; it required some help from a turbotax employee. We finished and I signed and released it while he was still working with me. I just received a notification that I need to complete my tax forms. I had a bad feeling about this and was about to go in to check why I had not received at least a notice that it had been received. When I went into the site today, much of the information is missing.

  17. I filed 1/17 and it was accepted 1/20 and I still have not received mine tax return yet. People I know filed well after me have received theirs. Nothing in the mail from the irs, I do not owe anyone, every time I call the irs I can’t talk to anyone. I just want to know what’s going on.

  18. I filed both mine and my fiancé income taxes on Feb 7, 2015 and have yet to receive them. On the Turbo Tax app it says to expect our refund on March 3 and we are now March 9. We have not received anything in the mail stating they need more information. What can we do to find out if they need more info to process our taxes?

  19. I filled February 24th and I’ve received my state taxes everytime I check my where my refund account it says wait 24 hrs something about authorization email will be sent or something! M

  20. Why is there no way to contact the irs about your refund when you haven’t received it in the time the preparer says your suppose to receive it and the irs doesn’t even send you a notice telling you anything

    • My return was accepted by IRS on Jan 28. When I go to where is my refund it just says that it in process. Who and how do I contact to find out if there is a problem

  21. I am working with a taypayer advocate, and she just called me telling me that my refund would be deposited into my account on wed 03/11. Should I take her word for it? I have never worked with one before and I need some honest opinions.

    Thank you,

    Sophia

  22. I filed my taxe through turbotax it was accepted on January 12 and has been on the same status now on March 6.

    Almost everyone who filed there taxes has received there refund! I just want to know what’s going on.

  23. I filed On 2/2/15 and was accepted on the 2/3/15 now I just have its been accepted and processing* still no refund….so apparently I have a Id theft ….and now they said I needed to call them I have done so in which they told me I would have to wait 6-8 weeks ….. is that from the date it was accepted? ….they verified it was me and I answered many questions verfiy’n it was me the rep said he would escalate the return now that he verified my return that it was us ……. can someone pls answer my question it is from the date from return was accepted or starting from when they escalated the return?(6-8weeks?)

    • I have the same exact issues. I filed on feb. 6th and approved that same day but the rep. I spoke to said 6-8 weeks from the 12th… I don’t know if that leaves you with anything to feel at ease about.

    • Hey I’m in the same boat. But I filled on jan. 22 and dude “john” claimed I had ID theft and that irs got my refund on the 2/09/15 but I had gotten a letter and verified my identity that day I got the letter (which was within 27 days after I filed). So “john” said worst case “scenario” 6-8 weeks but he doubts it. Its now 3/15/15 and its still processing. I verified everything someone please help!

      • Well here we still are waiting for kinda status change but nothin as usual …used turbotax filed 2/2/15====got accepted on 2/3/15 called irs 21days exact….2/24/15 irs told me it would be 6 to 8weeks b4 i receive a date ….and here i am waiting still..4/4/15 Will never use turbotax again.!!!!

    • My tax reuturn was accepted on 1/28/2015… I had to do the IDVerify, which I did on 3/3/2015, and I was told it would take 6-8 weeks from the date I verified our ID. So I still have 1-3 weeks to wait for my return.

  24. I e-filed on 2/13/15 checked wmr and it said I
    Was approved on 2/26/15 when I checked I should of received it by 3/2/15 . When I checked on 3/2/15 it said the date in which I receive my refund may have changed. What could this mean?

  25. Filed our return on Jan 31 and still processing…what makes me more mad is that they indicate you can talk to someone but every time I call the automated system just hangs up on me. I don’t know how anyone is able to get through. With all of the people that are having problems the IRS should post an update to the website about what problems are causing people to have to wait this long, but instead they post about how many refunds have already been processed. Just so annoyed!

  26. I filed my taxes on the 11th of Feb and was in the received mode with the IRS until 2 days ago then my bars disappeared. I called the IRS today and the lady told me that there was a mistake on my taxes and that either the IRS would fix it or send me a letter. Would have been nice if when I submitted my taxes and the software double checks it for accuracy that it would have told me there was a mistake. Also, if you want to call the IRS about your tax refunds the number and ext going around (1-866-682-7451 ext 568) is not the correct number…. I waited on hold 25 minutes before the lady told me I was at the wrong ext so she transferred me over which took another 30 minutes . The correct # is 1-800-829-0922.
    Hope this helps

  27. I e-filed with turbotax on 2/13/15 and I still haven’t gotten anything besides my state which came 3 days later DD. turbotax says accepted but the IRS wheres my refund says still being processed. Please make me feel better cause I’m a freaking out College student. my 21 days is march 6th but There hasn’t been any progress on the IRS WMR site so I am very concerned. Everyone elses posts are also very concerning!

