The IRS states that the heavy volume of refund inquiries during tax season means that the IRS anticipates the "Where's My Refund?" on IRS.gov. The refund feature on the IRS2Go phone app will have limited availability during busier periods.
Due to the large number of inquiries and to avoid service disruptions, the IRS strongly urges taxpayers to check on their refunds only once daily. IRS systems are updated every 24 hours, usually overnight, and the same information is available on the Internet, the IRS2go smartphone app, or IRS toll-free lines.
While "Where's My Refund" is updated nightly, your account will not change that frequently.
When can I check the status of my refund?
You can begin to check the status of your return within 24 hours after the IRS has received your e-filed tax return or 4 weeks after mailing your paper return.
You can see your personalized refund date when the IRS processes your tax return and approves your refund. Even though the IRS issues most refunds in less than 21 days after they receive your tax return, your tax return may require additional review and take longer. 9 out of 10 taxpayers typically receive refunds in less than 21 days when they use e-file with direct deposit.
Where’s My Refund? has a tracker that displays progress through 3 stages: (1) Return Received, (2) Refund Approved, and (3) Refund Sent.
You should only call the IRS if it has been 21 days or more since you filed electronically, more than 6 weeks since you mailed your paper return, or the Where’s My Refund? The tool directs you to contact them.
Here are some tips to help taxpayers with their refund questions:
- Prepare the right tax information before using any of the IRS refund tools. This includes your Social Security number, filing status, and refund amount.
- You don't need to check Where's My Refund more than once a day, as your information will not change.
- The best times to check on a refund are in the evening and on weekends to avoid system delays.
- There is no need to call the IRS about your refund; the telephone service has the same information on the Where’s My Refund tracker.