IRS Updates “Where’s My Refund?”

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Now that you filed your taxes, you may be wondering, “Where’s My Refund?”.  I often wonder how we ever made it before e-file, when we mailed our paper tax returns and had no idea if they ever made it to the IRS.

Where's My Refund
Where's My Refund

Now we are able to receive confirmation that our tax returns were accepted and receive tax refunds quicker than we did in the days of paper filing, despite IRS processing delays.  Although the IRS has a refund cycle chart with estimates of when your tax refund may be deposited or mailed, per the IRS those dates are strictly estimates based on normal  processing.

You may have heard that the IRS is experiencing some processing delays. TurboTax has been working hard to get an update from the IRS on e-filed tax returns so we can give you the latest information regarding IRS delays.

We just received the following update from the IRS and we wanted to make sure you received the most up to date information.

Some taxpayers who filed electronically and received an acknowledgment from the IRS are concerned when they visit “Where’s My Refund” and are told that IRS has no information regarding their tax return.

The IRS informed us on February 10 that this is a temporary situation and it should be resolved in several days.  At that time, you will be able to get an expected refund date when you visit “Where’s My Refund.”

This is an IRS issue that impacts tax returns regardless of who sends them to the IRS. This is not a TurboTax issue.

If you have received an acknowledgment of your tax return from the IRS, then the IRS assures us they have received your tax return and are processing it.

Information on the status of your tax refund will be updated in “Where’s My Refund” once your tax return processes. This is a temporary situation, and the IRS expects to resolve the matter in a few days.

IRS expects the vast majority of tax refunds to continue to be issued
within the historical range of 10 to 21 days.

The IRS also updated its’ Where’s My Refund site with additional information in a FAQ that may help answer your questions.

We want to quickly share any updates we receive from IRS because we know some of you may be waiting for  your tax refund status and estimated direct deposit date.  We will continue to keep you up to date on any more additional information from the IRS.

248 responses to “IRS Updates “Where’s My Refund?””

  1. How long does it take to receive refund for paper tax returns? IRS.gov said still processing after received for 2 weeks.

  2. Turbo tax emailed me and said. “I will receive my tax refund on or before 03/07/2013” I still haven’t received it… 03/14/2013. I have had two Surgeries. I am not working yet this year.
    Can I promise my utility providers the same way Turbo tax does and that will keep the lights on?

  3. My tax prep told me 21 days last friday was 21 days filed on feb 1 2013 when i check wheres my refund says still processing date avaliabe later its now the 27 of feb and still no date avaliable are anything in my account can u help me with a answer thanks.

  4. I filled with Turbo tax on Jan 31st 2013 and today is February 21st 2013 where’s my money what is going zonally my friends had there’s in 4-7 days
    All it has said since day one is it is being processed sometimes say can’t offer any info at this time please wait 24 hours after it was accepted but was accepted on 01/02/2013
    What’s going on

  5. Very good information. Lucky me I discovered your site by chance (stumbleupon). I’ve saved as a favorite for later!

  6. Filed my 2010 taxes through Turbo Tax and mailed them in (cant efile unfortunately) on June 13, I am more concerned about getting a copy of the transcripts than I am the refund. Will the transcript be ready before the refund is issued?

    • Hi David,
      That is hard to say since your tax return was mailed and when tax returns are mailed there is no way to know if the IRS received or accepted them. You can call 1.800.829.1040 to find out if your tax return was received by the IRS yet and also check the IRS “Where’s My Refund?” tool http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96596,00.html
      Thank you,
      Lisa Greene-Lewis

  7. Woah this weblog is excellent i love reading your posts. Stay up the great paintings! You recognize, lots of individuals are searching around for this information, you could help them greatly.

  8. We efiled our taxes on April 15. i have checked the “where’s my refund” site multiple times. At first it said it had been e and it was being processed, then it said to expect the refund by May 15. Now, it says our information is being processed. What the heck is going on?

    • Hi Ashley,

      Because of the conflicting messages you’ve received from the IRS “Where’s my refund?” tool, we recommend that you call the IRS refund help line to get the latest update directly from IRS. That number is 1-800-829-4477.

      Hope this helps!

