TurboTax HelpIntuitWhat is Refund Advance?
by TurboTax•7819• Updated 5 days ago
You can apply for up to $4,000 with Refund Advance, with the loan amount based on the size of your federal refund.
Refund Advance has $0 loan fees, 0% APR, and no impact to your credit score. If approved, you’ll typically receive your Refund Advance within 15 minutes of the IRS accepting your e-filed return into your Credit Karma MoneyTM checking account.
Availability
When can I apply for the refund advance?
This offer is available until February 28, 2026, or the date until available funds have been exhausted, whichever comes first. Offer, eligibility, and availability subject to change without further notice.
Where's the refund advance option in TurboTax this year?
You can apply for Refund Advance when you choose your refund method.
Refund Advance may not be featured on the first page of “How would you like to receive your refund” so be sure to view all options to select this method.
Eligibility
What are the eligibility requirements?
- You’re 18 or older
- Your expected federal refund amount is $500 or more
- You’re not a resident of North Carolina, Connecticut, or Illinois
- You’re e-filing your federal tax return with TurboTax
- Your physical address is listed on your tax return. Your address must be located in one of the eligible states and can’t be a PO box or prison address
- You’re not filing one of these tax forms: 1310, 4852, 4684, 4868, 1040SS, 1040PR, 1040X, 8888, or 8862
- You aren’t filing on behalf of a deceased taxpayer
- You must report income on a Form W-2, 1099-R, or Sched C
- You must open or have an existing Credit Karma Money™ checking account
How is my Refund Advance amount determined?
Your approved amount is based on the size of your federal refund and your tax information, along with other factors. Your loan amount will be based on a portion of your anticipated federal refund to a maximum of 50% of that refund amount. You may not receive the maximum Refund Advance amount if one of these factors doesn’t meet the qualifying standards of the lender.
Refund Advance is available in amounts of $250, $500, $750, $1,000, $1,500, $2,000, $2,500, $3,000, $3,500, and $4,000.'
Why was my refund advanced declined?
This decision is based on your current year's tax return information. Check your email for more specific information about why you didn’t qualify.
Common reasons include:
- Factors related to your income and taxes, employment history, and a higher expected federal refund amount.
- Factors related to your Credit Karma account, security or activity, or factors related to their Credit Karma Money™ Application.
- Factors related to outstanding government debt that could lead to the garnishment of your tax refund or unpaid debt related to a Refund Advance loan or Refund Transfer from a prior year.
- Factors related to an incomplete application or the expected refund amount falls below the minimum required for eligibility in the Refund Advance loan program.
- You have an existing loan with TurboTax such as File Now, Pay Later, or TurboTax Flex Advance.
Can I still get a refund advance after filing my taxes?
No. Unfortunately, your refund method cannot be changed after your return is accepted.
If my return is rejected, can I reapply for Refund Advance?
Yes. If your return gets rejected by the IRS, you may go back and fix your rejected e-file and reselect Refund Advance prior to the Refund Advance deadline of April 15, 2026 and if funds haven’t yet been exhausted.
Why am I not eligible for the refund advance when I qualified before?
Your refund advance approval is tied to your current year tax situation. If this has changed from the prior year, your eligibility for a refund advance may change as well.
What if I don’t qualify for Refund Advance?
If you don’t qualify for Refund Advance after filing your return, you'll still receive your refund in your checking account with Credit Karma Money™.
Your entire federal and state refunds (minus any TurboTax fees) will be deposited into the account as soon as the IRS or state tax authorities distribute your refund (typically within 21 days from IRS acceptance).
Timing
When will I get confirmation about my refund advance approval?
You will receive a final decision of whether you are approved for a Refund Advance after you file your taxes and the IRS accepts your return. You will receive an email from Credit Karma when your Refund Advance funds are deposited, if you are approved.
The IRS accepts returns starting in late January. The time it takes to accept your return varies, but most customers get approval and can get money within 15 minutes of the IRS accepting your return.
If your Refund Advance is denied, you will receive an email from WebBank (the banks issuing the Refund Advance loans) with the reason for the decline.
How can I track the status of my refund advance?
To track the status of your Refund Advance and access money once approved, go to your Credit Karma Money™ account here or visit your TurboTax homepage.
When will I receive the remaining refund balance?
The rest of your refund (minus the Refund Advance amount and any TurboTax fees) will be deposited into your checking account with Credit Karma Money™ when the IRS or state tax authorities distribute your refund (typically within 21 days from IRS acceptance).
Why is my refund advance delayed?
Your refund advance approval and deposit into your Credit Karma Money™ account is dependent on IRS acceptance. If the IRS hasn't yet accepted your return, you won't have access to your refund advance until IRS acceptance is complete.
Why is my refund advance missing?
There are several reasons why a refund advance may appear to be missing. The most common are that the loan was declined or a different refund method was selected.
If you were declined, you will have received an email from WebBank (the banks issuing the Refund Advance loans) with the reason for the decline.
To confirm your refund selection method, login to TurboTax and view TurboTax order details.
Fees
Are there any loan fees or interest charges for obtaining a Refund Advance?
There are no loan fees and 0% APR for Refund Advance. There's also no impact to your credit score.
Why is my refund amount less than expected after the advance?
When you take a refund advance, TurboTax takes up to $4,000 of the expected refund amount available to you within 30 seconds of IRS acceptance. The rest of your refund will reflect your return minus the amount of the Refund Advance and any other TurboTax fees. Visit your TurboTax homepage to view a breakdown of your TurboTax fees.
Why did I get charged fees if my refund advance was denied?
Refund Advance is a $0 fee and 0% APR loan. You won't be charged any fees for a refund advance.
How do I repay the Refund Advance?
The amount of your refund advance will automatically be deducted from your tax refund (along with any other TurboTax fees) when it’s received from the IRS.
If your tax refund amounts are insufficient to pay what you owe on your loan, you may be contacted to remind you of the remaining balance and provide payment instructions to you if you choose to repay that balance. If your loan isn't paid in full, you won't be eligible to receive a Refund Advance loan in the future.
Credit Karma Money Account
Why can't I verify my Credit Karma account information?
If you receive the error message when you try to open a new Credit Karma Money™ Spend or Save account, it means the system was unable to fully validate your identity.
Contact the Credit Karma Money™ customer support team at 1 888-236-5798 to manually validate your information. You may need to submit documentation confirming your name, address, or date of birth from the list of acceptable documents. If we’re unable to verify your identity, you won’t be able to open a Credit Karma Money Spend or Save account at this time.
How do I update my phone number for Credit Karma verification?
There are two ways to update the phone number associated with your Intuit Credit Karma account, depending on whether you're able to log into your Credit Karma account or not.
The new number must be:
- Attached to a mobile device or a landline
- A valid US phone number
- Unique and not in use by another Credit Karma member
Credit Karma doesn't support international phone numbers or VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) at this time.
What do I do if my Credit Karma account is closed?
To create a new Credit Karma account, go to the Credit Karma sign up page and fill in your information.
If you recently canceled your previous Credit Karma account, your email address may be temporarily blocked from being used to create a new account. If you receive an error message stating your email address is already in use, contact the Credit Karma Money™ customer support team at 1 888-236-5798 for help setting up a new account.
How do I access or transfer funds from Credit Karma?
Learn more about Refund Advance. Terms apply.
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