Check your federal refund
- IRS Where's My Refund: irs.gov/refunds, or the IRS2Go app.
- You'll need your Social Security number or ITIN, your filing status and the exact whole-dollar refund amount from your return.
- It updates once a day, usually overnight. Check about 24 hours after the IRS accepts an e-filed return, or about four weeks after mailing a paper return.
- Amended return? Use Where's My Amended Return; those take much longer.
What the statuses mean
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Return received | The IRS has your return and is processing it. |
| Refund approved | Processing is done and the IRS has set a date to send your refund. |
| Refund sent | The money is on its way. Direct deposits can take up to five days to show in your account; mailed checks take several weeks. |
| Tax Topic 152 | General refund information. Usually just means your return is still processing. |
| Tax Topic 151 | Your appeal rights. Often appears when the refund was reduced, for example to pay a past-due debt. |
Where's my state refund?
Step-by-step guides: California, New York, New Jersey.
State refunds are separate from your federal refund and run on their own schedules. Links go to each state's official site: a direct refund-status page where we found one, otherwise the state's revenue department.
Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming don't tax wages, so there's usually no state income tax refund to track.
Why a refund can take longer
- Earned income or additional child tax credit: by law, the IRS can't release these refunds before mid-February. Most arrive by early March if there are no issues.
- Paper returns take weeks longer than e-filed ones.
- Errors or missing information, identity verification letters, or an injured spouse claim.
- Offsets: part or all of a refund can go to past-due child support, federal debts or state taxes.
Want to know how big it will be?
The 2026 tax refund calculator estimates your refund with dependents, the earned income credit and the new deductions for overtime, tips, seniors and car loan interest.
Updated November 4, 2026. Official links checked November 4, 2026. Timelines from IRS guidance on refund processing; the 2027 filing season start date is an assumption until the IRS announces it.