With refund season well underway and the average direct deposit tax refund being over $3,000 last tax season, we are hearing the common tax season question: “Where’s My Refund?”
We know that you work hard for your money and often a tax refund may be the biggest check you get all year, so we’re here to let you know what happens after you hit the e-file button and how to check the status of your tax refund.
Here is a breakdown of IRS processing times, how your tax return will progress through 3 stages with the IRS (“Return Received,” “Return Approved,” and “Refund Sent” once you e-file), and where you can go to check your refund status.
Refund Processing Time
Refund Process
Here are more answers to your common tax refund questions:
Will I see a date right away when I check status in “Where’s My Refund”?
Where’s My Refund tool will not give you a date until your tax return is received, processed, and your tax refund is approved by the IRS.
It’s been longer than 21 days since the IRS has received my tax return and I have not received my tax refund. What’s happening?
Some tax returns take longer than others to process depending on your tax situation. Some of the reasons it may take longer are incomplete information, an error, or the IRS needs to review it further.
The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act, signed into law in December 2015, requires the IRS to hold tax refunds that include Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) until February 15, 2017 regardless of what method you used to file your taxes. The IRS began accepting and processing tax returns when they opened for the season on January 29, 2018. Tax refunds for those who claim Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit will begin to be issued on February 15, 2018, so there’s no need to wait! The sooner you e-file your return, the sooner you’ll get your tax refund. The IRS expects the earliest that taxpayers claiming the EITC or ACTC will start seeing tax refunds is February 27 if taxpayers chose e-file with direct deposit and there are no other issues with their tax return.
I requested my money be automatically deposited into my bank account, but I was mailed a check. What happened?
The IRS is limiting the number of direct deposits that go into a single bank account or prepaid debit card to three tax refunds per year. Your limit may have been exceeded.
Haven’t filed your taxes yet? Get that much closer to your tax refund and file today. You may even be able to e-file your federal and state tax returns for absolutely nothing and have your federal tax refund in your pocket within 21 days.
II have a very easy tax return I found one job I only have a couple savings accounts and a 401(k). I don’t see the point of spending $100 on filing a 1040 easy form. Maybe there’s another way I can do it or go through another company
The IRS says no 2019 and 2016 tax file. Where's my refund?
Tax return- 2151.00
owe- 1955.30
bal. 206.87
I have a posted amt. of in my bank as: 4/17 SBTPG LLC TAX PRODUCTS PE1 $102.93
I spoke with IRS and they said the deposit was made in the amt. of 206.87.
I went to bank and it never went through. They told me that you probably took amt. out of balance. So where is my total amt. at.
Margaret Leal
You said you have a deposit from SBTPG for $102.93. The difference would be the Turbo Tax fees. What version did you use? There is a separate $44.99 charge for state and an Extra 39.99 Refund Processing Service charge.
I bet you used Deluxe. Deluxe is 59.99 plus the 39.99 Pay with Refund charge. So 99.98 plus any Sales tax.
I filed my taxes on April 9th and when I check it on where's my refund it says "still processing". I think I'm being audited, so if I am, how long does that take?
@tebenn wrote:I filed my taxes on April 9th and when I check it on where's my refund it says "still processing". I think I'm being audited, so if I am, how long does that take?
Only the IRS can tell you why they have not yet released your Federal refund. I'll tell you how to reach a live IRS agent below. If you can't get good answers from the IRS, I'll also be telling you below how to contact the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service.
Here's how to reach a live agent at the IRS:
800-829-1040 (7AM-7 PM local time) Monday-Friday
When calling the IRS do not choose the first choice re: "Refund", or it will send you to an automated phone line.
I usually use a speakerphone so I can work on something else while waiting.
If you don't get good info/results from the IRS, you can contact the IRS Taxpayer Advocate for your area. They are especially prone to help if you have a hardship, or if there have been continued delays with lack of info from the IRS. At the following IRS website, find the USA map and click on your state, and it will give you the number of your IRS Taxpayer Advocate.
http://www.irs.gov/uac/Contact-a-Local-Taxpayer-Advocate
Also see this article for more info on how the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service works::
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc104.html
I filed my tax refund for 2018 in Jan. 2019, was accepted in the same month. I have Amended my return on June 5, 2019, and I still have not recieved my refund yet. What's the hold up?
dgordon76 wrote:
I filed my tax refund for 2018 in Jan. 2019, was accepted in the same month. I have Amended my return on June 5, 2019, and I still have not recieved my refund yet. What's the hold up?
