If you’re like most people, you dread tax season. But if you’re expecting a tax refund, you may have something to look forward to. Most people will get their tax refund within three weeks of filing, but it varies based on how you file and how you get your refund. If there’s extra money coming your way from the IRS, you may be able to pay off some debt, build an emergency fund using a high-interest savings account or work with a financial advisor to set investing and retirement goals. Here’s when you can expect to get your possible refund.
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Most taxpayers receive their refunds within 21 days of filing. The IRS says they issue 90% of refunds in that time frame. 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 decide to request a refund check, you might have to wait a few weeks for it to arrive.
The table below will give you a general estimate of how long you’ll wait, from the time you file until you get your refund.
| Filing Method | E-File, Direct Deposit | Paper File, Direct Deposit | E-File, Check in Mail | Paper File, Check in Mail |
| Time from the day you file until you receive your refund | 1-3 weeks | 3 weeks | 1 month | 2 months |
Based on how you file, most taxpayers can generally expect to receive a refund within these time frames. On average, filers receive their refunds two weeks after their taxes were accepted by the IRS for direct deposits and three weeks after e-filing for a paper check in the mail. However, you may end up waiting longer in some cases.
The Where’s My Refund? tool lets you check the status of your refund through the IRS website or the IRS2Go mobile app. If you submit your tax return electronically, you can check the status of your refund within 24 hours. But if you mail your tax return, you’ll need to wait at least four weeks before you can receive any information about your tax refund. Keep in mind that usually, you can file your taxes in January.
To find out the status of your tax refund, you’ll need to provide your Social Security number (SSN), filing status and the exact dollar amount of your expected refund. If you accidentally enter the wrong SSN, it could trigger an IRS Error Code 9001. That may require further identity verification and delay your tax refund.
If you don’t receive your refund in 21 days, your tax return might need further review. This may happen if your return is incomplete or incorrect. The IRS may send you instructions through the mail if it needs additional information to process your return.
You may also experience delays if you claim the Earned Income Tax Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit. Under the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015, the IRS is required to hold tax returns for folks who claimed those credits until Feb. 15. If you claimed either of those tax breaks, a PATH Act message may appear when you use the Where’s My Refund? tool.
If you haven’t received your refund and you’re becoming impatient, calling the IRS will likely not help. It’s best to avoid contacting the IRS directly unless the Where’s My Refund? tool prompted you to do so or it’s been 21 days since you filed your tax return electronically (change that to six weeks after if you mailed your paper tax return).
What we’ve covered so far applies to federal tax refunds. As you might expect, every state does things a little differently when it comes to issuing tax refunds and it’s not possible to say for sure when everyone will receive their state tax refunds. Although, state refunds often come faster than those being processed through the federal system. This isn’t always the case, but it often is.
Generally, you can expect to receive your state tax refund within 30 days if you filed your tax return electronically. If you filed a paper tax return, it may take as many as 12 weeks for your refund to arrive. To find out the status of your refund, you’ll need to contact your state tax agency or visit your state’s Department of Revenue website.
The deadline to submit your tax return and pay your tax bill is April 15, 2024. For those who were unable to meet the tax filing deadline for the year, there was an option to file for a six-month extension. This would put your extension deadline to file your taxes at Oct. 15, 2024, but the sooner you file, the sooner you can receive your tax refund.
If you want to receive your tax refund as quickly as possible, you’ll need to complete your tax return early, check for mistakes before submitting it and file electronically. And while you can ask for a physical check, you’ll receive your refund much faster if it’s deposited directly into your checking account, savings account or individual retirement account (IRA). If you’re anxious about the status of your tax refund, don’t forget to use the IRS Where’s My Refund? tool. It provides real-time updates on the status of your refund.
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Lauren Perez, CEPF®Lauren Perez writes on a variety of personal finance topics for SmartAsset, with a special expertise in savings, banking and credit cards. She is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance® (CEPF®) and a member of the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. Lauren has a degree in English from the University of Rochester where she focused on Language, Media and Communications. She is originally from Los Angeles. While prone to the occasional shopping spree, Lauren has been aware of the importance of money management and savings since she was young. Lauren loves being able to make credit card and retirement account recommendations to friends and family based on the hours of research she completes at SmartAsset.
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