      Thank you,
      Denise Elliott

  9. i had my taxes done on line irs says deposited may 2 to where how do i find out or how do i give them my acc info

    • Hi Frances,

      If you have a copy of your return, the account information for your Direct Deposit would be included on your Form 1040, so you can confirm that the number listed there matches the account number where you were expecting to see your refund. If the numbers match, you should call the IRS refund help line at 1-800-829-4477. They can look up the account number in their system and confirm how much was deposited there, and when.

      I hope this helps.

      Thank you,
      Denise Elliott

  10. i don’t know what;s going on with my refund i did the tax on february 19 so i paid 297 dollars but i have to take from the department of ILL 156 so i wait one month and i went to the lady who did my tax and she so in the computer nothing showing for my refund and she told me maybe the envelop got lost in the mail so i sent again the envelop for my refund 0n april 17 the last day i am waiting again for more than 3 weeks and nothing me refund has to be fast because they can send me the money direct deposit in my checking account can you help me please thanks Jerka

  11. my return was accepted on March 30th and was to be direct deposited into my account on April 4th..to this day i still haven’t received my return. what is going on??

    • Hi Wayman,
      Sorry you are experiencing IRS delays, which have occurred across the industry this season. Please keep checking the IRS Where’s My Refund tool. Many people have experienced date changes issued by the IRS. You can also call the IRS at 1.800.829.1040. Also double check the bank account number you included on your tax return to make sure it is the correct one. Please check the IRS Where’s My Refund tool and other helpful information on our support FAQ
      http://turbotax.intuit.com/support/iq/Tax-Refund/When-will-I-get-my-tax-refund-/GEN12488.html
      Thank you,
      Lisa Greene-Lewis

  12. I filed my return through TT which was accepted on April 8th, I had previously filed for an extension as I was waiting for a tax form through another free tax software; the return was accepted and a date of 1st May for refund was posted on WMR; on 1st May this changed to ‘return has been received and is processing’. I phoned the helpline but all they could say was it is processing, they also made reference to the fact I had asked for an extension. What’s going on? Any idea? Anything I can do? If there was a problem would it state it on WMR?

    • Hi,
      Sorry that you are experiencing IRS delays. First, the fact that you filed an extension does not have an impact on your tax return being processed once it is received by the IRS. The IRS is experiencing processing delays this season and what you’re experiencing is typical across the industry. I would keep checking the IRS Where’s My Refund tool and you can also call the IRS at 1.800.829.1040.
      Please see our support FAQ for more information
      http://turbotax.intuit.com/support/iq/Tax-Refund/When-will-I-get-my-tax-refund-/GEN12488.html
      Thank you,
      Lisa Greene-Lewis

      • Dear Lisa, my return was accepted on 6th April then my refund finally deposited on May 12th despite the situation described; thank you for the reassurance that filing for an extension did not delay return

  13. i need help. I checked on where’s my status and it says my refund was depositied on 4/25 but it hasn’t gone in my account yet. What can I do?

  14. WHAT TAKE SO LONG FOR MY TAX TRANSIT ON MY TURBOTAX CARD I GOT MY ACCOUNT NUMBER AND MY ROUTING TRANSIT NUMBER

    • Hi Georgia,
      If you efiled your tax return you should have received an acceptance or rejection from the IRS if they received it. If your tax return was rejected it needs to be fixed and accepted before a refund will be processed.
      Thank you,
      Lisa Greene-Lewis
      Lisa

  15. I filed our return on April 14th and originally received a message that the refund would be May 1st. Now, there is a message that due to processing delays that it will be MAY 15!!!! Is this due to the Turbotax problem of not transmitting the last page showing the direct deposit information? I want a refund for my electronic filing fee due to this!! The e file and quick refund was the whole reason I used this software!

    • Hi,
      Sorry for the IRS delays you experienced.

      This is not a TurboTax issue per the changes you experienced with IRS changing dates in their IRS WMR tool. This has been an industry-wide issue related to IRS delays and has occurred no matter what services were used to prepare your taxes.

      Thank you,
      Lisa Greene-Lewis

  16. I filed my return in January and it says it’s been received and is being processed, it has said this for several weeks. is there a problem.