It can take the IRS up to 16 weeks to process an amended return. An amended return cannot be efiled. I will presume you mailed your amended return to the IRS. TurboTax does not mail it for you.
It should show up in this IRS tool. Do you see info on your amended return there?
https://www.irs.gov/filing/wheres-my-amended-return
Were you due a Federal refund with the original return you filed in January? If so, did you ever receive it prior to amending the return, or did you amend the return before you got the original refund?
Only the IRS will know what all they are doing with your return. In my comment above, you will see the steps to phone them, if necessary, but it's too soon to phone about an amended return. They might be able to tell you something about the original return if you never received an original refund.
I file my taxes on June 29th and get accept and approve on July 2nd. But receive my refund jet.
@Anabella wrote:
I file my taxes on June 29th and get accept and approve on July 2nd. But receive my refund jet.
I assume you efiled your return. "Accepted" refers to the efile status only. If your efile return was accepted on July 2, that is the date that the IRS started processing it. Approval of the entries in your return can only occur after the IRS has finished processing it. So acceptance and approval cannot happen on the same day.
The IRS says 9 out of 10 filers who efile and choose direct deposit will get their refunds within 21 days. That still leaves a considerable number of people who do not. Some returns take longer for additional processing due to specific items in the return. Some are pulled at random for more thorough investigation.
You can use this tool to double-check and be sure the efiled return was accepted on July 2:
https://shop.turbotax.intuit.com/efile/efile_status_lookup.jsp
If that confirmed it was accepted, then what do you see at the IRS website below for the status of your Federal refund?
https://www.irs.gov/Refunds
NOTE: Be sure you enter only the Federal refund amount and not any total amount that includes a state refund. The figure to enter appears on your Federal Form 1040, Line 20a.
If that IRS tool shows that the refund has been sent, report back for more info.
If the IRS tool says it is still "being processed", we can tell you how to speak to a live agent at the IRS to see if they can tell you anything about the delay.
To track a state refund:
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899433-how-do-i-track-my-state-refund
What address will
you send the refund? Or is the refund ready?
If you selected to have a check mailed for your refund or the bank rejected the Direct Deposit then the IRS will mail a check to the address on your return.
Has the IRS sent your refund?
You can check your Federal refund status at Where's My Refund.
https://www.irs.gov/refunds
Make sure you are using the refund amount from your actual federal tax return and not the combined amount Turbo Tax showed you at the end. That was for federal and state combined.
I got a letter telling me i owe the irs instead of a refund when i contacted them they told me my taxes was filled twice for the same job so turbo tax messed up on my taxes now i am haveing a hard time getting them straightened out now i fell behind on my bills that i had planed on paying off thanks alot
@ hardship5000
wrote:
I got a letter telling me i owe the irs instead of a refund when i contacted them they told me my taxes was filled twice for the same job so turbo tax messed up on my taxes now i am haveing a hard time getting them straightened out now i fell behind on my bills that i had planed on paying off thanks alot
You're posting in an old thread with multiple users and multiple issues. If you need assistance in this community forum, you should start your own new thread. To do so, go to the page at the link below, click the blue "Ask a question" button.
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/after-you-file/discussion/02/203
Also, since you received an IRS Letter, you can speak by telephone to the free TurboTax Audit Support Center (assuming you did not purchase the optional Audit Defense). They may be able to offer you some guidance on this issue. To get the phone number, go to the page at the link below, click the blue "Get Help..." button and follow the prompts.
https://support.turbotax.intuit.com/irs-notice/audit-support/
Hours are 5AM-5PM Pacific (8AM-8PM Eastern) Monday-Friday.
I filed my taxes back in april. I have not received my refund as of yet. William r Thieman
@Indiangirl 48 wrote:
I filed my taxes back in april. I have not received my refund as of yet. William r Thieman
Did you e-file your tax return and was it accepted?
