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When Will I Get My Tax Refund?
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When the average tax refund last year is over three thousand dollars, I can understand why taxpayers might be anxious to know where there refund is. Fortunately, the answer is very simple – use the IRS’s Where’s My Refund tool. You can’t use it until 72 hours after you e-file or four weeks after you mail your return (hint hint: e-file!). You’ll need your Social Security Number, your filing status, and the exact refund amount. Without those three pieces of information, you can’t look up the status of your refund because they can’t authenticate that it’s your return.
IRS Guidelines
The IRS rule of thumb on when you will get your refund depends on how you file. If you e-file, you should get it in 10-21 days. If you opt for direct deposit, you’ll get it a few days after than the check, since the check will have to work its way through the mail system. Direct deposit is free. If you mail in your return, don’t hold your breath because you won’t get your tax refund until much later. Paper returns need to be processed (converted into electronic, double checked, etc.) and that process takes a much longer time.
IRS eFile Refund Schedule
In general, when you use e-file and choose direct deposit, the IRS will initiate the direct deposit one week after the next Tuesday. If you opt for a paper check, the check is mailed two days later. If you transmit your return between March 22nd and March 28th (by 11 AM), assuming no hiccups, the IRS will direct deposit your refund on April 4th and mail out a check on April 6th. Transmit your return on March 29th and you enter in the next week (3/29 – 4/4), you can expect a direct deposit on April 11th and a check on April 13th. These are just estimates, no guarantees.
2012 Estimated Schedule
| IRS Acceptance | Direct Deposit | Paper Check Mail |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 17 – Jan 18 (by 11am) | Jan 25 | Jan 27 |
| Jan 19 – Jan 25 | Feb 1 | Feb 3 |
| Jan 26 – Feb 1 | Feb 8 | Feb 10 |
| Feb 2 – Feb 8 | Feb 15 | Feb 17 |
| Feb 9 – Feb 15 | Feb 22 | Feb 24 |
| Feb 16 – Feb 22 | Feb 29 | Mar 2 |
| Feb 23 – Feb 29 | Mar 7 | Mar 9 |
| Mar 1 – Mar 7 | Mar 14 | Mar 16 |
| Mar 8 – Mar 14 | Mar 21 | Mar 23 |
| Mar 15 – Mar 21 | Mar 28 | Mar 30 |
| Mar 22 – Mar 28 | Apr 4 | Apr 6 |
| Mar 29 – Apr 4 | Apr 11 | Apr 13 |
| Apr 5 – Apr 11 | Apr 18 | Apr 20 |
| Apr 12 – Apr 18 | Apr 25 | Apr 27 |
This same schedule extends beyond the “tax season,” which ends on the tax due date – which is April 17th this year, but I think you get the idea.
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Perhaps I am going off the topic a bit, but
For NY – https://www8.tax.ny.gov/PRIS/prisStart
For NJ – https://www1.state.nj.us/TYTR_TGI_INQ/jsp/prompt.jsp
One thing that also has to be taken into account when choosing a method with which to receive a refund is the actions of the USPS. Now that there have been so many processing centers that have closed it is taking longer to receive mail. For instance, a letter from Ft. Lauderdale to Miami used to take 1 day, and it now takes 3 days. I’m sure in more rural areas it will take even longer, so that’s even more of a reason to go with the direct deposit.
There have been reports of long waits this tax season to receive refunds due to a heightened level of security at the IRS in guarding against identity fraud. They have emplaced new systems to catch fraud and these new systems is what is causing delays to a few specific returns. This is by no means system wide, but it has been happening.
Does this mean waiting 2 months? E-filed 2/27, get same reply from ‘Wheres my refund. If I owed then I’d be expected to pay late fees by now. All I can do is wait.
I did my taxes by paper had to mail them i filed jan 7 2013. When i go to wheres my refund it says we cant provide information at this time instead of giving me the date i will receive it. How do i know when i will get my return back from 2011.