TurboTax emails you when the IRS accepts or rejects your return, but it does not officially notify you when the refund is approved or deposited. While you may receive a marketing email stating your refund is "on the way" once the IRS accepts it, the only reliable source for approval status is the IRS "Where's My Refund?" website or the IRS2Go app.
If you used TurboTax to e-file your return, you can login to your TurboTax Online account to check the e-file status. After your tax return has been accepted by the IRS, only the IRS can tell you the status of processing that return, whether you owe taxes or are due a tax refund.
Generally, once your return is E-filed, you will receive an acknowledgement email within 48 hours. This email will let you know if your return was accepted or rejected. Once the IRS has accepted your return, the amount of time that it will take to actually receive a refund may vary.
The most convenient way to check on a tax refund is by using the Where's My Refund? tool on IRS.gov. Taxpayers can start checking their refund status within 24 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of the taxpayer's e-filed return.
We'll send you an email when your Refund Advance funds are available. If you chose up to 5 days early refund delivery, we'll send you emails with the status of your refund.
So if you get an email about a tax refund, it will not be from HMRC. In addition, HMRC will never ask for personal or payment information by email. So if you get an email about a tax refund and it appears to be from HMRC, then it is going to be a fake.
You will receive an update in your online tax account when this happens. You will only receive a letter from HMRC by post if you have paid too much or too little tax through Self Assessment. The notice will explain how to get your refund or pay any additional tax you owe.
Once a return is accepted, the next major milestone is approval. Approval happens after the IRS finishes processing the return and confirms the information is ready for final review. If a refund is expected, approval is the stage when the IRS authorizes its release.
Depending on how you file, the IRS will typically notify you of a rejected return by email or regular mail.
You should receive your tax refund from the IRS within 21 days after acceptance. If you have not received it by this time, contact the IRS for assistance.
The IRS $600 rule refers to a change in reporting requirements for third-party payment apps (like Venmo, PayPal) for taxable income from goods and services, where platforms must send a Form 1099-K if you receive over $600 in a year, intended to capture gig economy/side hustle income, though delays and phased implementation have adjusted the timeline, with current rules for 2024 using a higher threshold ($5,000) before fully phasing to $600 for future years, but remember all taxable income, regardless of form, must always be reported.
Some scammers set up phony Web sites. Generally, the IRS does not send unsolicited e-mails to taxpayers.
TurboTax tells you the e-file was accepted if the IRS deems that there is enough information on the return for them to take it in for processing. Only the IRS can approve of the refund, which is a later stage of processing.
Accepted is the status of your tax return—not your tax refund. Once your return has been accepted (received) by the government, they will update the refund status, as they control the money. The status in TurboTax will remain as accepted. Use the IRS Where's My Refund?
The IRS only updates your refund status information once per week on Wednesdays. If you e-file your tax return, wait at least 72 hours from the date the IRS confirms receipt of your return before checking your refund status, and at least three weeks if you mail the return instead.
Use the IRS Where's My Refund tool or the IRS2Go mobile app to check your refund online. This is the fastest and easiest way to track your refund. The systems are updated once every 24 hours. You can contact the IRS to check on the status of your refund.
Accepted means your tax return was received and has passed initial inspection, such as correct Social Security number and correctly claimed dependents. It can take anywhere from a few days to three weeks for your return to go from acceptance to approval.
Within 24 to 48 hours, you'll usually get a notice that the IRS has accepted your return.
Unallowable Deductions: Refunds may be delayed or reduced if the taxpayer claims deductions that are clearly unallowable. First-Time Filers: A taxpayer who has not filed a tax return as either a primary or secondary filer in the previous ten years is considered a first-time filer, and this can lead to delays.
That email came from marketing. Marketing does not know anything about your refund status. In fact TurboTax receives NO information about your refund after your e-file has been accepted for processing. TT will never know when or even if you receive your refund.
No, the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by sending unsolicited emails, texts, or social media messages to request personal or financial information; these are almost always scams, though you can subscribe to legitimate IRS email updates on specific topics. The IRS primarily uses mail and will call or visit in special situations, never asking for sensitive data like PINs, passwords, or bank details via email, so forward suspicious messages to phishing@irs.gov and never click links or open attachments.
The real IRS will never contact you by email, text message or social media to get your personal or financial information. If you receive one of these suspicious messages, don't click on any links. Instead, check the status of a pending refund on the official IRS website.