IRS Alerts Taxpayers About Tool for Tracking Refund Status
The “Where’s My Refund?” feature is updated daily by the IRS, usually during the overnight hours.
The IRS encourages taxpayers to utilize the agency’s “Where’s My Refund?” feature during the 2025 filing season to monitor the status of their refunds and verify that their returns have been received.
“For those who file paper returns, it takes approximately four weeks for the same information to be available. The feature is accessible 24/7, providing a quick and convenient way for taxpayers to gather information about their refunds without needing to contact the IRS directly. Additionally, it allows users to view information regarding returns from the tax years 2024, 2023, and 2022.”
“Where’s My Refund?” is refreshed by the IRS daily, typically at night. Therefore, taxpayers do not need to frequently check their refund status multiple times throughout the day for updates. This tool can also be accessed via the IRS2Go mobile application.
To check the status of a refund, individuals must provide their social security or individual taxpayer ID number, filing status, and the exact refund amount. Generally, most refunds are processed within 21 calendar days.
“The quickest way to receive a refund is to file electronically and opt for direct deposit as your delivery method. Taxpayers who do this usually receive their refunds in fewer than 21 days,” the IRS noted.
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The timing of refund delivery can be affected by various factors, including the submission of inaccurate or incomplete returns, bank processing and posting durations, and any adjustments to the Additional Child Tax Credit or the Earned Income Tax Credit.
In certain situations, the IRS may require further information to process a return, in which case taxpayers will be contacted by mail.
The deadline for filing and paying taxes for the tax year 2024 is April 15.
These “vague and confusing” notices often mention possible errors without detailing the specific issue that led to a refund being adjusted, according to the legislators.
The notices also fail to inform taxpayers that they have 60 days to dispute the IRS’s findings and provide no guidance on how to do so, causing many Americans to forfeit their right to challenge adjustments made by the agency. This legislation seeks to address this concern.
“If the IRS identifies an error on a tax return, they should be obligated to communicate that mistake clearly to the taxpayer and clarify why a tax refund amount is different than anticipated,” remarked Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), who proposed the bill in the House.
Refund Adjustments
Sometimes, taxpayers may not receive their expected refunds due to adjustments made by the Department of Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS).
The BFS is responsible for issuing IRS tax refunds and has the authority to implement the Treasury Offset Program, which enables it to reduce a taxpayer’s refund to settle outstanding debts related to child support, state income tax, federal agency non-tax debts, or certain unemployment compensation obligations owed to a state.
“You can reach out to the agency to which you owe a debt to confirm if your debt was submitted for a tax refund offset,” the IRS advised.
“If your debt qualifies for offset submission, BFS will adjust your refund to cover the debt amount owed to the agency. Any remaining refund after the offset will be issued via check or direct deposit, as you originally requested on your return.”
In cases involving an offset, BFS will send the taxpayer a notice detailing the original refund amount, the offset amount, and other relevant information.
The average refund amount currently stands at $2,169, roughly a third lower than the $3,207 issued during the previous year.
