Although the Internal Revenue Service issues most refunds in less than 21 days for taxpayers who filed electronically and chose direct deposit, some refunds may take longer.
Many different factors can affect the refund timing after the IRS receives a tax return. A manual review may be necessary when a return is inaccurate, incomplete, or affected by identity theft or fraud.
Other returns may take longer to process, including when a return needs a correction to the Child Tax Credit or Refund Recovery Credit. Includes a filed claim related to the Earned Income Tax Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit (in, or consists of a Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allowance, which could take up to 14 weeks to process.
The fastest way to get your tax refund is by filing electronically and choosing direct deposit. Taxpayers who don't have a bank account can get information about opening an account at an FDIC-insured bank. Or through the savings and credit union locator tool.
The IRS warns taxpayers not to rely on receiving a refund by a specific date, especially when making major purchases or paying bills. Some returns may require additional review and may take longer to process. In addition, they must consider the time it takes for a financial institution to deposit the refund into their account or receive it in the mail.
To check the status of their refund, taxpayers should use the Where's My Refund? Tool. At IRS.gov. Information for the most recently filed tax year is generally available within 24 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of a taxpayer's e-filed return. If they filed a paper return, taxpayers should allow four weeks before checking the status.
The IRS contacts taxpayers by mail when more information is needed to process a return. IRS representatives by phone or in-person can only investigate the status of the refund if they have passed:
Before filing a return, taxpayers should make IRS.gov their first stop to find online tools to help them get the information they need to file. The tools are easy to use and available at any time. Millions of people visit you to enable file and pay taxes, find information about your tax account, answer tax questions, and get tips about filing your tax return.
Are you waiting for your 2020 tax return to be processed? Individuals whose 2020 tax returns have not yet been processed should file their 2021 tax returns by the April due date or request an extension of time to file.
Those in this group who file electronically need their adjusted gross income, or AGI, from their most recent tax return. For those waiting for their 2020 tax return to be processed, be sure to enter $0 (zero dollars) for prior year AGI on your 2021 tax return.
Also, when preparing their tax return and filing it electronically, taxpayers must sign and validate their electronically filed tax return and enter their prior-year AGI or Self Select PIN (SSP) chosen by the taxpayer. Last year. Those who filed the previous year electronically may have created a five-digit Self-Select PIN as their electronic signature. Tax software typically automatically enters this information for returning customers. Taxpayers using software for the first time may need to enter this information.
Taxpayers should review the special instructions for validating their 2021 e-filed tax return if their 2020 return has not yet been processed. Or if they used the Non-Filer tool in 2021 to sign up for the advance payment of the Child Tax Credit or the third Economic Impact Payment in 2021.
