After your return is "accepted" in TurboTax, it means the IRS has received it; the next stages are processing, approval, and receiving your refund, usually within 21 days. TurboTax status will not update further; you must check the IRS Where's My Refund? site for updates.
If you're getting a refund, the IRS will take a deeper look at your return after it's accepted. They'll look for math errors, check if you owe back taxes or unpaid child support, and more. If they need to make any corrections, they may offset (reduce) or increase your refund.
How long are federal refunds taking now? When you file your taxes electronically with TurboTax, the IRS typically processes refunds within about 21 days, as long as there are no issues. Paper-filed returns may take longer—often 4 to 8 weeks or more.
After acceptance, the IRS moves the return through several internal steps. Processing times can vary based on the information in the return and the volume of returns being handled at that time of year. Many returns move through the system without delays, but some may require additional review.
Accepted is the status of your tax return—not your tax refund. Once your return has been accepted (received) by the government, they'll update the refund status, as they control the money. The status in TurboTax will remain as accepted. Use the IRS Where's My Refund?
Accepted means your tax return has passed a verification that reviews your basic information. This typically involves social security information for the taxpayer and dependents and more. It does not mean your return is approved. Continue to watch the status of your return for additional information.
The IRS states that 9 out of 10 refunds are processed within 21 days from the date the return is accepted.
They may see this status at two stages of processing:
The return was already accepted – The IRS will reject your return if they previously accepted a return with your Social Security number (SSN) or taxpayer identification number (TIN). If this happens, it could be a sign of fraud or tax identity theft.
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.
If you provide the information the IRS is asking for within the requested time, the IRS will immediately consider your request for an expedited refund. Some things to consider if you're seeking an expedited refund: An expedited refund is limited to your hardship amount verified by the IRS.
Typical tax refund processing timelines
In most cases, refunds process within the following time frames: E-filed returns: Within 21 days. Paper filed returns: At least 4 weeks. Amended returns: At least 4 weeks, but could be up to 16.
A “return being processed” status means the IRS has your tax return, and your paper check, direct deposit or e-return is hopefully on the way. Your personalized refund date will be available as soon as the IRS finishes processing your return and confirms its approval.
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.
The biggest tax mistakes people make include filing late, math errors, incorrect personal info (like Social Security numbers), forgetting deductions/credits (like EITC), misreporting income, not signing forms, and making errors with bank details for direct deposit, all leading to delays, penalties, or missed savings, with using tax software or professionals helping avoid these common pitfalls.
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.
When your tax return is accepted, it means the IRS has received your submission and completed a basic review. Think of this as the first checkpoint in the process. Here's what happens at this stage: The IRS checks for obvious errors, like mismatched Social Security numbers or missing forms.
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.
Refund delivery
Most refunds are issued in less than 21 calendar days. The fastest way to get a refund is by filing electronically and choosing direct deposit as the delivery method. Taxpayers who do this typically get their refund in less than 21 days.
For accuracy and simplicity, we show these totals after you enter your income, deductions, and credits instead of a running refund tracker at each step of the filing process.