Track Your Federal Tax Refund and Understand What Happens Next

Waiting on a tax refund can be frustrating—especially when you’re not sure where it is or why it may be delayed.

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R&R and Associates makes it easier to understand the refund process, check your IRS refund status, and know when it may be time to seek additional tax assistance.

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Whether R&R prepared your return or you filed elsewhere, use the resources below to check your federal refund and understand your next steps.

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R&R and Associates is headquartered in Dallas, Texas and provides tax preparation and tax support to clients nationwide.

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How to Check Your IRS Tax Refund

The IRS provides two primary ways to check your federal refund status:

IRS Where’s My Refund?

Use the IRS refund tracker to check the status of an original federal income tax return.

Before you begin, have the following information available:

• Your Social Security number or ITIN

• Your filing status

• The exact refund amount shown on your return

• The tax year you are checking

 

According to the IRS, refund-status information is generally available:

• About 24 hours after e-filing a current-year return

• About 3 days after e-filing a prior-year return

• About 4 weeks after filing a paper return

 

How Long Does a Tax Refund Take?

The IRS says most electronically filed individual returns are generally processed within approximately 21 days, although some returns may take longer when additional review or correction is required.

 

Typical processing expectations include:

E-Filed Returns

Approximately three weeks from the date the return is electronically filed.

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Paper Returns

Generally six weeks or longer after the IRS receives the return.

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Amended Returns

Amended returns typically take significantly longer than original returns and should be tracked separately.

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Processing times can vary based on your individual tax situation.

 

Why Is My Tax Refund Delayed?

A delayed refund does not automatically mean something is wrong.

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The IRS may require additional time for a variety of reasons.

 

Common causes of tax refund delays can include:

Errors on the Tax Return

Missing information, incorrect Social Security numbers, calculation errors, or other return issues may require additional review.

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Earned Income Tax Credit

Returns claiming certain refundable credits may be subject to additional processing requirements.

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Additional Child Tax Credit

Returns involving refundable child-related credits may require additional review.

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Identity Verification

The IRS may delay a refund while verifying the taxpayer’s identity or reviewing a return for potential fraud.

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Amended Returns

An amended return requires the IRS to compare the original return with the updated information.

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Injured Spouse Claims

Requests involving injured spouse relief generally require manual processing.

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IRS Review

Some returns are selected for additional review even when the taxpayer has done nothing wrong.

 

Why Is My Refund Less Than Expected?

Sometimes your refund is issued for an amount different from the amount shown on your original tax return.

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Possible reasons may include:

• Corrections made by the IRS

• Past-due federal taxes

• Certain state tax obligations

• Past-due child support

• Certain federal agency debts

• Changes to deductions or tax credits

• Errors identified during IRS processing

 

If your federal refund is reduced because of an eligible debt offset, the Bureau of the Fiscal Service generally sends a notice explaining the adjustment.

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Received an IRS notice or unexpected refund amount?

 

What If My Refund Hasn’t Arrived?

First, check the IRS refund tracker.

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If the IRS indicates that your refund has already been issued but you have not received it, additional steps may be necessary.

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For example, taxpayers may need to request a refund trace when an issued refund check appears to have been lost or stolen.

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If you are unsure what an IRS message, letter, or refund status means, R&R can review your situation and help you determine the appropriate next step.

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Checking an Amended Tax Return

If you filed Form 1040-X to correct a previously filed tax return, do not use the standard Where’s My Refund tracker.

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Use the IRS Where’s My Amended Return? tool instead.

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The IRS states that amended returns generally take approximately 8 to 12 weeks to process, although some cases may take as long as 16 weeks.

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It may also take approximately three weeks after filing before an amended return appears in the IRS tracking system.

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Do You Need to Amend Your Tax Return?

A tax return may need to be amended when important information on the original return was incorrect or incomplete.

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Examples can include changes to:

• Filing status

• Income

• Tax deductions

• Tax credits

• Dependents

• Tax withholding

• Business income or expenses

• Investment transactions

 

Not every tax return mistake requires an amendment. The IRS automatically corrects some mathematical or clerical errors during processing.

If you’re unsure whether your return should be amended, have a tax professional review it before filing another return.

 

Your Refund Is Taking Longer Than Expected. What Should You Do?

Use this simple process:

1. Check the IRS Refund Tracker

Confirm the current status of your return.

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2. Review Your Tax Return

Verify that the Social Security numbers, filing status, bank information, income and refund amount are correct.

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3. Review Any IRS Correspondence

If the IRS needs additional information, it generally communicates with taxpayers by mail.

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4. Avoid Filing a Second Original Return

Submitting another return simply because your refund is delayed can create additional processing issues.

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5. Get Professional Help When Needed

If you received a notice, discovered an error, need to amend your return, or don't understand the IRS status, consider having a tax professional review the situation.

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