When you request a refund, the clock starts on a process that varies wildly depending on where your money went and who's holding it. A refund from a retailer works differently than one from a payment processor, which works differently than one from a bank. Understanding which path your money takes—and what happens at each step—tells you what to realistically expect and how long to wait before following up.
These articles walk through how refunds actually move through the system, what causes delays, when you should contact someone about a missing refund, and what documentation matters if a refund gets stuck. You'll learn the difference between a refund that's been processed and one that's actually landed in your account, and what to do when those two things don't happen on the same timeline.