Information for the most current tax year filed is generally available within 24 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of a taxpayer's e-filed return. If they filed a paper return, taxpayers should allow four weeks before checking the status.
If the verification proves you are the person named on the return and that you personally filed the return, the return will be processed. After successful verification, it takes about 6 weeks to complete processing.
The most convenient way to check on a tax refund is by using the Where's My Refund? tool. Taxpayers can start checking their refund status within 24 hours after an e-filed return is received. The tool also provides a personalized refund date after the return is processed and a refund is approved.
If you file a complete and accurate paper tax return, your refund should be issued in about six to eight weeks from the date IRS receives your return. If you file your return electronically, your refund should be issued in less than three weeks, even faster when you choose direct deposit.
We issue most refunds in less than 21 calendar days. However, if you filed on paper and are expecting a refund, it could take six months or more to process your return.
Paper Return Delays
If you filed on paper, it may take 6 months or more to process your tax return. For service delay details, see Status of Operations. The IRS issues more than 9 out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days. However, it's possible your tax return may require additional review and take longer.
The IRS will then contact you by mail if it needs additional supporting documents. If you filed your return by the due date and it gets rejected, the IRS will consider it filed on time if you make the necessary corrections and e-file it again within 10 days.
No. Once your return is accepted by the IRS, it can't be rejected. If anything, they may send a letter or notice requesting additional support if needed. The IRS operations are limited during the Covid-19 pandemic.
First, they look for things like back taxes and unpaid child support. If they find any debts, they'll offset (reduce) your refund to cover the outstanding amount. Once they are satisfied that you have no outstanding debts, they will approve and then issue your refund.
There are many different reasons why your refund may have not been processed yet, but the most common include: Your tax return included errors. Your tax return is incomplete. This could mean that all of the necessary forms were not sent to the IRS for processing.
The review means that your return is pending because IRS is verifying information on your tax return. They may contact you before processing your return.
The IRS now verifies income for filers selected for examination (i.e., for audit) because their tax returns appear questionable.
The IRS sends these identity verification letters to taxpayers after receiving an e-filed/paper-filed tax return, before processing a refund. Sometimes this is to randomly verify identification as a measure to prevent identity theft and to test and strengthen IRS internal controls.
Once accepted, it can take anywhere from a few days to 3 weeks (21 days) to go from acceptance to approval, and this timeframe is unrelated to how, where, or when you filed, nor is it connected to how quickly you got your refund last year.
The report expresses concern about continuing delays in the processing of paper-filed tax returns and the consequent impact on taxpayer refunds. At the end of May, the agency had a backlog of 21.3 million unprocessed paper tax returns, an increase of 1.3 million over the same time last year.
They now issue refunds every business day, Monday through Friday (except holidays). Due to changes in the IRS auditing system, they no longer release a full schedule as they did in previous years.
E-filed returns generally sit in Pending status for 24-48 hours before coming back as either Accepted or Rejected. Sometimes state returns stay in Pending for several days or even longer.
We're open and processing mail, tax returns, payments, refunds and correspondence. However, COVID-19 continues to cause delays in some of our services. Our service delays include: Live phone support.
Some returns are taking longer because of corrections needed that are related to the earned-income tax credit and the pandemic-related stimulus payments (officially termed a “Recovery Rebate Credit”).
Reasons Your Tax Refund Can Be Delayed
Missing information. A need for additional review. Possible identity theft or tax fraud. A claim for an earned income tax credit or an additional child tax credit.
(added March 14, 2022) After you verify your identity and tax return information using this service, it may take up to nine weeks to complete the processing of the return. Visit Where's My Refund? or use the IRS2Go mobile app 2-3 weeks after using this service to check your refund status.
The Short Answer: Yes. The IRS probably already knows about many of your financial accounts, and the IRS can get information on how much is there. But, in reality, the IRS rarely digs deeper into your bank and financial accounts unless you're being audited or the IRS is collecting back taxes from you.
You will get an initial IRS notice which will state the additional delay (E.g a letter 2645C) and extra time for the IRS to review and respond (normally 60 days). If they need something from you they will send a follow-up letter (e.g. CP05 or or 4464C) that will likely provide more details and actions to take.