When will you get your tax refund? 2 ways to track when it'll arrive - CNET

We'll explain how to track your 2020 federal tax refund online using two different tools.

Sarah Tew/CNET

The IRS is tackling several projects at once, such as sending out the third stimulus checks and processing 2020 tax returns. And if you haven't filed yet, there's good news: The deadline to file your 2020 tax return has officially been extended to May 17. However, if you did already file and haven't received your refund, it's likely because the IRS is delayed due to the millions of $1,400 stimulus checks it needs to send out.

While you wait, you can track your 2020 tax refund (and your third stimulus check, too). We'll show you two ways to do it. You'll be able to track your refund status online as long as it's been at least 24 hours since you submitted your return.

See our chart below for some dates your refund could arrive. If you still need to file, we suggest doing so online since e-filing is more convenient for both you and the IRS (the agency is asking people to avoid sending in a paper return this year). We also recommend setting up direct deposit to speed up your refund arrival. In addition, here's how tax season could affect the new $1,400 stimulus checks going out now (calculate your stimulus payment total). This story was recently updated. 

2 ways to track the status of your 2020 tax refund

You need several things on hand to track the status of your tax refund: your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, your filing status -- for example, single, married or head of household -- and your exact refund amount in whole dollars, which can be found on your tax return.

Using the IRS tool Where's My Refund, enter your Social Security number or ITIN, your filing status and your exact refund amount, then press Send. If you entered your information correctly, you'll be taken to a page that shows the status of your refund. If not, you may be asked to verify your personal tax data and try again. If all the information looks correct, you'll need to enter the date you filed your taxes, along with whether you filed electronically or on paper.

There's also a mobile app, called IRS2Go, that you can use to check your tax refund status. The IRS updates the data in this tool overnight each day, so if you don't see a status change after 24 hours or more, check back the next day.

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Decode your IRS tax return status: Received, approved or sent

Both the IRS tools (online and mobile) will show you one of three messages to explain your tax return status.

• Received: The IRS now has your tax return and is working to process it.
• Approved: The IRS has processed your return and confirmed the amount of your refund, if you're owed one. 
• Sent: Your refund is now on its way to your bank via direct deposit, or as a paper check to your mailbox. (Here's how to change your address now if you moved.)

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When will my tax refund actually be here?

The IRS says it issues most tax refunds within 21 days, but many people will get their refunds much sooner. If there are any errors, it might take the agency longer to process and issue your tax refund. The same goes for people who filed a claim for an Earned Income Tax Credit or the Child Tax Credit. 

In addition, the IRS is reportedly facing delays complicated by sending out the stimulus checks now (here's more on stimulus checks and tax season 2020).

The date you get your tax refund also depends on how you filed your return. 

For example, if the refund is going into your bank account through direct deposit, it could take an additional five days for your bank to post it to your account. This means if it took the IRS the full 21 days to issue your check and your bank five days to post it, you may be waiting a total of 26 days to get your money. That's where tracking your refund comes in handy. 

If it's being sent by mail, the IRS says it could take six to eight weeks for your tax refund to arrive. Here are some possible dates when you could receive your refund depending on when you filed.

When your tax refund could arrive

If you file on this date	This is the soonest	This is the latest
March 1	March 8	March 22
April 1	April 8	April 22
April 15	April 22	May 6
May 17 (last day to file)	May 24	June 7
Oct 15 (last day with extension)	Oct 22	Nov 5

It's past the 'latest' date for my tax refund to arrive. Should I call the IRS to see what's going on? 

While you can call the IRS to check your status, the agency's live phone assistance is extremely limited at this time, so you may wait on hold for a while to speak to a representative. Also, the IRS says you should only call if it's been 21 or more days since you filed your taxes online or if the Where's My Refund tool tells you to contact the IRS.

For more information about your taxes, here's when the 2021 deadline is to file your tax return, how to claim missing stimulus money on your taxes and everything to know about the third stimulus check.

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