When To Expect My Tax Refund: IRS Tax Refund Schedule 2021

I’m confused about when to expect my tax refund. Where is my tax refund? If you’re asking these questions, you’re not alone. In this article, we will help you find your tax refund.

The IRS process hundreds of millions of tax returns every year. And while they are generally efficient in processing your tax returns, it’s not unusual for them to experience some hiccups in the process, mostly arising from mistakes on the tax payer’s part.

These hiccups can cause a delay in processing your refund, which, on under normal circumstances, should take just 21 days.

Usually, the IRS issues more than 9 out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days. If you don’t receive your tax refund, you’re part of a tiny minority.

But don’t worry, we will show you how to locate your tax refund. But first, let’s discuss some of the common reasons why your tax refund to be delayed.

Why Haven’t I Received My Tax Return Yet?

There could be several reasons why you haven’t received your tax return yet. Before we talk about the most common ones, let’s discuss the three stages of the tax refund process.

IRS Refund Tracker: 3 Stages Of The Tax Refund Process

The IRS has a tracker for your tax refund that is called, “the IRS Refund Tracker.” This tracker has three stages: Return Received, Refund Approved, Refund Sent.

Stage 1: Return Received

The “Refund Received” is the early stage of the refund process. It is the stage where the IRS tells you that it has received your tax return.

Most people complete this stage and then sit back, expecting a big deposit in their account, or a check in the mail.

Though the IRS has received your return, that doesn’t mean your tax return is automatically approved.

You have to see if the IRS forwarded your tax refund to the next stage: Refund Approved!

Stage 2: Refund Approved

The “Refund Approved” step is the stage where IRS goes through your filings and –if everything is okay– approves your refund. This stage is the step that most people skip.

It’s a mistake to expect a tax refund check without ensuring that the IRS has approved your tax refund.

Though the IRS approves most of the tax returns they receive, there’s still a small percentage of tax returns that get rejected — for various reasons.

You have to be sure that the IRS has approved your tax refund before you build an expectation of receiving money from the government.

Luckily, you can easily visit the IRS website to check whether your tax refund was approved. You can do this within 24 hours of submitting your tax return.

Most tax refunds get approved within days of submitting it to the IRS. However, under certain circumstances, it may also take the IRS longer to approve a tax refund.

Stage 3: Refund Sent

“Refund Sent” is the final stage of the tax refund process — where the government actually sends you a tax refund payment.

So, let’s assume the IRS approved and sent your refund, but you still haven’t seen your funds. Now, this is a cause for concern; and there could be several reasons to account for it.

Some Reasons Why You Haven’t Seen Your Tax Refund?

If you check the IRS website or the IRS2go app and find out that the IRS sent your refund, but you still haven’t received it, you should be worried.

Depending on how you choose to receive your refund, either by check or direct deposit, there are several reasons why this may happen: Loss, Error, fraud, debt, or amendments to your return are just a few of the reasons.

Your Tax Return Got Lost

Your tax refund can get lost for several reasons. Below are a few:

1. Entering Wrong Banking Information

Entering the wrong bank account number or the wrong routing number can cause delays in receiving your tax refund.

As you know, the wrong account number may cause your money to go into someone else’s bank account or returned to the IRS because the account number is invalid.

2. Entering The Wrong Mailing Address

If you opt to receive your tax refund by check, you must doublecheck the mailing address you use. A wrong mailing address can cause your check to get lost or delayed.

Errors On Your Tax Return May Delay Your Tax Refund

It is not unusual to erroneously or inaccurately enter information on your tax return. If this happens, it can cause delays in processing your tax refund.

Here are some of the common errors and inaccuracies that people make on their tax filings, which may cause a delay in their tax refund.

1. Mailing Your Tax Return To The Wrong IRS Office

For those who choose to mail in their tax returns, sending it to the wrong IRS office can also cause delays in receiving their tax refunds. Make sure you’re sending your tax filing to the correct IRS Office.

2. Choosing Incorrect Filing Status

Selecting the wrong filing status can cause a delay in receiving your tax refund. Doublecheck to ensure that you are using the correct filing status for your specific situation.

3. Incorrectly Entering Amounts In The Wrong Columns

Incorrectly entering amounts in the wrong columns can cause significant problems for the accuracy of your tax filings. Counter-checking to ensure you did everything correctly is essential to receiving your tax refunds on time.

The IRS Used Your Tax Refund To Offset A Debt.

It is not unusual for the IRS to use your tax refund to pay off a debt that you owe to the government. The IRS frequently uses tax refunds to pay off debt, such as child support payments and back taxes.

If you haven’t received your refund or you didn’t receive the exact amount you were expecting, the government may have used your money to offset a debt you owed.

You May Be A Victim Of Tax Fraud Or Identity Theft

According to the US Treasury Department report titled, Interim Results of the 2019 Filing Season, the IRS identified 3,529 tax returns with approximately $15.8 million claimed in fraudulent refunds.

The IRS also identified 3,741 fraudulent tax returns involving identity theft.

If you’re still wondering, “When To Expect My Tax Refund?”, you should consider the possibility that you may be the victim of identity theft?

If you are a victim of identity theft, there is a remedy. First, you should notify the IRS and the Federal Trade Commission. You should also inform your identity theft insurance companies, and try to get credit monitoring.

You May Have Filed An Incomplete Tax Return

Failing to include relevant information in your tax filings, can cause a delay in receiving your tax refund.

You need to check your tax return to ensure that it is complete before you file it with the IRS.

How To Check Your Refund Status

There are two ways to check your refund status: IRS app and the IRS website.

 IRS2Go App:

Checking the status of your tax refund has become easier, especially with the new IRS mobile app called IRS2Go.

With the IRS2Go app, you can check your tax refund status, make a tax payment, get free tax help, and stay connected with the IRS social media platforms.

To check your refund status, you will need the following:

•  Social security number or ITIN
• Your filing status
• your exact refund amount 

You can download the IRS apps using this link right here.

IRS Website

Using the IRS website to check your tax refund status also very easy and straightforward. All you have to do is visit the IRS website, provide your identifying information, and check your refund.

Checking The Status Of Your State Refund

To find the status of your state tax refund, you will need to visit your state revenue and tax website. This resource from the Federation of Tax Administrators provides a comprehensive list of the websites for the various State tax authorities. It would be best if you considered checking it out.

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