How to check tax refund status? Step-by-step instructions are here!

Tax season is going on, and taxpayers who have filed for the tax returns must be wondering about their tax refund. The taxpayers can check their tax refund status to know at which stage their tax return is and the refund status. 

How to check tax refund status?

How to check tax refund status?

That’s a million-dollar question circulating in the mind of every taxpayer who has filed their tax returns and eagerly waiting for their tax refund. 

Usually, the IRS processes the tax refund within 21 days of filing the return electronically. But due to some reasons, your refund can get delayed. 

The taxpayers waiting for their tax refund can check the refund status through methods one from the official website and the other from the IRS mobile application.

We will discuss the steps for each method, but first, let us inform you of the information you will require in hand to check the refund status:

  • Social security Number
  • Tax year
  • Your filing status
  • Refund amount that you have calculated during the filing of your tax returns.

How to track the refund status through the IRS website?

The IRS agency introduced a tool called “Where’s My Refund?” to improve the experience of taxpayers checking their refund status.

For this season, the IRS has updated the tool to provide taxpayers with a detailed explanation of the tax refund status rather than the usual general phrases they used to get during the status check.

The taxpayers will get the refund status in the following stages:

  • When their return is received by the IRS, it will show “Return Received.”
  • When the refund is approved by the IRS they have completed the reviewing process of the tax return. It will be displayed as “Return Approved.”
  • When your refund is dispatched or transferred to your account by the agency, it will be displayed as “Refund Sent.”

Now that you are aware of the stages of the “Where’s My Refund?” refund status, let’s move to the steps in how to check your refund status through the IRS “Where’s My Refund?” tool on the official website of the IRS:

  1. Go to the official website of the IRS https://www.irs.gov/
  2. Now move to the header of the homepage, find the Refunds section, and click on the Where My Refunds section. OR scroll down to the “How can we help you?” section and click on the “Get your Refund Status.”
  3. You will see a new page appear on your screen, scroll down and look for the “Check your Refund” highlighted in the blue button.
  4. Click on that, and you will land on another page where you need to fill in information like your SSN, your tax year, your refund amount, and your filing status.
  5. Once you submit all the above information, the status of your tax refund will appear on your screen.

Remember, the refund status will be updated on the IRS tool after 24 hours for e-filers and 4 weeks for paper return filers.

Track the refund status through the IRS mobile Application

IRS has a mobile application IRS2Go available on the Google Play store, App Store, or Amazon. The app is launched to provide taxpayers with various tax services, such as refund status, tax tips, making a payment, etc.

To check the refund status through the IRS mobile application, follow the below steps:

  1. Go to the IRS mobile app IRS2Go.
  2. Find the services tab on the app and look for Check your Refund status.
  3. Fill in the details on the next page that appear on the screen like SSN, filing status, etc.
  4. Submit all the information, and your refund status will be displayed to you.

What to do if your refund status is not updated or you have other issues related to the tax refund?

Taxpayers can call the IRS if they face certain issues with their tax returns or tax refunds. 

Though the agency suggests using online services as the tax season is going on most of the time the line stays busy, you can call when you face other issues like the same update for 6 weeks or a check is not received even after 30 days of dispatch of refund check.

The individual taxpayers can call 800-829-1040 between 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM local time. Remember to have the following information when you call:

  • SSN and birth dates
  • ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number)
  • Prior-year tax return
  • Filing status
  • Any correspondence sent to you by the IRS
  • Filing status

Taxpayers can keep an eye on their refund status via various methods introduced by the IRS. So, use whatever method that suits you and be tension-free about the updates of your tax refunds. 

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