What if my refund was issued but not deposited?

Asked by: Hazle Rosenbaum PhD  |  Last update: September 19, 2025
Score: 4.7/5 (61 votes)

The IRS will send you a CP237A if the tax refund check they sent you was never deposited. If you received this notice, call 1-800-829-0115 to claim your refund. In most cases, you will get your refund within 30 days of contacting the IRS.

What if my tax refund was sent but not deposited?

If you have contacted the financial institution and two weeks have passed with no results, you will need to file Form 3911, Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund PDF to initiate a trace. This allows the IRS to contact the bank on your behalf to attempt recovery of your refund.

What if a refund is issued but not credited?

Bank account details provided to the IT department while filing returns have changed. If the refund could not get credited to the bank account then to resolve the issue, raise the grievance in the income tax portal. In certain cases, the income tax department may ask you to raise a refund reissue request.

What if my refund was issued but not received?

So, if it appears the refund was issued, but you still haven't received it, you can ask the IRS to do a refund trace. This is the process the IRS uses to track a lost, stolen, or misplaced refund check or to verify a financial institution received a direct deposit.

How long after refund is issued will it be deposited?

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.

IRS says Refund Sent, but it’s not in your bank account yet? Here’s why you still haven't gotten it!

25 related questions found

How long do refunds take once issued?

Refunds to debit cards tend to take between two and five business days, but it can take up to 30 days depending on the company issuing the refund.

Can my refund come before the deposit date?

It can come earlier than the date the IRS provided you because when a company is sending money to your banking institute via direct deposit... in order for it to be available on the date it is posted for... they have to send the electronic transmission at least 24 hours in advance but most send it 48 hours in advance.

Why hasn't my refund been direct deposited yet?

An incomplete return, an inaccurate return, an amended return, tax fraud, claiming tax credits, owing certain debts for which the government can take part or all of your refund, and sending your refund to the wrong bank due to an incorrect routing number are all reasons that a tax refund can be delayed.

What does "your refund has been issued" mean?

This means the IRS has sent your refund to your financial institution for direct deposit.

How long does it take for the IRS to reissue a refund check?

BFS will review your claim and the signature on the canceled check before determining whether they can issue you a replacement check. The BFS review can take up to six weeks to complete.

What happens when a refund is issued?

When a merchant gives you a refund for a purchase made with a credit card, they don't refund the money to you directly. Instead, they ask the credit card issuer to credit your account for the return amount. The amount appears on your credit card statement as a statement credit.

How will I know if my refund was not approved?

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.

Why is a refund not showing in my bank account?

Depending on the issuing bank or credit card company, it can take an average of 1-7 business days for these funds to show in their account, based on the issuer's settlement process. Credit card accounts typically take longer to display refunded transactions than debit card accounts.

What if refund status is refunded but not credited?

Usually, it takes 4-5 weeks for the refund to be credited to the account of the taxpayer. However, if refund is not received during this duration, the taxpayer must check for intimation regarding discrepancies in ITR; check email for any notification from the IT department regarding the refund.

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 IRS to send a refund rejected by bank?

If your bank rejected your tax refund, it can take up to 5 business days for the IRS to receive the funds back. Once they receive the funds they will send you a paper check. This can take up to 10 business days for you to receive it.

When a refund is issued How long does it 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 does refund issued mean on IRS transcript?

Once the IRS code 846 appears on your tax transcript, your refund has been approved and you will be receiving the payment soon. If you request direct deposit refunds, the money should be processed within 2 to 3 weeks.

How do I know when my tax refund will be deposited?

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.

Why does it say refund issued but not received?

Has the IRS released your refund, but you haven't received it, or did you request the IRS mail you a refund check? It's possible that it was lost in the mail or stolen. Either way, you'll need to report the missing refund check and have the IRS start a trace. Learn more about tracing a refund in Lost or Stolen Refunds.

What if my refund was sent but not deposited?

The IRS will send you a CP237A if the tax refund check they sent you was never deposited. If you received this notice, call 1-800-829-0115 to claim your refund. In most cases, you will get your refund within 30 days of contacting the IRS.

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.

Is the refund date accurate?

Myth: I will get my refund within 21 days

The myth suggests that taxpayers will receive their IRS refund within 21 days. But, this is not always the case. Many taxpayers do receive their refunds within this timeframe. But, various factors can cause delays.

What time should my refund be direct deposited?

While a person can choose direct deposit whether they file their taxes on paper or electronically, a taxpayer who e-files will typically see their refund in less than 21 days.

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.