Where’s my tax refund? Once you file, how long you’ll wait for your cash (2024)

WASHINGTON – Once taxpayers file their taxes, there’s only one question on their minds: Where’s my refund?

The Internal Revenue Service says it processes about nine out of 10 tax returns within 21 business days. That estimate does not include weekends and holidays.

Several factors can affect how fast your get your money. Three big ones:

• How you file – Filing your return electronically, so that it reaches the IRS in a digital form, allows the IRS to process it more quickly.
• When you file – Generally, the earlier you file, the more quickly your return will be processed.
• Which credits you claim – Claiming certain credits can delay processing. For example, the IRS by law cannot even begin to process Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit refunds before mid-February.

In general, the earlier you file, the better. Allowing for direct deposit can speed up how quickly you get your money.

So, if you file electronically, and the IRS can begin processing it by Tuesday, Feb. 13, you could expect your refund to be directly deposited by about March 13.

That takes into account President’s Day (Feb. 19) and weekends, none of which are business days.

Related

• Get free IRS help preparing tax returns, filing electronically and get refunds faster
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If you file by mail, the IRS estimates it will take four weeks or more to process your return. It also will take longer if corrections are required, or extra review is needed.

And if you request a paper check, rather than direct deposit, that also can slow the process.

Once you file, you can track the status of your return (and refund) with the Where’s My Refund? tool. Data is updated daily. How quickly you can start getting nformation about your return will depend on how you file. Here’s some expected wait times:

• 24 hours after e-filing a tax year 2023 return.
• 3 or 4 days after e-filing a tax year 2022 or 2021 return.
• 4 weeks or more after mailing a return.

If you don’t have internet access, you may call the automated refund hotline at 800-829-1954 for information about a current-year refund or 866-464-2050 for an amended return.