The blue bar is used as a guide to track your refund status. The bar will fill in as your tax return begins processing. When the blue line is complete, this means that your tax return has been accepted by the IRS and you have an estimated date.
TurboTax tracks whether your federal tax return as been accepted or rejected, and will provide an estimate on when you can expect to receive your tax refund. Please see the following FAQ for additional information on how to track your federal refund:
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1894389
If you would like to verify the refund status of your state taxes, please see the FAQ below:
https://ttlc.intuit.com/replies/3300211
https://ttlc.intuit.com/replies/3319882
If you have any questions regarding your federal tax return, please contact the IRS at 800-829-0582 and press '1' for English then enter extension 652.
Ignore the little blue bar on the TurboTax site---it really does not have any information.
TurboTax gives you an estimated date for receiving your refund based on a 21 day average from your date of acceptance, but it can take longer. Many refunds are taking longer during the pandemic.
First, check your e-file status to see if your return was accepted:
https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/efile-status-lookup/
If accepted, they try to process it within three weeks but it can be longer. if you have earned income credit or additional child tax credit, it will be at least the end of February before you see your refund, due to the PATH act that requires that they hold your refund longer.
Once your federal return has been accepted by the IRS, only the IRS has any control. TurboTax does not receive any updates from the IRS. Your ONLY source of information about your refund now is the IRS.
You need your filing status, your Social Security number and the exact amount (line 34of your 2020 Form 1040) of your federal refund to track your Federal refund:
To track your state refund:
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899433-how-do-i-track-my-state-refund
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901548-why-do-some-refunds-take-longer-than-others
If you chose to have your TurboTax fees deducted from your federal refund, that will take some extra time, while the third party bank handles the refund processing.
https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2840013-does-accepted-mean-my-refund-is-approved
You couldn't be more wrong. I always use turbo tax and when the Irs actually APPROVES your ACCEPTED return, the blue bar will finally be filled all the way.
I now have a full blue bar. However, I had to ID verify this year and was told 9 weeks last week. So, it means nothing. Nothing at all.
The "blue bar" on the TurboTax site just creeps along for the estimated 21 days----but TurboTax never really knows when or even if you receive your refund. Only the IRS controls your refund. TurboTax does not get any information from the IRS after you file, so that blue bar means nothing.-----except that 21 days have elapsed.
When the blue line/ bar is complete, it means that the IRS has accepted your return and that you have an estimated refund date (if you are expecting a tax refund). Please note that the IRS issues most refunds within 21 days of your return being accepted.
Mine is all the way up but my irs wmr is not working. Tomorrow will be my 21 days not including Sundays if yoy include Sunday its been more.
Just because the IRS has accepted your return, does not mean your refund is on its way. Your return may have been chosen for a mini audit or may have certain credits that delay the refund. The mini-audits are done frequently and usually the only way you know is due to the time delay. In addition, there is a delay in the refund for some credits. If your refund is made up completely of EIC, for example, then your refund would be delayed.
I just talked to TurboTax because I got an email then I checked because my bar was full she could actually see where my refund was the bank it was at and told me that it should be about a week to get from bank to bank
The blue bar in the TurboTax software shows an estimate based on the 21 days, the IRS takes to send your refund, once your return is accepted. Once your return has been accepted (received) by the government, they take over the refund status update duties, since they hold the "purse strings". Please check the IRS Where’s My Refund? site, for accurate information.
I still have not received my refund yet and it pass my 21 days
This is normal. The 21 days is not exact, but an estimated time frame. It can take anywhere from a few days to 3 weeks to update. The IRS began processing returns on 2/12, you may not find a record of it or the website may say that you have put in incorrect information when tracking your federal refund. As your return moves through the system, the status of it will be updated. Continue checking the Where’s My Federal Refund tool for updates. Updates are made daily, usually overnight.
Hey there, so it hasn't been 21 business days for me..(Not sure if that applies) for this year.. Mine was accepted the 15th although i did file for the Child Tax Credit... Would that effect my return timing by any chance?
No. Claiming the Child Tax Credit should not add any processing time for your return. Processing could be slow because of all the Other things happening in the IRS right now with processing Stimulus payments and updating to do additional payments and all of the new tax laws because of the Covid-19 Relief Act.
There is, however, a special temporary rule allowing individuals to use their earned income from tax year 2019 to determine their eligibility and amount of Earned Income Tax Credit and the refundable portion of the Child Tax Credit (i.e., the Additional Child Tax Credit) in the 2020 tax year. TurboTax will help you to do this when you file your 2020 tax return this year.
The package provides relief through multiple measures and expands many of the provisions already put into place under the CARES Act, including a second round of direct stimulus payments to individuals and families.
So, if the bar is blue that means it was approved and my return is on its way? The wmr never updates for me and this is my first yr using turbotax.
Amanda the WMR is not affiliated with TurboTax. It is an IRS refund table. Once your return is submitted to the IRS, TurboTax is no longer involved. The IRS will only discuss your refund status with you. TurboTax does not issue refunds.
On another note, please remember that this is quite an unusual year and the IRS is experiencing delays because they are issuing refunds and Stimulus checks. Refunds will start to be issued again soon. Please be patient to give the IRS the time to get back to issuing refunds.
If you had to verify it will take additional time to process your return.
If you need additional information, it would be best to contact the IRS by clicking here. @Nadia93.
why is my bar full but have no return date or on the irs site says still processing and also turbo tax gave me the site of one there bank its gets it first then sends to your bank
If you have used the service Pay with My Refund, you can additionally track the status at SBTPG (our third-party refund processor) here.