Payments

"Accepted" is not the same as "approved."  Your return could only have been "accepted" on February 9.

TurboTax gives you an estimated date for receiving your refund based on a 21 day average from your date of acceptance, but it can take longer.  “21 days”  is not a promise from TurboTax or the IRS.   Many refunds are taking longer during the pandemic.  The IRS is backlogged —-they are still trying to process millions of 2019 returns; they received millions of e-filed on the day they opened for 2020 returns, and now they are burdened with sending out another round of stimulus checks.   

Some delays are resulting from incorrect amounts that folks entered for stimulus checks they received.   Many people have been confused by the recovery rebate credit and completed it incorrectly.  The IRS may delay your refund while they cross-check to see what you received.  Some refunds are delayed because of the tax law changes that went into effect recently.   If your return has unemployment or the premium tax credit on it, that may be delaying it.

First, check your e-file status to see if your return was accepted: 

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/efile-status-lookup/

Once your federal return has been accepted by the IRS, only the IRS has any control.  TurboTax does not receive any updates from the IRS. Your ONLY source of information about your refund now is the IRS.

You need your filing status, your Social Security number and the exact amount  (line 34of your 2020 Form 1040) of your federal refund to track your Federal refund:   

https://www.irs.gov/refunds

To track your state refund:    

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899433-how-do-i-track-my-state-refund

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901548-why-do-some-refunds-take-longer-than-others

If you chose to have your TurboTax fees deducted from your federal refund, that will take some extra time, while the third party bank handles the refund processing.

https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2840013-does-accepted-mean-my-refund-is-approved

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2724106-my-return-is-accepted-but-still-not-approved-is-there-a-problem-should-i-be-worried

There are various reasons your refund may take longer than 21 days. It’s important to remember that the IRS and state agencies distribute refunds, and TurboTax has no insight into why a refund is taking longer than the usual 21 days.

Claiming the following credits may delay refunds past 21 days:

• Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and/or an Additional Child Tax Credit (CTC)
• Recovery Rebate Credit (only if there is a mistake in the amount)

Use the following articles to help your customer understand why refunds may take longer than 21 days.

Even though the IRS issues 9 out of 10 tax refunds within 21 days, it's possible your return may require additional review and take longer to process.

For some taxpayers, PATH Act requirements and other identity-protection safeguards implemented by the IRS may account for longer wait times.

Other things that can delay your refund include, but are not limited to:

• Liens, back taxes, or refund offsets

• Errors, inconsistencies, or missing information
• Identity fraud
• Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation, which can take 11-14 weeks to process

Also, if you chose direct deposit, your financial institution may need another day or two to post the refund to your account, so keep that in mind.

Related Information:

• What if my IRS refund is taking longer than 21 days?
• When will I get my IRS tax refund?
• Some federal refunds are delayed due to the PATH Act