why is my refund different than the amount on the tax return i filed?
All or part of your refund may have been used (offset) to pay past due federal taxes, state income taxes, state unemployment compensation debts, child support, spousal support, or other federal nontax debts, such as loans student. . To find out if you may be eligible for compensation or if you have questions about compensation, contact the agency to which you owe the debt.
It’s also possible that we changed the amount of your refund because we made changes to your tax return. this may include corrections to any incorrect recovery refund credit or child tax credit amounts. You will receive a notice explaining the changes. where is my refund? will reflect the reasons for the refund offset or the different refund amount when it relates to a change in your tax return.
Tax Topic 203, Reimbursement Offsets for Unpaid Child Support, Certain Federal and State Debts, and Unemployment Compensation Debts has more information on reimbursement offsets.
how quickly will I receive my refund? (updated 7 Jul 2022)
We issue most refunds in less than 21 calendar days. however, if you filed your return on paper and expect a refund, it could take six months or more to process your return. where is my refund? has the most up-to-date information available about your refund.
The Internal Revenue Service also takes longer than 21 days to issue refunds for some tax returns that require review, including incorrect recovery refund credit amounts, or that used 2019 earnings to calculate the income tax credit from work (eitc) and the additional tax credit for children. (actc).
I’m counting on my refund for something important. can i expect to receive it in 21 days?
many different factors can affect the timing of your refund after we receive your return. Although we issue most refunds in less than 21 days, your refund may take longer. Also, remember to factor in the time it takes for your financial institution to post the refund to your account or receive it in the mail.
it has been more than 21 days since the irs received my return and I have not received my refund. why? (updated 7 Jul 2022)
Some tax returns take longer to process than others for many reasons, including when a return:
- is on paper
- includes errors, such as an incorrect recovery refund credit
- is incomplete
- needs additional review overall
- affected by identity theft or fraud
- includes a claim filed for an earned income tax credit or an additional child tax credit. see questions and answers below.
- includes a form 8379, Injured Spouse Awardpdf, which could take up to 14 weeks to process
For the latest information on IRS refund processing during the COVID-19 pandemic, please see the IRS Operations Status page.
We will contact you by mail when (or if) we need more information to process your return. If we are still processing your return or correcting an error, where is my refund? or our phone representatives will be able to provide you with your specific repayment date. please check where is my refund? for up-to-date information on your refund.
I claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) on my tax return. when can I expect my refund?
Under the Protecting Americans from Tax Increases Act (Road), the IRS cannot issue EITC and ACTC refunds before mid-February. The IRS expects most additional EITC/CTC-related refunds to be available in taxpayers’ bank accounts or debit cards by March 1, if they elected direct deposit and there are no other problems with their tax return. . however, some taxpayers may see their refund a few days earlier. check where my refund is for your custom refund date.
where’s my refund? on irs.gov and the irs2go mobile app remains the best way to check the status of a refund. wmr on irs.gov and the irs2go app will be updated with projected deposit dates for most early filers of EITC/ACTC refunds by February 19.
will calling you help me get my refund faster or give me more information? (updated 7 Jul 2022)
irs representatives can investigate the status of your return only if:
- more than 21 days have passed since you received your e-file acceptance notice,
- more than 6 months have passed since you mailed your paper return, or
- where is my refund? the tool says we can give you more information over the phone.
what information includes where is my refund? do you have?
the status of your refund for the tax year you select.
does the refund hotline have the same information as where is my refund? irs2go website or mobile app?
Our automated refund hotline, 800-829-1954, will not be able to provide you with the status of your refund for any year other than tax year 2021.
when can i start checking where my refund is? for the status of my refund? (updated 7 Jul 2022)
- 24 hours after e-filing a tax year 2021 return
- 3 or 4 days after e-filing a tax year 2019 or 2020 return
- if you filed the paper, it could take 6 months or more
where’s my refund? show me when I will receive my refund?
where’s my refund? will give you a custom date after we process your return and approve your refund.
I am a non-resident alien. I don’t have to pay us federal taxes. How do I request a refund of federal income taxes withheld from a US bank? u? font? when can I expect to receive my refund?
to claim a refund of federal income tax withheld on a us account. uu. source, a nonresident alien must report the amounts of income and applicable withholding on form 1040-nr, u.s. Non-resident alien income tax return pdf. You must include documents proving income and amounts withheld when you file your 1040nr. we need more than 21 days to process a 1040nr return. Please allow up to 6 months from the date you filed the 1040nr for your refund.
How will I know you are processing my tax return?
where’s my refund? tracks your tax return from receipt to completion. will tell you when your return is in received status and if your refund is in approved or shipped status.
what happens when my refund is in? shows the status of my tax return as received?
We have your tax return and are processing it.
what happens when my refund is in? shows the status of my refund as approved?
We have approved your refund. we are preparing to send your refund to your bank or directly to you by mail. this statement will tell you when we will send the refund to your bank (if you selected the direct deposit option). Please allow 5 days after we have sent the refund to check with your bank about your refund, as banks differ in how and when they credit funds. (It may take several weeks before you receive a rebate check in the mail.)
how long will it take for my status to change from return received to refund approved?
sometimes a few days, but it could take longer.
where’s my refund? always show the status of my refund showing the different stages of return received, refund approved and refund sent?
no, not always. sometimes when we are still reviewing your return it will display instructions or an explanation of what we are doing.
where’s my refund? update often?
once a day, usually at night. no need to check more often.
where’s my refund? give me the status of my amended return?
no, it will not give you information about amended tax returns. where is my amended return? can give you the status of your amended return. (Our phone and in-person representatives can only inquire about the status of your amended return 16 weeks or more after you mail it in.)
I requested a direct deposit refund. why are you mailing it to me as a paper check?
there are three possible reasons. they are as follows:
- We can only electronically deposit refunds into accounts in your name, your spouse’s name, or a joint account.
- A financial institution may decline a direct deposit.
- we cannot deposit more than three electronic refunds into a single financial account.
what should I do when the refund I receive does not come from my tax account?
please do not cash the refund check or spend the direct deposit refund. send us the refund. Tax Topic 161, Returning a Wrong Refund – Paper Check or Direct Deposit has more information on what to do.