Where’s my refund? I filed my return months ago.
Federal tax refunds are faster than ever. If you file electronically, and opt for direct deposit to your bank, refunds can come in a week or two. Requesting a paper check adds another seven to ten days to the process. If you file a paper return, expect to wait about four or five weeks. Amended returns usually take longer, often up to three months and sometimes much longer.
Did the IRS receive your return in the first place? Sometimes practitioners goof and returns never get e-filed. Or maybe you forgot to mail it? And, of course, there’s a chance of it getting lost in the mail. The easiest and fastest way to find out what happened to your refund is for you to go to the IRS website, www.irs.gov, and click on “Where’s my refund” or “Check on Your Refund.” This particular option is for taxpayers, not tax preparers. Calling your tax preparer instead will slow down your answer. The service is very easy to use. You’ll need your social security number, filing status (single, married, etc.), and the amount of the refund you’re expecting. Your filing status and refund amount are on your copy of the return.
States vary, but many state refunds are as quick as the IRS. If your state refund is missing, you’ll find that most states have a similar system set up. In Illinois, it’s available at http://tax.illinois.gov/Individuals/Refunds.htm. In Wisconsin, see https://ww2.revenue.wi.gov/RefundInquiry/application.
If it’s been a month since you filed and the IRS has no record, it’s usually time to mail (or efile) another copy.
If the IRS got your return and issued a refund, they’ll post on the site when the refund was issued and whether it was mailed or directly deposited. Maybe you cashed the check and forgot about it?
Unfortunately, there’s also the possibility that the check was lost or stolen. If the system states a check was issued and/or cashed, and you didn’t receive it, telephone the IRS for assistance. They’ll ask you to complete Form 3911, Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund.
If a direct deposit was made, the IRS will tell you when and where the refund was deposited. Sometimes refunds get deposited to the wrong bank or account. Maybe your bank didn’t properly credit your account. Once you figure out what happened, these mistakes can be easily corrected
A lot of banks receive tax refunds and don’t bother to notify depositors they’ve received them until the next statement. In these days of email, it’s past time for the bank to set up an automatic notification system. Especially if the amount is large, you deserve to know that the funds are available.
Another possibility is a setoff. Did you receive a refund anticipation loan, or were the preparer’s fees taken out of your refund? Or perhaps there was a setoff by the Financial Management Service.
The Financial Management Service is a US government agency that is separate from the IRS that seizes the tax refunds of those who owe child support, state taxes, student loans, or other obligations to the federal government. Generally speaking, you can’t stop this. Even if the amount collected is incorrect, it’s pointless to argue with the FMS. Instead of the FMS, you must deal with the agency making the claim against you.
If the debt belongs exclusively to your spouse (such as child support), you’re known as an injured spouse, and you can avoid the offset on your part of the refund. File Form 8379, Injured Spouse Claim and Allocation. You can file this form with the IRS when you file your tax return or later of an offset has been made to your refund. If you know an offset will be made, it’s better to file the injured spouse claim with your return and avoid a longer wait for your refund. Another possibility is to file as Married Filing Separately. But remember, there are pros and cons to filing jointly or separately, and you should thoroughly investigate them before making that decision.
