Here's How to Track Your Tax Refund
Tax season is in full swing. We’re a few weeks out of the gate, and already tens of millions of Americans have filed their 2022 taxes. Many of them now anxiously await their refunds from the IRS.
Last year, the IRS was plagued by delays in processing tax returns and issuing refunds. So far, it appears the agency is speeding things along in 2023. IRS data shows a 48% increase in the number of refunds it has issued this tax season compared to the same time last year — despite receiving only 13% more returns.
Another major difference in 2023? Refunds are smaller this tax season due to the expiration of pandemic-era programs like federal stimulus checks and expanded child tax credit, which boosted the average refund above $3,200 last year. By contrast, the current average refund is just under $2,000.
As refunds shrink, inflation remains stubbornly high, and many are counting on their refunds to help them cope with continued price hikes on everyday items. All of this makes questions like "Where's my refund?" even more urgent.
How to track your tax refund
Once you e-file your return or drop it in the mailbox, you can check in with the IRS for refund updates. Here’s how.
1. Check your tax refund status on the IRS website
On the IRS’s website, you can use its Where’s My Refund? tool to check your refund status on your smartphone, tablet or computer.
To see your update, you’ll need to click the “Check My Refund Status” button and then follow the prompts, inputting your Social Security number, tax filing status and exact refund amount. If you entered the information correctly, you should see your refund status instantly.
Note that it will only display your refund status if it’s been at least 24 hours since you e-filed or four weeks since you’ve mailed your paper return.
Additionally, if you've set up an IRS account, you can access additional information by requesting your tax and account transcripts. Some folks swear this is a hack to find out when you'll get your tax refund — and, to be fair, your account transcript does include a log of any recent IRS action — but the IRS says the Where's My Refund? tool is your best bet as it's updated daily, typically overnight.
2. Use the IRS2Go app for refund updates
If it’s more convenient than using the website, you can also check your tax refund status using the IRS2Go app, which is available on the Amazon Appstore, the Apple App Store and the 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 input your personal information. Just like the IRS website, you’ll need to provide your Social Security number, filing status and refund amount. Then click submit, and you’ll see your refund status.
Again, you’ll want to make sure it has been at least 24 hours since you e-filed your return or four weeks since you mailed it off.
Speaking of those extra features, you can also use the IRS2Go app to pay your tax bill, review tax tips and get directions for on-site tax assistance nearby.
3. Call the IRS directly
For general status updates on your tax refund, it's probably not a great idea to call the IRS — until several weeks have passed since you filed.
The IRS recommends that you not call it directly unless it has been more than 21 days since you e-filed your return or longer than six weeks since you mailed in your paper return.
In some cases, the IRS may need additional information and will directly request that you contact them. The Where’s My Refund? tool may also prompt you to call.
If you do need to contact the IRS, you can call 800-829-1040 about individual tax returns, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time.
When calling the agency, here are the info or documents you should have on hand:
- Social Security number
- Birth date
- Filing status
- Prior year’s tax return
- The tax return in question
- Any correspondence the IRS has sent you
How long your tax refund will (probably) take
Generally speaking, 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 on a physical check to arrive in the mail.
The turnaround is normally pretty fast: 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. 10, the IRS had distributed approximately 13 million refunds, accounting for $26 billion.
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 those credits and filed at the start of tax season, it may take a little longer than the time frame above to receive your refund.
Remember: Taxes are due April 18 for most people this year. Since refunds are expected to be lower than the previous pandemic years, you should file sooner than later to find out what your refund will be — or to know if you owe — so that you have plenty of time to plan accordingly.
Because you should never wait until the day before Tax Day
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Until 11:58pm PST, April 18, 2023
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