Check your refund with the IRS Where's My Refund? tool on irs.gov, in the IRS app or in your online account. You need your Social Security number or ITIN, your filing status and the exact whole-dollar refund on your return. As of October 2026, the IRS says most e-filed returns with direct deposit are refunded in under 21 days.
What you need before you check
Have three items ready: your Social Security number or ITIN, your filing status, and the refund amount in whole dollars exactly as it appears on the return you filed. Leave off the cents. People often type the refund their software estimated, and the tool cannot find the return.
The IRS released a new mobile app on September 25, 2026, replacing IRS2Go. It shows both refund and amended-return status.
The three stages
| Stage | What it means |
|---|---|
| Return Received | The IRS has your return and is working on it. No refund date is shown yet. |
| Refund Approved | The IRS finished processing and approved the refund. A personal date appears. |
| Refund Sent | The money went to your bank, or a check was mailed, on the date shown. |
Bank posting time or mail time can add days after the sent date.
How long does a tax refund take?
As of October 2026, the IRS describes timing this way:
- E-filed return with direct deposit: most refunds in under 21 days, about three weeks.
- Mailed paper return: six weeks or more.
- Amended return (Form 1040-X): 8 to 12 weeks, and up to 16 weeks in some cases.
- Returns claiming the earned income credit or additional child tax credit: not before mid-February, by law. See why your refund may be different.
The IRS names several causes of delay: a missing signature, a math error, an amended return, an injured-spouse claim, an earned income credit or additional child tax credit claim, and income that does not match what payers reported.
Direct deposit, paper checks and Form 8888
The IRS is phasing out paper refund checks, a change that began on September 30, 2025 under Executive Order 14247. It asks for account details instead: a bank, credit union, prepaid card or app account, or an IRA. Form 8888 splits a refund among up to three accounts, and no more than three refunds can go into one account.
Missing or rejected bank details hold up a refund, and the IRS may send a CP53E notice about it. If a check you were sent never arrives, you can request a trace four weeks after it was issued.
Illinois refunds
The Illinois Department of Revenue has a separate Where's My Refund? tool, updated each business day. Illinois says an e-filed return with direct deposit takes about 4 weeks, and a paper return 8 weeks or more. "Date not determined" means the state is waiting on the Comptroller, which takes 24 to 48 hours. After that, expect up to 2 business days for direct deposit or 10 for a check. First-time IL-1040 filers receive paper checks. See our Illinois guide.
Example (illustration only)
Maya e-files her 2025 return in early February with direct deposit and expects $1,842. The next day she enters her Social Security number, Single and 1842. The tool shows Return Received with no date. About two weeks later it shows Refund Approved with a date, and a few days after that, Refund Sent. These numbers are invented. A return with errors or a credit review can take much longer.
Common mistakes
- Typing cents, or the software's estimate, instead of the whole-dollar refund on the filed return.
- Checking several times a day, when the tool updates once.
- Treating a software "estimated refund date" as an IRS promise.
- Taking 21 days as a promise, or filing a second return out of impatience.
- Entering the wrong routing or account digits.
- Calling before the tool or a notice tells you to.
What to do next
- Keep a copy of your return and note the exact refund amount.
- Check once a day at most, once status should have appeared.
- If the refund is approved but never arrives, confirm the bank details on your return.
- If the amount differs from your return, read the IRS or Treasury notice before calling. For a CP12, note the response date.
A CPA can review a notice or an account transcript if your refund is held. Browse more answers in our tax questions section.
Frequently asked questions
Does calling the IRS speed up my refund?
The IRS says to call only if the tool tells you to, so calling earlier is unlikely to move your refund along. A tax transcript does not show a refund date either.
Can I still get a paper check?
The IRS is phasing paper checks out, so give account details when you file. The CP53E notice explains how to add an account or claim an exception.
Does the same tool track an amended return?
No. Where's My Amended Return? is a separate tool, available about three weeks after you file Form 1040-X. See our amended return guide.
Why is my refund smaller than I expected?
Corrections, offsets, credit reviews and law changes are the usual reasons. See why my refund is different.
Official sources
- IRS: Refunds
- IRS: About Where's My Refund?
- IRS: Where's My Amended Return?
- IRS: Modernizing payments to and from America's bank account
- IRS: Myth-busting federal tax refunds
- Illinois Department of Revenue: Where's My Refund?
This page is a plain-language summary. The official source controls if there is any difference.
General information only, not tax, legal or accounting advice for your situation. Rules, limits and deadlines change; confirm the current rules with the official source or a qualified professional before you act. Reading this page does not create a professional relationship with CPA Tax Payroll and Accounting Corp.