    • Hello Mr. Harris,

      When you say that you’re receiving a message that your return has been received and is being processed, is that what you’re seeing in TurboTax or have you checked the IRS’ Where’s My Refund? tool (located here – https://sa1.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp) If you haven’t checked the IRS tool yet, you should definitely do that. If the IRS tool is where you’re getting the message that your return is still being processed then you can the IRS at 1-800-829-4477 to find out what might be holding things up.

      Hope this helps!

      Thanks,
      Denise Elliott

  17. I am trying to use for the first time the TurboTax and at the end of inputing all details, it shows that I owe $25 to Federal and Refund of $260 from State. I have given the same documentation to CPA and according to him, I owe $3,200 to Federal and an a refund of $20 from State. Why is this discrepancy? I am worried, which method should I chose?

    • Hi Galop,

      Congrats on using TurboTax for the first time! There should not be a discrepancy between TurboTax and the CPA. You can call or chat with a TurboTax tax expert for free, if you have specific questions regarding your tax return.

      Hope this helps.

      Ashley

  18. i can not get a simple answer i was to reievea refund of $2,916.00 and it was sent 03/20/12 but only 392,00 in direct deposit and a irs notice for adjustment for 462.00 i am filling 2008 and up to 2011 single e-filing and 1040a Richard

  19. OK…Now they had my refund date rescheduled to April 10th…Now I look today and it is not on there website at all….can someone tell me what is going on?

  20. Hi Lisa. Is the IRS still having the refund delay issue? I read your blog about the problems and it said as of February 10, the problem should be resolved in several days. I would think it would be fixed by now. I e-filed last week and received an email from Turbotax that it was accepted that evening. However, the IRS where’s my refund site has no information at all on my refund. It’s as if they haven’t even received it. It says to check back in a week. Should I be worried? Are others experiencing this problem and do you have any updates on this issue? Thanks.

  21. My question is ” We have received your tax return and it is being processed. Unless there is a processing delay or you owe other taxes, you should receive your refund by April 3, 2012.”

    Does this mean DD or mail? I had to mail my return in but asked for DD on it.If this is mail how long does it take to get to me?
    I am needing the money for spring break trip for my kids and this is hitting it close.

    • @Jane. If you requested direct deposit then that is the projected date that your refund ‘should be’ direct deposited to your account. Unless there would be a problem with the direct deposit or with your refund, (like an error on your bank information) that would be how they would send your refund.

  22. If your filing in California and are about to spend money on TT tax-prep/efile w/direct deposit for your refund…don’t! The system is broken. I did this same thing and spent good money for the convenience of rapid refund,only to find,that now I will have to wait up to 12 WEEKS for “processing”. UNBELIEVABLE!!! This was March 9th. You would think,that TT would give their customers a heads-up,but of coarse,that would result in lost revenue when folks decide to file on their own. (As if TT wasn’t aware of this while they advertise a 7-14 day refund)

    Another food for thought moment…If I simply explained to the IRS,”please allow me up to 12 weeks to process your tax bill”,what do you think THEY would do about it?

    • Hi Thomas,
      Sorry you are experiencing the IRS processing delay that is typical across the industry. This is an industry-wide issue and is occurring for some taxpayers whether you file with an individual tax preparer, individual tax store, or another software. We do not state that you will definitely receive your tax refund in 7-14 days although there are taxpayers that are receiving them within those dates. We use the IRS projected dates, however per the IRS these dates are based on normal processing.
      Please see this FAQ that may answer more of your questions:
      http://turbotax.intuit.com/support/iq/Tax-Refund/When-will-I-get-my-tax-refund-/GEN12488.html
      We hope you receive your tax refund soon.

      Thank you,
      Lisa Greene-Lewis

  23. lisa.. on the IRS website it said that my refund “has been deposited on march 21” today is the 23rd and my deposit has not been posted to my account as of yet.

  24. I filed my return on March 7th and rcvd a direct deposit date for March 27th,,now I check and they changed the deposit date to May 7th….what is going on??did I do something wrong??am I being audited???this is so scary and pissess me off at the same time….or is this one of there delays???should I call them ??? Thank You ~Morsa

      • This link you keep directing us to does not give any useful information regarding these issues.The IRS is claiming to have resolved issues with refund delays due to the fraud protection software, however their site and telephone inquiry number are both giving misleading information. I’m of the opinion that Turbotax has some glitch in their program causing processing problems and that the IRS is also having issues that they are choosing not to make public.

