When you are waiting for your tax return, the days might seem like they are dragging on forever. However, while your tax return is being completed, there are a few different methods that you may check on the progress of your payment.

Utilizing the IRS's "Where is My Refund," website is an excellent way to get started searching for your lost money. You can track refund using some of the more fundamental information from your tax return. If you have not yet submitted your return, you may do some actions to position yourself for a more expedient payment, such as completing your return online. Here is a tutorial that will walk you through the steps of checking the progress of your tax return for the year 2022, as well as some key information you need to know to collect your federal or state tax refund more quickly.

When will I get my refund? How to check the status of your tax refund with the IRS

The "Where's My Refund" tracker offered by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the quickest and most convenient method to check on your federal tax return and refund status. The agency typically updates the tracker in the middle of the night once a day. You can begin checking on the status of your tax refund 24 hours after electronically submitting your return and between four weeks and six months after sending in a paper return, respectively.

You will need to have three things ready to check on the status of your refund: your Social Security number, your filing status, and the sum of money owed to you as a refund. The status of your return will be shown on the tracker as either "return acceptance," "refund approval," or "refund sent," depending on where it is in the process. If there is a problem or a delay with your return, the tracker may require you to contact the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

If you filed a return for a previous year (either 2020 or 2021), you should be able to check the status of your refund using the WMR tool three to four days after you electronically file your return. There is a separate tracker you may use if you need to verify the progress of your revised return.

When to expect IRS refund

The Internal Revenue Service does not publish an official tax refund calendar or timetable; however, the government does provide some general suggestions for estimating when you might anticipate receiving your tax return. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), taxpayers who e-file their tax returns in 2023 and ensure they are error-free may anticipate receiving their refunds within 21 days. Paper returns sent in may need additional processing time, extending the time to provide refunds by up to six months.

Estimate your IRS tax refund date

There is no official IRS refund schedule; however, the agency provides some general projections as to when you may anticipate receiving your return. Again, remember that the dates the IRS will deposit your money may vary depending on when and how your taxes are filed.

You may obtain a broad estimate of when to anticipate your tax return using the tax refund calculator provided below. The estimate assumes that it may take up to three days for direct deposits to be processed and that it may take up to seven days for the United States Postal Service to mail a paper check.

What gives? Why haven't I gotten my tax refund yet?

There are several potential causes for the delay in processing your refund. One of the most typical offenses is filing a flawed return, such as entering an erroneous Social Security number or failing to provide accurate information about direct deposit. The Internal Revenue Service may withhold your return if it needs more examination or if it was submitted in an incomplete form.

Suppose you filed your taxes early and claimed either the earned income tax credit or the extra child tax credit. In that case, you should be aware that the Internal Revenue Service is legally prohibited from issuing tax refunds before the middle of February. However, provided you submitted your return promptly and ensured that everything was completed accurately, the administration believes you should obtain your refund shortly if you do not already have it.

In addition, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website receives monthly updates about the functioning status. If you are still waiting for your refund after 21 days if you e-filed your return and six weeks if you mailed your return and there have been no changes made to either the Where's My Refund tracking or your online account with the IRS, you may try calling the agency's refund hotline for further information about your situation.