“Accepted” means the IRS and state have received your taxes. “Processing” means they are working on your refund. Federal and state refunds have been delayed due to COVID-19 work shortages and social distancing as well as last minute tax law changes and stimulus payments.
Overall, the IRS anticipates nine out of 10 taxpayers will receive their refund within 21 days of when they file electronically with direct deposit if there are no issues with their tax return.
Some tax returns take longer to process than others for many reasons, including when a return:
- Includes errors
- Is incomplete
- Is affected by identity theft or fraud
- Includes a claim filed for an Earned Income Tax Credit or an Additional Child Tax Credit. See Q&A below.
- Includes a Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation PDF, which could take up to 14 weeks to process
- Needs further review in general
The IRS can research the status of your refund if it has been more than 21 days. Call 1-800-829-1040. Also check Where’s My Refund.
Related Resources:
When will I get my IRS tax refund?
What if my IRS refund is taking longer than 21 days?
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