What are the 3 stages of IRS refund?

Asked by: Dan Grimes  |  Last update: April 23, 2026
Score: 4.9/5 (5 votes)

Where's My Refund? has a new look this year. The tool includes a tracker that displays progress through 3 stages: (1) Return Received, (2) Refund Approved and (3) Refund Sent.

Which tax refund comes first, federal or state?

The state return is not submitted until after the federal return is accepted. If your federal return is rejected the state return is not sent.

How long does the preparing refund stage take?

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.

What are the stages of the tax return process?

The stages of an IRS refund are: (1) Return Received, where the IRS acknowledges receipt of your return; (2) Return Reviewed, where the return is checked for accuracy; and (3) Refund Approved/Sent, where the refund amount is finalized and issued.

How do you know when the IRS is done processing your return?

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.

NC tax refund: What stage of the process is your refund in?

23 related questions found

How long does it take the IRS to go from processing to approved?

Don't count on getting your refund by a certain date, particularly to make major purchases or pay other financial obligations. Even though the IRS issues most refunds in less than 21 days, it's possible your tax return may require additional review that may take longer to process.

Why has my refund been accepted but not approved?

If a taxpayer receives the status update that their tax return was accepted but not approved, this means that the IRS has received their tax return, but they have not yet evaluated the information. Therefore, the taxpayer must wait to see if more action is required.

What are the 3 tax filing statuses?

List the five filing statuses. (single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, head of household, and qualifying surviving spouse. Which taxpayers pay income tax at the highest rates and the lowest rates? (The highest tax rates apply to taxpayers who use the married filing separately filing status.

What happens after a refund is approved?

Refund Approved – We approved your refund and are preparing to issue it by the date shown. Refund Sent – We sent the refund to your bank or to you in the mail. It may take 5 days for it to show in your bank account or several weeks for your check to arrive in the mail.

What day of the week are tax returns deposited?

Day of the week for IRS refund deposits

The IRS typically processes tax refunds and executes direct deposit transactions within 21 days after accepting your tax return. It's common for the IRS to issue them on business days, from Monday through Friday.

How long should refunds take to process?

Credit card refunds usually take between three and seven days, but this can vary depending on the merchant, the billing cycle and your credit card provider.

How long can the IRS hold your refund for review?

See our Held or Stopped Refund page or our video for more information. If the IRS is reviewing your return, the review process could take anywhere from 45 to 180 days, depending on the number and types of issues the IRS is reviewing. Follow these steps if you know you made a mistake, before the IRS contacts you.

What does currently preparing your refund mean?

This means the IRS has processed your return and has approved your refund. The IRS is now preparing to send your refund to your bank or directly to you in the mail if you requested a paper check.

How to expedite a tax refund?

If you're facing serious financial difficulties and need your refund immediately contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service at 877-777-4778. We may be able to expedite your refund.

How do I know if the IRS took my state refund?

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.

How long after my refund is approved will I get my money?

If you e-filed your return and chose direct deposit to receive your refund, you'll usually receive your refund in 8-15 days. However, you should allow an extra 1-5 business days for your bank to process the funds. If you chose the Refund Transfer option, the refund will come from the Axos Bank®, not the IRS.

How does the IRS process paper returns?

After the information from paper-filed returns is in the IRS system, it goes through the same process as electronically filed ones. All returns are screened through a set of IRS systems for consistency and validity. These computer programs look for completeness, fraud, identity theft and other issues.

How will I know if my refund is approved?

Tracking the status of a tax refund is easy with the Where's My Refund? tool. It's available anytime on IRS.gov or through the IRS2Go App. Taxpayers can start checking their refund status within 24 hours after an e-filed return is received.

Which filing status gives the biggest refund?

Married filing jointly is the most common filing status for married couples. This status has the highest standard deduction and some of the most beneficial tax rate brackets. You file together and report combined income, along with your combined deductions and qualifying credits on the same return.

Which type of income is not taxed?

Inheritances, gifts, cash rebates, alimony payments (for divorce decrees finalized after 2018), child support payments, most healthcare benefits, welfare payments, and money that is reimbursed from qualifying adoptions are deemed nontaxable by the IRS.

How many dependents can you claim on taxes?

Although there are limits to specific dependent credits, there's no maximum number of dependent exemptions you can claim. If a person meets the requirements for a qualifying child or relative, you can claim them as a dependent. You can do this regardless of your filing status.

How do I know if my tax return has been flagged?

If the IRS decides that your return merits a second glance, you'll be issued a CP05 Notice. This notice lets you know that your return is being reviewed to verify any or all of the following: Your income. Your tax withholding.

Should I be worried if my refund is still being processed?

If your refund status used to be your tax return is still being processed, but now the status says it is being processed, the IRS may have detected an issue in your tax return that could cause a delay in the release of your tax refund.

How long does it take for tax return to go from accepted to approved?

IRS approval: The IRS works to review and approve refunds quickly and efficiently. In fact, historically, more than 9 out of 10 refunds are processed and approved within 21 days of e-file acceptance.