What is the difference between tax return ‘accepted’ and ‘approved’? (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between tax return ‘accepted’ and ‘approved’? ›

“Accepted” simply means that the IRS has received your tax return. This does not necessarily mean that your tax return has been approved, and it does not mean that you will receive a refund. Your return is marked as “accepted” usually within 24-48 hours of submitting it electronically.

A federal return that's been 'accepted' means it has passed an initial screening, which includes some basic checks. Once it has entered this phase, its status will remain the same until it has been “Approved.” This would mean it has been processed and that the IRS has approved the release of your refund.

(updated December 22, 2023) We issue most refunds in less than 21 calendar days. However, if you mailed your return and expect a refund, it could take four weeks or more to process your return. Where's My Refund?

"IRS Accepted Return But Not Approved" Meaning

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.

by TurboTax• Updated 4 months ago

Accepted means your tax return was received and has passed initial inspection, such as correct Social Security number and correctly claimed dependents. It can take anywhere from a few days to three weeks for your return to go from acceptance to approval.

The return was already accepted – The IRS will reject your return if they previously accepted a return with your Social Security number (SSN) or taxpayer identification number (TIN). If this happens, it could be a sign of fraud or identity theft.

Key Takeaways

Your tax returns can be audited even after you've been issued a refund. Only a small percentage of U.S. taxpayers' returns are audited each year. The IRS can audit returns for up to three prior tax years and, in some cases, go back even further.

What if my refund status is stuck on "IRS accepted return but not approved"? Seeing your tax return status change to "accepted" is a good sign, but it doesn't mean your refund is yet on the way. It's normal for the IRS to display the "accepted" status for some time before transitioning to "approved."

Expect the IRS to acknowledge your return within 24 to 48 hours. IRS Refund Timetable: Post-acceptance, the processing time typically unfolds on an IRS-determined schedule. Speedy Refund Delivery: The majority of refunds are dispatched within 21 days of e-file acceptance.

What happens after I successfully verify? We'll process your tax return. It may take up to 9 weeks to receive your refund or credit any overpayment to your account. However, if we find other problems, we'll contact you again and this may delay your refund.

Why does TurboTax say my refund was accepted but IRS says processing? ›

IRS may have accepted your return for e-filing but have not fully processed it yet. IRS will contact you if there are problems. There are several reasons why it may take a long time to process. Once your return has been accepted by the IRS, TurboTax is no longer involved in the processing.

See our Held or Stopped Refund page or our video for more information. If the IRS is reviewing your return, the review process could take anywhere from 45 to 180 days, depending on the number and types of issues the IRS is reviewing.

The IRS only issued refunds once per week under the old system. They now issue refunds every business day, Monday through Friday (except holidays). Due to changes in the IRS auditing system, they no longer release a full schedule as they did in previous years.

You can accept absolutely anyone or any situation, agreement is not a requirement. Approval works in a completely different way. Approval stems from the idea that I condone, sanction, or endorse this thing you are doing. The idea of approval comes from a person that we attach some type of authority to.

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.

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.