    • Catherine – if it’s any help, our return was accepted Feb 10 and we’re also still waiting. My CPA called IRS for me last week and was told they are checking ACA (Obamacare) and Education credits. We have 3 kids in college and each were sent the form that shows tuition etc. (don’t remember what it’s called right now…) but IRS told CPA they are waiting for their info from the school and ACA. He offered to FAX them copies, but they wouldn’t accept – said they are waiting for official copies from school and exchanges….BUT, it does sound like some with ECs got theirs processed without trouble, but others didn’t. I think you and I won the IRS review lottery. Lucky us. IRS told my CPA to give it 3-4 weeks!!! Hang in there.

  28. I filed on Feb 3rd, in California. IRS website says, still processing. I will be getting a refund. I do not owe any money. Why is it taking so long?

  29. I e-filed on 1/26/15 was accepted 1/27/15 but on the where is my refund its shows it is still processing??? I have not received a letter or any type of notice. Should I be concerned?

    Whats taking so long????

  30. I filed Feb 8 and its now Feb 28 still haven’t even got a due date it says on wmr still being process don’t know why u call the IRS they just say on the automated system them so the samething

  31. Would the affordable care act have anything to do with delays? I filed 22 days ago and WMR states my refund is still being processed.

  32. Just a follow up, I was accepted feb. 4th and had only an accepted bar on my refund status. I did not receive anything in the mail and could not get through on the phone, finally this morning I was Approved with a DD of Mar. 4th but my return was reduced by over $1000! I’m assuming they found some “error” or need further proof of something but I won’t know until I recieve something in the mail. And I’m just happy I got a date, I felt like my return was forgotten! I’m positive you all will be recieving an approval soon!

  33. I filed an was accepted on the 19th.. Still no progress past the first bar on wmr. Most of the deposit estimators had the DD becoming available today, but still no progress. Yesterday the wmr tool had the audacity to tell me I had exceeded the allotted amount of inquiries an to try again tomorrow. So, Ijs… Has anyone received an approval or DD today.? And most importantly, how many days after the wmr tool shows approved does it take for you to receive your deposit.?

    • I filed mine on Feb 11, 2015 my state or federal have only been accepted and not approved and it is now March 4th and I can not get a hold of anyone.

  34. I filed on 1/27/15, was accepted on 1/28, and when I wld check on wmr it wld say processing, no bars, finally on 2/25 I received letter, that they needed to verify my identity. I called, had that done and was told to check back on wmr in a couple of weeks, that it cld take 6 weeks for me to receive my refund. I asked what this meant and was told that my return was pulled for verification, no reason just that. Just have to wait some more.

  35. My husband & I e-filed with turbo tax on the 12th of Feb. Still in accepted state on Where’s my refund. Nothing yet. Anyone else in the same boat?

    • I e-filed with turbotax on 2/13/15 and I still haven’t gotten anything besides my state which came 3 days later DD. turbotax says accepted but the IRS wheres my refund says still being processed. freaking out College student.

    • Yes..no progress but TurboTax has today shaded as the refund estimation date. It has changed daily to the current date, but no date from the IRS.

    • wow…. I though I was the only one, my boyfriend did received his but I haven’t received mine… 🙁 sucks frustrated tomorrow is gonna be 21 days no answer yet…

    • Have you received your refund yet? I think this only has something to do with Turbo Tax. I filed mine 2/7/15 and have yet to receive anything. I was hoping for my refund before my April 27 wedding.

  36. Both my wife and I are in the military and we are both deployed. We can’t check our mail to see if we got anything back from the IRS or if there is anything wrong because every time one of us calls the IRS it’s a machine… I filed my taxes the 24th of JAN and still nothing. They got accepted but not filed. Why is this taking so long? Am I the only one waiting more than 30 days on their taxes???

  37. Everybody calm down you will get your money I filed on the Feb 1 still nothing just call and talk to its they will help that’s what I did and one number was wrong on my account now have to wait for paper cheack

    • Hey Audi it’s not a matter of telling everyone to calm down when bills are due. Citizens need there money, so be careful how you come off.

  38. What happens if your bank sent you taxes back to IRS after you done what they told you to do to fix it. On the wmr site it says check with bank when you call the bank they say call IRS. Then your told no action can take place after the 24 the and now its the 25th I still can’t get n answers. When I called the IRS and they transferred me to accounting what happened?? You know it I got cut off. So what do we do now?? Please someone give me the correct info..

    • Hi Carey,
      It sounds like there was a problem with your bank account. The IRS will mail you a check.
      Thank you,
      Lisa Greene-Lewis

      • I e filed my taxes with TurboTax and did it and my federal and state were accepted and they said by the 6th of February I would receive my federal and I was having it but into my girlfriend’s saving account and I got my state but not my federal. So the bank manager did some checking and it was sent on the 6th but they did not accept it cause my name is not on her account and sent it back to the irs. So what do I do now so I can get my to get my federal return or find out what is going on?

      • My reund was received… then approved…my DDD was 02/10/15…then WMR said delayed….will/when i get my refund…i have bills

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