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Tracking your tax refund is easy, and it won’t cost you a penny. We’ll show you how and where to track your refund, no matter who you are, or how you filed it.
Every refund has its journey. Normally, it will take about 21 days to be sent or deposited after the IRS receives your tax documents.
If you filed through us, you can track your refund within 24 hours. We also have our clients covered by our audit protection, so no need to stress!
The IRS should have approved your refund. It will go through the standard processing procedure, and will then be sent on its way.
After 19 days, your tax refund deposit should have arrived. If you have not received it by this time, contact the IRS.
You can begin tracking your refund through the IRS website, no matter how you chose to file it. Once you receive a return confirmation email from the IRS, head over to irs.gov/refunds to check your refund status.
Generally, the IRS says that returns with refunds are processed and payments are issued within 21 days of being filed. Since this process takes much longer for paper filers, the IRS and tax professionals recommend electronic filing.
The quickness of which a refund is received by a taxpayer also depends on when they file and whether they have requested a direct deposit of their refund, or a paper check. This is because during some time frames there is increased traffic of filers submitting their forms. The busiest time, which one can experience longer waits on refunds, is usually for those who file in the last week before the April 15th deadline.
After you submit your federal tax return to the Internal Revenue Service, you may wonder when you can expect your refund. The time it takes to process a tax return and release a refund can vary. However, in general, most taxpayers will see their return pass through the same stages before receiving a refund.
What Are the Stages?
The first stage in the process is "return received." Your return reaches this stage when the IRS receives and accepts it. If you e-file your return, receipt will be almost instantaneous. As long as there are no glaring errors or oversights on the return, it should be accepted quickly. Next, the IRS will approve the refund, which means that the IRS has agreed to send you the amount you listed on your return. In the final stage of the process, your refund will be sent to you. Most refunds are issued within 21 days.
Checking Your Progress
The IRS maintains an online tool that allows you to get personalized information about the processing of your tax return and the status of your refund. You can begin using this tool in as little as 24 hours after the IRS receives your e-filed return. If you mail a paper return, this tool will be available within four weeks. The system is updated once a day and is available at all hours.To use this tool, you will need several pieces of information, including your filing status, social security number and the exact amount of your expected refund. Once your refund has been approved, the tool will estimate the date the refund should be sent. Taxpayers who are unable to use this tool can track their refund using the IRS's Refund Hotline at 1-800-829-1954.
While everyone appreciates a timely tax refund, there are a few situations that might cause a return to be delayed. We'll examine a few of these reasons to help you understand what could be delaying your tax refund.
Paper Filing
If you're one of the few people who still files their tax return on paper, you should know that the IRS takes longer to process those returns because they still have to input those returns into their computer system. And while the vast majority of returns are eligible for e-filing, there are certain tax credits and situations that require paper filing.
E-Filing
If you are eligible to e-file, we recommend going that route. Taxfyle can prepare your returns for you and either e-file your return or provide you with a PDF that you can print, sign and send in. No matter which way you prefer (or have to) file, we've got you covered!
Inconsistent Information
The IRS cross-references the information that you submit with the information that they receive from other sources and what they have on file for you from previous years. This information includes your full (legal) name, social security number, address, date of birth, and all the information related to other individuals on your returns (spouse, children, dependents, etc.).If some of the information provided on your return is inconsistent, the IRS may dig a little deeper before issuing you your refund. After all, cross-referencing your information among various sources is one of the IRS's primary methods for fighting tax refund fraud.
Incomplete InformationIncomplete returns are one of the primary culprits in causing late returns. Often times, you may forget to include a required form or schedule and this will cause the IRS to send you a notice stating that your return is incomplete.Sometimes it could be as simple as a supporting schedule, or other times, it might be a little more complicated like a lender having forgotten to send in your student interest statement to the IRS (or maybe they sent it in with an SSN that doesn't match yours).
In some cases, it could be that someone sent in a 1099-MISC to the IRS, but you didn't receive your copy for some reason, so you didn't include that income on your return.The fastest way to correct these issues is to file an amended tax return as soon as you're made aware of the issue. Taxfyle can help you file an amended return if for some reason the IRS determined that your return was incomplete.
Filing too Early
The IRS usually starts to accept returns in late January (date varies from year to year). Filing your return before that date might cause the IRS reject your return.
Identity Theft
Sometimes, waiting too long to file may be worse than filing too early. As you've probably heard, identity theft around tax returns is a growing issue for the IRS. Often-times, identity thieves will file your return for you and direct your tax refund (often inflated) to their bank account.The IRS has measures in place to help prevent fraudulent submissions, but in the event that those measures fail, the IRS will prevent anyone from filing a return under that identity again in the same year. So if an identity thief files your return before you do, the IRS will deny your legitimate refund until it can investigate your case. Once the IRS resolves your case, they will then issue you your refund; but this can take anywhere from a few weeks to a year or more.
Bad Math
Yet another reason to avoid the old pen and paper when it comes to filing is that any errors made (whether it be simple arithmetic or forgetting to add in a line from another schedule) will cause the IRS to require you to correct your return. In some cases, they can propose a solution for you, while other times, they'll simply require that you file an amendment.Taxes are never fun, and having your refund delayed can be downright frustrating. However, knowledge is power, and knowing the most common reasons can help you avoid the pitfalls. Often times, having a professional file for you or at least using tax software and filing early can help you to avoid having your refund delayed.