      • Thanks for your reply,,,,,,,,but as of today when I check the refund site for information now it does not show my info at all…as if they never recvd it?? what is going on…I am so confused

  25. I filed on March 2 and received a confirmation of several hours later. And not much later, I checked and was told that I should receive my refund (direct deposit) om March 20. Disappointed at the late date, I checked every now and then to see if there was an update. I received one that said my new date was March 13 (yesterday). When nothing came I went onto the site today, and the date has changed to April 24 !!!!! What’s up???

      • You are simply put WRONG, Lisa! Something is going on with the system and the IRS is not releasing information explaining what the refunds continue to be delayed and the the information that they give is not even remotely correct. But my observation is these strange delays with processing are coming primarily from returns filed with various INTUIT software, which includes TURBOTAX.

      • Hi Terry,
        I’m sorry but we can only give you the information that the IRS has given us regarding the delays since they process the tax returns and issue the tax refunds. This is an industry wide issue that is impacting not only TurboTax customers, but other tax software companies and tax preparers. There is information in the news and on other sites about the delays as well.
        Thank you,
        Lisa Greene-Lewis

      • Once again, Lisa, I repeat….there is no current information about these delays. Whenever you look it up it always references to the problems in late January and early February, with absolutely nothing about what is currenctly happening. I’ve seen nothing in the newspaper, TV or internet about the current refund & return processing issues. And while others are having some problems, my observation is that the problems are primarily with Intuit users. This blog serves no purpose if you are going to sugar coat the answers and pass the blame on to the IRS (who I am sure is also largely at fault). TurboTax should be advocates for their customers and work to get them resolved regardless of who is at fault.

  26. I filed my refund on March 7th..by March 9th they gave me a direct deposit date of March 27th,,,now I check and they changed it to May 7th…What is going on…did I do something wrong???Am I being Audited??I followed turbo tax exactly…can you please advise…should I call them…that is almost an 8 week wait time

  27. hello, i received my federal refound on february 1st. but i’m still waiting on my state. how much more time it will take it.!!!

  28. hi! i efile my federal refound , i have it all reary, but i’m still waiting on my state refound. how much more time i have to wait.?? Thank you!

  29. I filed two weeks ago and the site is telling me to expect a delay until May 1. 60+ days??? Can that be right. I filed two returns and both have the same message. Anyone else experiencing that long of a delay. I filed electronic direct deposit.

    • Hi Ken,
      The IRS is experiencing delays. I would keep checking the IRS WMR tool, because people are saying the dates are changing when they go back in and check.
      Thank you,
      Lisa Greene-Lewis

  30. I love the look of your website. I tclenrey built mine and I was looking for some ideas for my site and you gave me a few. Can I ask you whether you developed the website by youself?

    • Hi Vijaya,
      We are glad you enjoy the site. Check back for more interesting topics soon.

      Thank you,
      Lisa Greene-Lewis

  31. “We have received your tax return and it is being processed. Your expected refund date has been changed due to processing delays. You should receive your refund by February 28, 2012. Please wait until that date to contact us again because we cannot take any action until then. Thank you for your patience” is the message displayed by WMR. Today is 3/9/2012. What can I do to find out when to expect my refund? I expected the cite to be updated by now, but still nothing. Any suggestions are welcomed.

  32. Just letting everyone know, apparently the IRS is not completely honest about the whole 10-21 days. And my taxes don’t fit into the “reasons it could take longer” section. We filed on 6 Feb…it is 8 Mar and still nothing…the Where’s my refund estimated date of deposit has changed 3 times.

  33. I filed on Jan 29 2012, my refund was accepted and deposited into the turbtax card on Feb 8 2012 HOWEVER turbotax put a hold on my money making me fax copies of divorce papers, social security cards, drivers lic etc. I did TWICE but turbo tax then rejected the money and SUPPOSEDLY returned it to the IRS. It’s now March 8th and the IRS has assigned a tax advocate and put a trace on the so called return because no one can find the money!!! Funny Turbotax refuses to let me speak to a supervisor. Obviously turbotax has not returned the money to the IRS. This is extremely frustrating.

  34. My refund status says it was deposited on 2/29/12, but the only tax refund deposited was my state. What do I do now? It’s March 8th.

  35. I filed on Feb. 17th and was accepted that night..the wmr tool says that I should recieve my refund by march 6th..does everybody really have the problem of waiting a few days to have it loaded to their turbotax card? Please let me kno b/c I’m hoping for my refund to be on my card by monday or tuesday but, if i have to wait for it to be loaded to my card after the irs lets it go then theres just no freakin hope…

    • i filed feb 8 my dd date was deposited on 28th suppose to have been 29th but ttax not gonna release it till the date irs post so if your date is march 6th money will be on the fifth but not available till the 6th early!!!

  36. I filed my taxes on January 19 and they were accepted that day. My refund status changed from Feb 7 to within 6 weeks. It’s now been past 6 weeks and still nothing. Should I call them? And am I included in these delays?

  37. I filed my return on Jan 19 and it was accepted on the 21 now when I go to WMR its still saying 6 weeks its been about 6 weeks and I still dont have a dd date I heard that turbotax suppose to giving refunds starting FEb 27 is this true or what need to know bills up to the roof need relief

    • Hi Camrian,
      Sorry for the delay but TurboTax does not give tax refunds. The IRS gives them, so unfortunately you have to follow the IRS WMR tool.
      Thank you,
      Lisa Greene-Lewis

  38. I filed taxes on January 28 and was accepted on the 1st of feb. I was told by both the irs and turbotax my refund date was 2/14/2012 several days later it changed to 2/21/2012 seven days the irs site still says 2/21/2012 I call to finally speak to someone at the irs and lady dryly tells the experiencing delays shes not sure if thats the issue with my return and do not call again until 3/2/2012 Whats going on with my refund? And why cant turbotax help any other customers.

    • Hi Sherrie,
      Sorry for the IRS delay. Per this blog post they are experiencing processing delays and they determine when you will receive your tax refund. Hopefully you will receive your tax refund soon.
      Thank you,
      Lisa Greene-Lewis

  39. i have a date that my funds suppose to be dd on which is the 29th…it’s good to know that it is coming and i will recieve my funds in a few days but is there by any chance that i can get it 27th or 28th? thats not it…also how soon are funds available to the turbo tax card if the irs releases my funds on the 29th? will it be the 29th?

  40. I FINALLY GOT A DD DATE…FEB 29…SO ALL OR 99% OF TT FILERS THE ACTUAL WAIT IS 3 WEEKS FOR MOST OF US,TRUST ME ITS FACTS!!!

  41. I got a notifacation from the turbo tax bank saying they recieved my refund , took out the fees and deposited my money… I selected a tt card and my money is not there…… Why hasnt it loaded yet and how long will it take to load to my card? Since tt fees were detucted already why dont I have my money ?

  42. TRUST ME I KNOW PEOPLE ARE FRUSTRATED OVER THEIR HARD EARNED MONEY.BUT IF YOU CALL IRS AND BE NICE AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN WITHOUT AN ATTITUDE TRUST ME THEYLL DO WHAT THEY CAN TO GET YOU EXACT INFO INSTEAD OF SENDING YOU ON GOOSE CHASE FOR BEING NASTY!!

  43. I FILED FEB 8 ACCEPTED SAME DAY.WMR SAYS EXPECT BY FEB28 WHEN I CHECKED LAST WEEK IT CHANGED TO FEB 21ST.THE E-FILE CHART HAD SAID FEB15TH FOR DD.NOW TODAY IS THE 23RD,SO I CALLED IRS AND WAS VERY NICE TO THE REP,WHEN SHE PUT ME ON HOLD 10 MIN CAME BACK TO THE PHONE SHE STATED THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE AND IN THEIR SYSTEM SHE SAID ITS SHOWING FOR ME TO HAVE MY FUNDS DD ON THE 29TH SO NOW I FEEL BETTER…IF IT SAYS BY A CERTAIN DATE DONT COUNT ON IT BUT IF IT SAYS ON THEN 99.9% CHANCE YOURE GONNA GET IT ON THAT DATE…SO IM NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO WMR BECAUSE IT STILL SAYS WILL BE DEPOSITED BT FEB 21ST….SYSTEM IS SCREWED BUT NO MORE PANIC’N FOR ME UNLESS I DONT RECIEVE FEB 29TH.

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