Where is my federal tax refund?

[mdav940287]

i paid for direct deposit but received my state return in the form of a check, i have not seen my federal.

[DoninGA]

The IRS is seriously behind in processing 2020 tax returns.  This is due to many factors, such as the pandemic, completing processing of millions of 2019 tax returns, stimulus payments, unemployment compensation exclusion tax refunds., changes in the tax code by Congress in the middle of the 2020 tax season and the like.

Millions of taxpayers have not yet received there federal tax refunds.

Go to this IRS website for operational status - https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations-during-covid-19-mission-critical-functions-continue

As of June 23, 2021, we had 17.5 million unprocessed individual returns in the pipeline. Unprocessed returns include tax year 2020 returns such as those requiring correction to the Recovery Rebate Credit amount or validation of 2019 income used to figure the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). This work does not require us to correspond with taxpayers but does require special handling by an IRS employee so, in these instances, it is taking the IRS more than 21 days to issue any related refund. If, as a result, a correction is made to any RRC, EITC or ACTC claimed on the return, the IRS will send taxpayers an explanation. Taxpayers are encouraged to continue to check Where’s My Refund? for their personalized refund status and can review Tax Season Refund Frequently Asked Questions.

What you should do: If you filed electronically and received an acknowledgement, you do not need to take any further action other than promptly responding to any requests for information. If you filed on paper, check Where’s my refund? If it tells you we have received your return or are processing or reviewing it, we are processing your return, but it may be under review. We’re working hard to get through the backlog. Please don’t file a second tax return or contact the IRS about the status of your return.

[VolvoGirl]

You didn't pay for Direct Deposit.  There is no charge to get your refund.  The fees are to prepare your return whether you efile or print and mail AND whether you get a check or direct deposit.  If the bank rejected the deposit the IRS and state will mail a check to the address on your return.   Double check the routing number and account number with your bank.  

You may have selected to have the fees deducted from your federal refund.  That can only be done using Direct Deposit so the 3rd party bank can take the fees out.  But there is no extra fee to have direct deposit.  But there is an EXTRA $40 (45 in California) Pay with Refund service charge which you could have avoided by paying the fees with a credit card.