Have you filed your taxes yet?
According to a recent survey from Intuit Credit Karma, 52% of US adults expect to get a refund this year, and 54% of taxpayers plan to file early to speed up their refund.
Here’s when your refund might arrive and how to check its status.
Where is my federal tax refund?
If you filed your federal taxes electronically and included your banking information, you can expect direct deposit within 21 days. If you haven’t included banking information, you can expect a paper check refund by mail within six to eight weeks.
Submitting your return is not the same as the IRS accepting your return. You can check your tax return status online and see if it has been accepted by looking for a “Refund sent” alert. From that point, you won’t have to wait long for the funds to arrive in your account.
Will I get my tax refund later due to the government shutdown?
During government shutdowns, the IRS typically operates with significantly reduced staff, which can result in slower processing times for tax refunds.
Essential services, such as processing electronic returns, may be delayed, and returns may take longer to process, potentially impacting the financial planning of many households.
Other complications of the shutdown could include delays in processing paper-filed returns and disruptions in in-person and phone services.
How to track your refund
The IRS has an online tool called “Where’s My Refund” that lets you check the status of your refund.
You can check the status of your refund within 24 hours of e-filing your return. Refund information is updated overnight on the IRS website.
Once the IRS approves your refund, it can be deposited into your bank account within a few days via direct deposit.
The online tool requires you to enter your Social Security number, filing status, and the exact refund amount on your return. It will then respond with Returns Received (processing), Refund Approved (preparing to issue refund by the date shown) or Refund Sent (sent to your bank or in the mail).
Another way to check the status is to call the IRS at 800-829-1954.
What is the last date for tax filing?
The deadline to file your taxes in 2026 is Wednesday, April 15.
To file for an extension on their federal income taxes, taxpayers can fill out Form 4868 by April 15. Filing this form will give filers six months until Tuesday, October 15 to complete their tax return.
Tax returns can still be filed after April 15 without any extensions, but you may be charged a penalty if you owe tax.
This article originally appeared on the Florida Times-Union: When will I get my tax refund? How to check your IRS status.
Reporting by Samantha Neely, USA TODAY Network – Florida / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect