Where to check your 2020 refund status
The IRS has three ways to check on a 2020 tax refund: the Where's My Refund tool on IRS.gov, the IRS2Go mobile app, or a phone call to the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. The Where's My Refund tool is fastest — it updates every 24 hours and tells you the exact status of your return and when the IRS expects to send your money.
To use Where's My Refund, go to irs.gov/refunds and have your Social Security number, filing status (single, married filing jointly, etc.), and the exact refund amount ready. The tool will show you one of three statuses: "Return Received," "Refund Approved," or "Refund Sent." If your return is still being processed, it will tell you the date the IRS expects to issue your refund.
The IRS2Go app works the same way and is useful if you check your status often. The phone line takes longer — wait times can be 30 minutes or more — but a representative can answer questions the online tool cannot, such as why your return is delayed or whether the IRS needs more information from you.
Key Takeaways
- The Where's My Refund tool on IRS.gov is the fastest way to check your 2020 refund status and updates every 24 hours.
- You will need your Social Security number, filing status, and the exact refund amount to look up your status online.
- If your refund was sent more than 21 days ago and you have not received it, contact the IRS by phone or check the status of your payment through your bank.
- If the IRS says your refund was sent but you never got it, the money may have been deposited to a closed bank account or intercepted by a debt collector.
- For 2020 returns filed in 2021, processing can take longer than usual because of a backlog — some returns took six months or more to process.
What each status message means
"Return Received" means the IRS has your return but has not started processing it yet. This status can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on how busy the IRS is and whether your return needs manual review. During tax season, the IRS processes millions of returns, so a longer wait is normal.
"Refund Approved" means the IRS has finished reviewing your return and decided to send you money. The tool will show you the date the refund will be sent. If you chose direct deposit, the money usually arrives in your bank account within one to two business days after the IRS sends it. If you chose a paper check, allow 7 to 10 business days for the check to arrive by mail.
"Refund Sent" means the IRS has already sent your refund. The tool will show you the date it was sent and the method (direct deposit or check). If you see this status but have not received your money, the next step depends on how long ago it was sent.
If your refund was sent but you did not receive it
If the Where's My Refund tool says your refund was sent more than 21 days ago and you have not received it, the money may be stuck in one of several places. First, check your bank account carefully — direct deposits sometimes post under a different name or take longer than expected if your bank is processing a high volume of deposits.
If you chose direct deposit and the money never arrived, the IRS may have sent it to a closed or incorrect bank account. Contact your bank and ask whether they received a deposit from the IRS during the date range shown in Where's My Refund. If your bank received it and rejected it, the IRS will reissue your refund as a paper check, which can take an additional four to six weeks.
If you chose a paper check and it has been more than 21 days, the check may have been lost in the mail. You can request a replacement check by calling the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. Have your Social Security number and the refund amount ready. The IRS will verify that the original check was sent and issue a new one, though this process can take several weeks.
If your refund was intercepted — meaning a debt collector, child support agency, or state tax authority took it to pay a debt you owe — Where's My Refund will not show this. You will need to call the IRS or contact the agency that intercepted the money to find out what happened and what your options are.
Why 2020 refunds took longer than usual
The IRS faced a significant backlog in 2021 and 2022 while processing 2020 returns. Many people who filed in early 2021 did not receive their refunds until mid-2021 or later. The backlog was caused by a combination of factors: the IRS had fewer staff members working in offices, many returns required manual review because of changes to tax law, and the volume of returns was higher than normal.
If you filed your 2020 return in 2021 and your refund took six months or longer to arrive, that was not unusual. The IRS has since worked through most of that backlog, but some 2020 returns are still being processed if they required additional review or if there were errors on the return.
What to do if Where's My Refund shows no results
If you enter your information into Where's My Refund and the tool says it cannot find your return, one of three things has happened: the return has not been received yet, the information you entered does not match what is on file, or you may have filed under a different name or Social Security number than you think.
Double-check that you entered your Social Security number correctly and that your filing status matches what you put on your return. If you filed jointly with a spouse, make sure you are using the correct Social Security number. If the tool still shows no results after a few days, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and have a representative look up your return manually.
If you filed your 2020 return by mail and it has been more than four weeks, your return may still be in the mail sorting process. The IRS recommends waiting at least four weeks before calling about a mailed return. If you filed electronically and it has been more than 24 hours, you can call the IRS to confirm they received it.
How to track a refund check by mail
If you chose to receive your refund as a paper check and Where's My Refund says it was sent, you can track it through the U.S. Postal Service if you know the date it was mailed. However, the IRS does not provide tracking numbers for refund checks, so you cannot monitor the check's exact location the way you would with a package.
The best approach is to wait the full 21 days after the IRS says the check was sent. If it does not arrive by then, contact the IRS and request a replacement. The IRS will verify that the original check was sent and issue a new one. You may also be able to request that the replacement be sent as a direct deposit instead, which is faster than waiting for another check.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I check someone else's refund status?
No. The Where's My Refund tool requires the Social Security number of the person who filed the return, so only that person can check the status. If you are a spouse or dependent and need to know the status, ask the person who filed the return to check for you or call the IRS and speak to a representative.
What if I filed my 2020 return in 2022 or later?
The Where's My Refund tool works for any return filed within the past year or so, but if you filed very late, the tool may not have your return yet. Call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to confirm they received it. If you filed in 2022 or 2023, expect processing to take longer than the standard timeline because the IRS prioritizes recent returns.
Does Where's My Refund work if I amended my 2020 return?
Where's My Refund tracks your original return, not an amended return (Form 1040-X). If you filed an amended return, the tool will still show the status of your original refund. To check on an amended return, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and provide your Social Security number and the date you filed the amendment.
What if my refund was sent to the wrong bank account?
Contact your bank first and ask if they received a deposit from the IRS and rejected it. If they did, the IRS will automatically reissue your refund as a paper check, which takes four to six weeks. If your bank never received anything, call the IRS to confirm the account number they have on file and request a correction.
Can I cancel my refund and owe taxes instead?
No. Once the IRS has processed your return and approved your refund, you cannot cancel it. If you change your mind about your return, you would need to file an amended return, but this would not stop a refund that has already been sent. Contact the IRS if you have questions about amending your return.