Within 24 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of an electronically filed return, taxpayers can begin checking on the status of their return. To check their return status, they can use a Tax Return Tracking called ‘Where’s My Refund?’ tool.
Even though using the ‘Where’s My Refund’ tool is pretty easy, but there are many people who do not know how to use it. No worries! This post will show you a guide to check your return status using the ‘Where’s My Refund’ tool in an easy guide. Let’s find out the guide through our post below!
How Does ‘Where’s My Refund’ Tool Work?
‘Where’s My Refund’ is a tool used to check the status of a taxpayer’s return. This tool will provide a personalized refund date once they process your return and approve your refund. When you are tracking your return status, the tool will show you the progress through three stages, including:
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- Return Received
- Refund Approved
- Refund Sent
So far, ‘Where’s My Refund?’ tool gives the ease to track the status of a tax refund that will be available anytime on IRS.gov or through the IRS2Go App. After an e-filed return is received, taxpayers can begin to check their refund status within 24 hours.
The tool will generally show the status of your refund, commonly on the most recent tax year refund that the IRS has on file for you.
In order to use ‘Where’s My Refund?’ tool, you need to enter your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, your filing status and exact whole dollar amount of your refund. The IRS will update the tool once a day, commonly overnight, so you do not need to check your refund status more often.
Furthermore, your refund will take around the second or third week in December (for U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns) filed before July 1. After July 1, your return will take throughout the following year until you file a tax return for a more current tax year (for U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns).
Your refund information will remain available throughout the following year until you file a tax return for a more current tax year, if your refund check was returned to the IRS as undeliverable by the U.S. Post Office.
In the case of your refund being stolen, lost or destroyed, you will be able to file an online claim for a replacement check if it has been more than 28 days from the date when they mailed your refund. But, you do not have to worry, as Where’s My Refund tool will provide you detailed information about filling a claim if this situation applies to you.
Why Does Your Refund Take Longer?
‘Where’s My Refund’ tool actually gives you a personalized date once the return is processed and a refund is approved. Some probably take longer if the return requires additional review, while most tax refunds are issued within 21 days.
Here are some reasons why your tax refund may take longer:
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- The return can be affected by identity theft or fraud.
- The return may include errors or be incomplete.
- Many banks do not process payments on holidays or weekends.
However, the IRS will contact you by mail if more information is necessary to process your tax return. Aside from that, taxpayers who claimed the earned income tax credit or additional child tax credit will be able to expect to get your refund March 1 if the following things occur:
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- They file their return online.
- They select to get their refund by direct deposit.
- The IRS found no issues with their return.
What Information is Not Available on Where’s My Refund Tool?
There are a bunch of information that will not be available on Where’s My Refund tool, here they are:
1. Amended Tax Returns
Where’s My Refund does not provide the Refund Information for Form 1040X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. To check it, you can use Where’s My Amended Return tool to obtain the status of your amended return. IRS’s phone and walk-in representative can only research the status of your amended return 16 weeks or more once you have mailed it.
2. Business Tax Return Information
Where’s My Refund tool also does not show the refund information on federal tax returns other than Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, toll free, call, at 800-829-4933. From outside the U.S., you can call at 267-941-1000.
3. Prior Year Refund Information
Where’s My Refund does not show you the status of your tax refund more than the past two years, as this toll only provides the information for the most recently filed tax return within the past two tax years. To get refund amount information for other years, you can use the Get Transcript tool here.
When Should You Call the IRS?
You may need to call the IRS if it has been 21 days or more since you e-filed and if the Where’s My Refund tool tells you to contact the IRS. For more information, the IRS will contact you by mail if they need more information to process your return.
Furthermore, expect delays if you mailed a paper return or responded to an IRS inquiry about your 2020 return. Well, some tax returns may take longer to process than others, including when:
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- Your return needs a correction to be Recovery Rebate Credit amount
- Your return is incomplete
- Your return may be affected by identity theft or fraud
- Your return includes a claim filed for an Additional Child Tax Credit or an Earned Income Tax Credit using 2019 income.
- Your return includes a Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation that can take up to 14 weeks to process.
- Your return requires further general review.
For more information, it is taking them more than 21 days to issue refunds for tax returns with the Recovery Rebate Credit, Additional Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit. Then, if you’re due a refund from your tax year 2020 return, you may need to wait to get it before filing Form 1040-X to amend your original tax return.
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On my daily job, I am a software engineer, programmer & computer technician. My passion is assembling PC hardware, studying Operating System and all things related to computers technology. I also love to make short films for YouTube as a producer. More at about me…
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