Where is my federal refund?

[JeanneLO]

TurboTax does not receive updates from the IRS once they have accepted your return but we can provide information about estimated refund processing times. According to the IRS website What to expect for Refunds This Year more than 9 out of 10 refunds are issued in less than 21 days after the IRS accepts the tax return when you e-file and choose direct deposit as your refund choice. 

Have you checked on Where’s My Refund? it  has the most up to date information available about your refund. The tool is updated daily (usually overnight) so you will just usually need to check once a day.

For more on the timing of your refund please see this TurboTax FAQ.

If you are anticipating a state tax return refund those processing times vary from state to state. To check on a state refund please visit your state Department of Revenue website.

[tugger123]

My federal tax return was accepted the 4th of February and I opted for direct deposit as every year. I claimed the earned income credit so I heard it would be longer. On February 28th received a letter from IRS stating that since I claimed earned income credit they would need to verify my income. It also stated it could take up to 6 more weeks. It now is going on 7 weeks and where's my refund just says " still processing we will let you know when a refund is to be issued." Anyone in a similar situation. I can't call and where's my refund tracker has stated processing for close to 10 weeks now altogether.

[AkinaLO]

Please keep in mind, due to the current situation, processing can be delayed. The IRS is posting updates through the link below. 

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations-during-covid-19-mission-critical-functions-continue 

[tugger123]

There is no update on my situation whatsoever in that link you provided. Not helpful at all. 

[CassLO]

For the most up to date information regarding your refund visit the IRS Where’s My Federal Refund? site for updates. Updates are made daily, usually overnight. The IRS issues most refunds in about 21 days, although some returns take more time to review.

 If the Where’s My Federal Refund? site shows your tax return is processing,  during this time the government reviews your refund. During the review process, they look for math errors on your return (extremely rare in TurboTax) and they also check if you owe back taxes, unpaid child support, or other debts. 

If they need to make any corrections, they may offset (reduce) your refund. In some cases, the correction might even increase your refund.

Once that part's done, the government approves your refund, which means it's ready to be deposited or sent. At that point the IRS site will update with a direct deposit date. 

The general timeline of e-filed returns is: Transmission > Acceptance > Processing > Approval > Refund.

Note: Once your refund status on the IRS shows "Refund Sent" it can take 1 to 5 business days approximately, for the financial institution to deposit fund into your account. 

Please see the links below for more information:

• Where's My Tax Refund? The IRS Refund Timetable Explained
• IRS Tax Season Refund Frequently Asked Questions
• What if my IRS refund is taking longer than 21 days? - TurboTax Support Video