According to the IRS, 90% of all refunds are released in 21 days or less, and here are a few things that are possible when your refund is delayed:
- The IRS may issue the refund shortly - The IRS issues refunds through the Bureau of the Fiscal Service and the direct deposit process takes 1-2 business days. Refunds not paid within 21 days may need additional review and can be delayed even longer. Delays could be caused by the PATH Act if you claimed Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and/or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) prior to February 15.
- Another branch of the IRS may have intercepted the refund for further review - The IRS Customer Service may communicate that the refund was issued although it hasn't reached the taxpayer's bank account. This IRS Revenue Protection Strategy verifies questionable information on a tax return before issuing the refund. The IRS will mail a letter within the next few weeks to explain why the refund was withheld. The IRS may request more information in order to complete the review and release the refund.
- The IRS or BFS may have offset the refund to pay off an outstanding debt - The IRS and/or the Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS) will mail a letter within a few weeks with details about the debt and amount collected. Call (800) 304-3107 to see if all or some of the refund is being collected through the Treasury Offset Program. Learn more here
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