Where to check your refund right now

The IRS has a tool called Where's My Refund? that shows you the status of your federal tax refund. You reach it at irs.gov/refunds, and it updates once per day, usually overnight. You'll need your Social Security number, filing status (single, married filing jointly, etc.), and the exact refund amount from your tax return.

The tool tells you three things: whether the IRS has received your return, whether they've approved it, and whether the refund has been sent. If it shows "Approved" or "Sent," you also get a delivery date — either a direct deposit date or the date a check will arrive in the mail.

If you filed through a tax software company like TurboTax, H&R Block, or TaxAct, log into your account on their website. Many of these services mirror the IRS data and show the same status, sometimes with a few extra details about processing steps.

Key Takeaways

  • The IRS Where's My Refund tool at irs.gov/refunds is the official source and updates once daily with your refund status.
  • You need your Social Security number, filing status, and the exact refund amount to check your status.
  • Direct deposits typically arrive within one to two business days after the IRS approves your return; checks take five to seven business days after approval.
  • If Where's My Refund shows an error or your refund is delayed beyond the expected timeline, contact the IRS directly at 800-829-1040.
  • State tax refunds are tracked separately through your state's tax agency website, not through the federal IRS tool.

How long refunds take from approval to your account

Once the IRS approves your return, the timeline depends on how you chose to receive your money. Direct deposit is the fastest: the refund usually lands in your bank account within one to two business days after approval. Paper checks take longer — typically five to seven business days after approval, depending on mail delivery in your area.

The approval itself can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Simple returns with no errors or missing information move faster. Returns that trigger additional review — because of inconsistencies, missing documents, or income verification issues — can sit in a queue for weeks or months.

Where's My Refund will show you the approval date once it happens. If the tool says "Approved" but you haven't received the money yet, check the delivery date it provides. If today's date is before that delivery date, your refund is on schedule.

What to do if Where's My Refund shows an error or won't load

If the tool says "Return Received" but nothing has changed in more than two weeks, your return may be held for review. This happens when the IRS needs to verify information — your identity, your income, your dependents, or something else on the form. You'll receive a letter in the mail if this is the case, usually within 30 days of filing.

If Where's My Refund won't load or keeps timing out, try again in a few hours. The IRS system experiences heavy traffic during tax season and sometimes goes offline for maintenance. If it continues to fail, call the IRS at 800-829-1040. Have your Social Security number, filing status, and refund amount ready.

If the tool shows a refund amount that doesn't match what you expected, log back into your tax software or your filed return to confirm the number you entered. If it still doesn't match, the IRS may have made a correction — for example, reducing your refund because you owe back taxes or student loan debt. The IRS will send you a letter explaining any changes.

Refunds delayed beyond the expected date

If Where's My Refund shows "Approved" and the delivery date has passed but you haven't received your money, contact the IRS. Call 800-829-1040 and have your Social Security number, filing status, and refund amount ready. The IRS can tell you whether the refund was actually sent and, if so, whether it was returned to them (which happens if your bank account information was wrong).

If your refund was returned to the IRS because of a bad bank account number, you'll receive a notice in the mail. You can then request a paper check instead, or provide corrected account information if you want to try direct deposit again.

Refunds can also be delayed if the IRS is holding your return for identity verification or if you have an outstanding tax debt from a previous year. The IRS will send you a letter explaining the hold. If you believe the hold is a mistake, you can respond to the letter or call 800-829-1040 to dispute it.

State tax refunds are tracked separately

Your state income tax refund is not included in Where's My Refund. Each state runs its own tax system and tracks refunds independently. To check your state refund, visit your state's department of revenue or taxation website and look for a refund status tool — most states have one.

State refunds typically take longer than federal refunds. Many states take four to six weeks to process a return after they receive it, and some take longer during peak tax season. A few states offer direct deposit, which is faster; others mail checks only.

If you filed both federal and state returns on the same day, your state refund may arrive weeks after your federal refund. This is normal and does not mean there's a problem with your state return.

What happens if you filed through a tax preparer or accountant

If a tax professional filed your return on your behalf, you can still check Where's My Refund using your own Social Security number. The tool doesn't care who prepared the return — it shows the status of any return filed under your name and Social Security number.

However, if your tax preparer filed electronically and you want to know whether the IRS has received the return, you can also ask your preparer directly. They have access to their own filing records and can tell you the date they submitted it to the IRS. The IRS typically receives electronically filed returns within 24 hours of submission.

If your refund is delayed and you used a tax preparer, contact them first. They may have received a notice from the IRS that you haven't seen yet, or they may be able to help you resolve the issue faster than calling the IRS directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Where's My Refund say "Still Being Processed" after three weeks?

Returns that need additional review stay in "Still Being Processed" for longer than simple returns. The IRS may be verifying your identity, checking your income against W-2s or 1099s, or reviewing your dependent claims. You'll receive a letter if they need information from you. If you haven't received a letter after 30 days, call 800-829-1040.

Can I check my refund status on my phone?

Yes. The IRS Where's My Refund tool works on mobile browsers. You can also use the IRS2Go mobile app, which is free and available on iOS and Android. Both show the same information as the website version.

What if I filed my return but Where's My Refund says it has no record of it?

The IRS typically receives electronically filed returns within 24 hours. If you filed by mail, it can take two to three weeks for the IRS to receive and log it. If you filed electronically more than three days ago and Where's My Refund still shows no record, contact your tax software provider or tax preparer to confirm the return was actually submitted. If it was submitted, call the IRS at 800-829-1040.

Does Where's My Refund show information about my state refund too?

No. Where's My Refund only tracks federal refunds. You must check your state's tax website separately for state refund status. Most states have their own refund tracking tool on their department of revenue website.

What if I made a mistake on my return after I filed it?

If you haven't received your refund yet, you can file an amended return (Form 1040-X) to correct the mistake. However, this will delay your original refund because the IRS will hold it while processing the amendment. If the mistake results in a smaller refund, it's often faster to just accept the original refund and file the amendment later. If it results in a larger refund, file the amendment as soon as possible.