Federal taxes how long to get refund

Where's My Tax Refund? First, we "stamp" the return with an electronic postmark, and then we send it to the government. Then we both wait 24 to 48 hours for the IRS to accept your return. What are they doing? They are checking your personal information to make sure it matches their records.

If everything looks good, the IRS accepts your return. Other tools and refund delays You can also use the TurboTax Where's My Refund tracking guide that will show you how to check the status of your tax refund and common reasons for delays. These articles explain in more detail what may cause a delay: Where's My Refund? All you need to know is yourself Just answer simple questions about your life, and TurboTax Free Edition will take care of the rest. Looking for more information?

Get more with these free tax calculators and money-finding tools. Most taxpayers receive their refunds within 21 days. If you choose to have your refund deposited directly into your account, you may have to wait five days before you can gain access to it. If you request a refund check, you might have to wait a few weeks for it to arrive. Note that these are just guidelines. Based on how you file, most filers can generally expect to receive a refund within these time frames.

For a more detailed estimate of when you could get your tax refund, this table breaks down when direct deposits are sent an average of two weeks after your taxes were accepted by the IRS for direct deposits and three weeks for paper checks in the mail.

What happens after I e-file? What does it mean when my tax return is accepted? Is it faster to file electronically or mail in my return? What tax breaks can affect the timing of my refund? Should I file my taxes early? What if I miss the deadline? Are there any important tax dates to know? Yes, the following dates are important to keep in mind for tax season. Deadline to file and pay your tax bill if you have one is April 18, Deadline to file an extended return is October 17, Click here for a more complete list of important tax dates.

The information in this article is current through tax year Share article:. Get started today to get your maximum refund. September 7, In addition to the seven reasons listed above, one of the significant reasons for slower processing times during has been the impact of the COVID pandemic.

In particular, if a taxpayer filed a paper return, the processing time may be slower due to limited staffing as a result of the pandemic. This is causing refund delays.

Taxpayers who have already filed a paper return should know that the IRS is processing paper returns in the order in which they are received. The problem is ongoing. National Taxpayer Advocate Erin M. That said, a sizable amount of refunds can be delayed beyond that, sometimes significantly. An incomplete return, an inaccurate return, an amended return, tax fraud, claiming tax credits, owing certain debts for which the government can take part or all of your refund, and sending your refund to the wrong bank due to an incorrect routing number are all reasons that a tax refund can be delayed.

Go there and plug in your Social Security number SSN or individual taxpayer identification number ITIN , filing status, and exact amount of your refund to get an update on where in the pipeline it is.

Above are some of the most common reasons for a delayed refund. Having your refund stolen from your mailbox is another possibility. And a government shutdown , such as the one that took place in January , could also result in a longer wait for your return to be processed and your refund sent.

The IRS may be able to trace your refund to find out what has happened to it and issue a replacement if needed. Internal Revenue Service. Accessed Oct.

Treasury, Inspector General for Tax Administration. Federal Trade Commission. Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service. Income Tax. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile.