Check the IRS refund status tool first
The IRS has a tool called Where's My Refund? that tells you exactly where your return stands. You reach it at irs.gov, and it updates once a day, usually overnight. You need your Social Security number, filing status, and the exact refund amount from your return.
The tool shows one of three statuses: your return is being processed, your refund has been approved and a payment date is set, or there is a problem that needs your attention. If it says your return is still being processed in late 2024, that means it has been held for review — the IRS does this when something on the return does not match their records or when the return itself has an error.
If you filed electronically, the tool usually has information within 24 hours. If you mailed a paper return, it can take three weeks before the IRS enters it into the system and the tool recognizes it at all.
Key Takeaways
- The IRS Where's My Refund? tool is the only source that knows the actual status of your specific return, and it updates daily.
- If your refund was supposed to arrive but did not, check your bank account routing and account number on the original return — a single wrong digit sends the money to the wrong account.
- The IRS processes returns in the order they receive them, and returns with errors or mismatches are held for manual review, which can take months.
- If the tool says your refund was sent but you never received it, you will need to contact the IRS by phone or mail to file a trace.
What to do if the tool says your refund was sent but you did not receive it
A refund can fail to arrive for two reasons: the bank rejected it, or it went to the wrong account. The most common cause is a typo in your routing number or account number on the return itself. If you used a tax software or had someone prepare your return, the error often happened during data entry.
Call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and tell them your refund was sent but never arrived. They will look up the bank deposit details from your return and tell you which account the money was sent to. If it went to the wrong account, you will need to file a Form 3911, which asks the IRS to contact the receiving bank and request the money back. This process takes 120 days or longer.
If the money was sent to the correct account but your bank rejected it, the IRS will reissue the refund by check, which takes four to six weeks to arrive by mail.
Returns held for review or verification
If Where's My Refund? says your return is still being processed and it has been more than 21 days since you filed electronically (or more than six weeks since you mailed it), your return is likely in a queue for manual review. This happens when the IRS computer system flags something: a mismatch between what you reported and what employers or banks reported to the IRS, an unusually large refund, income that does not match their records, or a claim for a credit you have not claimed before.
The IRS does not contact you unless they need more information. If they do, they send a letter to the address on your return. That letter will say exactly what they need and how to respond. Do not ignore it — if you do not respond within the important date in the letter, the IRS will disallow the item in question and recalculate your refund downward.
If you have not received a letter and the tool still shows processing, you can call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and ask them to check whether your return is in the review queue and why. Have your return in front of you when you call.
Refunds delayed by identity theft or fraud filters
The IRS runs every return through fraud detection software. If the system thinks your return might be fraudulent — for example, if someone filed a return using your Social Security number before you did — the IRS freezes your refund and sends you a letter. This can take weeks or months to resolve.
If you receive a letter saying the IRS is verifying your identity, follow the instructions in the letter exactly. Most of the time you will need to send a copy of your ID and proof of the address on your return. Once the IRS receives and processes your response, your refund will be released, but this can take 30 to 60 days after they receive your documents.
If you have not received a letter but Where's My Refund? shows no progress for months, call 1-800-829-1040 and ask whether your return has been flagged for identity verification.
When the IRS issued a refund but the money went missing
If Where's My Refund? shows your refund was sent on a specific date but you never saw the money, the issue is almost always a wrong bank account number. Less often, the bank received the deposit but reversed it days or weeks later because the account was closed or flagged as fraudulent.
The IRS can file a trace on the refund, which means they contact the bank that received the deposit and ask what happened to it. You start a trace by calling 1-800-829-1040. The IRS will ask for the refund amount, the date it was sent, and your bank account information. They will give you a case number and tell you to call back in a few weeks.
Traces take 120 days on average. If the bank confirms the money was sent to a closed account or rejected, the IRS will reissue your refund by check.
Paper checks and the mail
If the IRS issued your refund as a paper check instead of a direct deposit, it takes four to six weeks to arrive by mail from the date the IRS issued it. The Where's My Refund? tool will tell you the date the check was issued. If more than six weeks have passed since that date and you have not received it, the check may have been lost in the mail.
Call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and tell them your check did not arrive. They will file a trace on the check. If the trace shows the check was never cashed, the IRS will issue a replacement check, which takes another four to six weeks. If the check was cashed but you did not receive the money, that is a separate issue involving your bank or mail carrier.
What to have ready when you call the IRS
The IRS phone lines are busiest in the morning and during tax season. If you call, have your Social Security number, filing status, the exact refund amount from your return, and your bank account information ready. If you are calling about a check, have the date the check was issued (from Where's My Refund?) ready as well.
The IRS does not have a callback system, so you will be on hold. Call early in the day or in the afternoon to reduce wait time. If you reach a representative who cannot help, ask to speak to a supervisor — sometimes the first person you reach does not have access to all the tools needed to trace a refund.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the IRS take to send a refund after it approves my return?
If you chose direct deposit, the IRS sends the money within five business days of approving your return. If you chose a paper check, it takes four to six weeks by mail. The Where's My Refund? tool will show you the exact date the IRS issued your refund.
Can I get my refund faster if I call the IRS?
No. Calling does not speed up processing or approval. The only reason to call is if your refund was supposed to arrive and did not, or if the tool shows your return is stuck in review and you want to know why.
What if I filed my 2023 return in 2024 and it is now late in the year?
The IRS processes returns in the order they receive them, so a return filed late is straightforward further back in the queue. It will still be processed, but it may take longer. Use Where's My Refund? to see the current status.
Do I need to file a new return if I did not receive my refund?
No. Do not file a second return. Instead, contact the IRS using the methods described above to trace the original refund. Filing a second return will create a duplicate and cause more problems.
What if the IRS says my refund was sent to the wrong account and I cannot get it back?
The IRS will reissue your refund by check if the receiving bank will not return it. This takes 120 days or longer. You can also file a police report for fraud if someone else received your refund, though this is rare.