Where’s your income tax refund? Track refund status with IRS tools

If you met the May 17 deadline to file your tax return with the IRS, you may now want to know the status of your refund. Here’s how to get updates on your refund status using the IRS tracker tools.

The IRS is expecting some refund delays this year, and there are a few reasons why you may not have received yours yet — for example, if the IRS is doing extra calculations because you qualify for a Recovery Rebate Credit, or if you sent a paper tax return by the mail. The online IRS tools let you know if your tax return was received, if the IRS is processing it or when your refund was mailed out or deposited electronically in your bank account. 

The IRS tools can help in other ways — if you think your third stimulus check is missing, you can track the status of your payment. Here’s more information about whether you might need to file an amended tax form and if you’re eligible for other COVID-related credits and benefits. If you have kids, here’s how to calculate how much money you might get through child tax credits. And if you received unemployment in 2020, you could get extra money with your refund if you qualify for a tax break. This story is updated frequently. 

Is the IRS taking longer to process tax returns this year?

Because of the pandemic, the IRS ran at limited capacity last year, which put a strain on its ability to process tax returns and send out stimulus checks. The IRS is now open again and processing mail, tax returns, payments, refunds and correspondence, the agency said, but the pandemic continues to cause delays in some services.

The IRS said it’s issuing most refunds in less than 21 days right now but some are taking longer, including for mailed paper tax returns. The IRS said it’s also taking longer than 21 days to issue refunds for some 2020 tax returns that require review, such as determining Recovery Rebate Credit amounts for the first and second stimulus checks or figuring earned income tax credit and additional child tax credit amounts.

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How do I check the status of my refund?

To track the status of your income tax refund, you need several things on hand: Your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, your filing status — single, married or head of household — and your refund amount in whole dollars, which you can find on your tax return. Also, make sure it’s been at least 24 hours before you try tracking your refund.

Using the IRS tool Where’s My Refund, enter your SSN or ITIN, your filing status and your exact refund amount, then press Submit. If you entered your information correctly, you’ll be taken to a page that shows your refund status. If not, you may be asked to verify your personal tax data and try again. If all the information looks correct, you’ll need to enter the date you filed your taxes, along with whether you filed electronically or on paper.

The IRS also has a mobile app, called IRS2Go, that checks your tax refund status….