the irs issues more than 9 out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days. however, your tax return may require additional review and take longer.
if your refund is not what you expected
If the amount of your refund is not what you expected, it may be due to changes we made to your tax return. These may include:
- corrections to any recapture refund credit or child tax credit amounts
- late tax or debt payments, offset by all or part of the refund amount
For more details, see the Tax Season Refunds FAQ.
where’s my refund?
You can find the most up-to-date information about your refund at Where’s My Refund? the tool is updated daily, so you don’t need to check it more often.
You can use the tool to check the status of your return at:
- 24 hours after e-filing a tax year 2021 return
- 3 or 4 days after e-filing a tax year 2020 or 2019 return
- 6 months or more after filing a paper return
where’s my refund? has a tracker that shows progress through 3 stages: (1) return received, (2) refund approved, and (3) refund sent.
You will get personalized refund information based on your tax return processing. The tool will provide an actual refund date as soon as the IRS processes your tax return and approves your refund.
Our phone and in-person representatives can investigate the status of your refund if:
- 21 days or more have passed since you filed your return electronically.
- It has been more than 6 months since you mailed your paper return.
- where is my refund? the tool says we can give you more information over the phone.
direct deposit
Join the nine out of 10 taxpayers who get their refunds faster using e-file and direct deposit. It has always been the safest and fastest way to receive your refund, but it is even more so in these uncertain times. it is also easy to use. simply select it as your refund method through your tax software and enter the account number and routing number. or tell your tax preparer that you want direct deposit. You can even use direct deposit if you’re one of the few people who still files on paper. be sure to double check your input to avoid errors.
Your routing and account numbers can be found on the bottom of your checks, through your online banking application, or by contacting your financial institution directly. do not enter your bank card number.
If you have a prepaid debit card, you may be able to apply your refund to the card. Many reloadable prepaid cards have routing and account numbers that you may provide to the IRS. You will need to check with the financial institution to make sure your card can be used and to obtain the routing number and account number, which may be different from the card number. your refund should only be deposited directly with us. bank or us affiliated bank accounts that are in your name; your spouse’s name or both if it’s a joint account. no more than three electronic refunds may be deposited into a single financial account or prepaid debit card. Taxpayers who exceed the limit will receive a notice from the IRS and a paper refund. Whether you file your return electronically or on paper, direct deposit gives you access to your refund faster than a paper check. direct deposit refunds are not delayed by disasters and other weather-related events that affect mail delivery.
form 1042-s, alien from usa source of income subject to withholding
if you requested a refund of taxes withheld on a form 1042-s when filing a form 1040nr, we will need additional time to process the return. Please allow up to 6 months from the original due date of the 1040nr or the date you actually filed the 1040nr, whichever is later to receive any refund due.
additional information
- publication 2043, irs refund information guidelines for the tax preparation communitypdf