Only the IRS and your State control when and if a Federal or State tax refund is Approved and Issued.
You complete your tax return by finishing all 3 Steps in the File section. In Step 3, to e-file your tax return, you must click on the large Orange button labeled "Transmit my returns now".
After completing the File section and e-filing your tax return you will receive two emails from TurboTax. The first email when your tax return was transmitted and the second email when the tax return has either been accepted or rejected.
Note - Once a tax return has been Accepted by the IRS or a State, TurboTax receives no further information concerning the tax return or the status of any tax refund. Only the taxpayer listed on the tax return can obtain the status of a tax refund or a tax return.
To check the status of an e-filed return, open up your desktop product or log into your TurboTax Online Account. You can find your status within the TurboTax product.
If accepted by the IRS use the federal tax refund website to check the refund status - https://www.irs.gov/refunds
If accepted by the state use this TurboTax support FAQ to check the state tax refund status - https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899433-how-do-i-track-my-state-refund
After the tax return has been Accepted by the IRS (meaning only that they received the return) it will be in the Processing mode until the tax refund has been Approved and then an Issue Date will be available on the IRS website.
See this IRS website for federal tax refund FAQ's - https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions
If over 21 days since being Accepted by the IRS and the tax refund is still Processing you can call the IRS and speak with an IRS agent concerning your tax refund.
Call the IRS: 1-800-829-1040 hours 7 AM - 7 PM local time Monday-Friday
When calling the IRS do NOT choose the first option re: "Refund", or it will send you to an automated phone line.
So after first choosing your language, then do NOT choose Option 1 (refund info). Choose option 2 for "personal income tax" instead.
Then press 1 for "form, tax history, or payment".
Then press 3 "for all other questions."
Then press 2 "for all other questions."
- When it asks you to enter your SSN or EIN to access your account information, don't enter anything.
- After it asks twice, you will get another menu.
Then press 2 for personal or individual tax questions.
It should then transfer you to an agent.
Or you can contact your local IRS office. See this IRS website for local IRS offices - http://www.irs.gov/uac/Contact-Your-Local-IRS-Office-1 or call 1-844-545-5640 to set up an appointment
Or you may want to contact a Taxpayer Advocate in your area. See this IRS website for Taxpayer Advocate in your area and a toll free number - http://www.irs.gov/Advocate/Local-Taxpayer-Advocate
I never received my tax refund why n when will I receive it
Did you not read the post right above yours ? It has your answer and directions on how to track down the refund ... this question was answered in your other posts as well : https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/344161
When checking on "where's my refund", shows refund had been deposited in October.
We have not heard or seen notice of such.
E-filed October 14, 2019
@Horshuer52 wrote:
When checking on "where's my refund", shows refund had been deposited in October.
We have not heard or seen notice of such.
E-filed October 14, 2019
If you requested to have the TurboTax account fees deducted from your federal tax refund, the IRS will send the refund to a third party processor to have the fees and the service charge deducted. The third party processor will deduct the TurboTax fees plus the service charge and then attempt to direct deposit the remaining refund balance into the account that you entered on your tax return.
For the status of your tax refund you will need to contact the third party processor, Santa Barbara Tax Product Group, using their website - https://www.sbtpg.com/
Tax Products Group Contact Information - https://help.sbtpg.com/hc/en-us/articles/230084587-Contact-Information
Is my tax 2019 refund completed. Cause I didn’t go all the way at the bottom for my signature and where are they going to send, by mail or direct deposit.
@Rodnyp30 If you didn't finish Efiling it did you print and mail it?
Did you go all the way through the File tab, through the 3 steps and hit the big orange Transmit Returns Now button?
You can check your efile status here
https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/efile-status-lookup/
When you efile you get back 2 emails. The first email only confirms the transmission. The second email says if the IRS (or state) Accepted or Rejected your efile.
When you log into your account you should also see the status and if it was Accepted or Rejected, Started, Printed, Ready to Mail, etc. What does it say?
If it says Printed or Ready to Mail you can try to change it from Mail to Efile
Click on Add a State to let you back into your retun.
I mailed my tax return on Feb. 14, 2020. Refund status says no information available as of 5/4/2020. Does that mean my return was lost?