IRS Where's My Refund? How to Check Your Tax Refund Status in 2026

picture of the words "where is your tax refund" printed under a torn piece of paper — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Itching to know when you'll get your tax refund? The House GOP is predicting larger tax refunds this year, so it makes sense that you want to know when to expect yours.

Especially as the federal agency navigates a record-breaking filing season — driven by the new 2025 Trump tax and spending bill and IRS budget cuts — which can impact turnaround time on tax refunds this year.

Fortunately, the IRS's online tracking tool might be the fastest way to check the status online.

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Here is everything you need to know about tracking your federal tax refund, decoding IRS status messages, and when you may finally expect that direct deposit to land.

New: 2026 Tax Refund Delays: 5 States Where Your Money Is Stuck

IRS "Where’s My Refund" status

The "Where's My Refund" tool can show the status of your tax refund as early as 24 hours after the IRS receives your e-filed return or four weeks after you mail a paper return.

In most cases, "Where’s My Refund" will show you one of three refund statuses.

Received: The IRS has your tax return and is processing it.
Approved: The IRS is preparing to send your refund.
Sent: Your refund money is on its way.

If the IRS is still reviewing your return, the tool may display instructions or an explanation of what the IRS is doing instead of these statuses. You might see Tax Topic 152, meaning the IRS is still processing your return. Once your refund is processed and approved, the tool will give you an estimated date you will receive your payment.

Additionally, recent enhancements to the 'Where's My Refund' tool allow you to better understand your refund status — without calling the IRS.

Messages will include detailed refund status information in "plain language."
There is better access to the tool on mobile devices and with the IRS2Go app.
If the IRS needs more information to process your return, you will see a notification in the "Where's My Refund" tool.

When does "Where's My Refund" update? "Where's My Refund" is only updated once per day — usually at night — so there's no need to check your status more often than that.

How to track your federal tax refund

To access the "Where's My Refund" tool, you need to enter your Social Security number (or individual taxpayer identification number, TIN), the filing status used on your federal income tax return, and the exact whole dollar refund amount shown on your return.

If you filed a joint return, you can use either spouse's Social Security number. There are five filing status options.

Single
Married-Filing Joint Return
Married-Filing Separate Return
Head of Household
Qualifying Widow

If you chose to have your tax preparation fees taken out of your federal refund, the total refund amount you need to enter in the tool might not reflect the refund you will actually get. Ensure you enter the total federal refund amount rather than the amount after any applicable fees are deducted.

When will I receive my IRS tax refund in 2026?

The IRS issues most tax refunds within three weeks for e-filed returns (six to eight weeks for paper returns). However, several circumstances can cause a tax refund delay. These include errors, incomplete returns, and refunds that need adjusting.

For instance, below are official IRS e-file rejection codes that can occur within 24 to 48 hours of filing a federal income tax return.

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Top IRS E-File Rejection Codes & Common Errors
Error Code	Meaning	How to Fix
F1040-164-01	Form 8862 (Information to Claim Certain Refundable Credits After Disallowance) is missing.	If your prior year's earned income credit (EIC) was disallowed, but you are eligible to claim one in the current year, you'll likely need to file Form 8862 with your federal return submission.
F8962-070	Form 8962 is missing.	If you received a Form 1095-A, check that information against info recorded on Form 8962.
IND-031-04, IND-032-04	Your prior-year adjusted gross income (AGI) or self-select PIN doesn't match IRS records.	Review your AGI on your 2024 return and self-select PIN (a user-created, five-digit number that acts as an electronic signature).
IND-452 or IND-515-01	The dependent you listed on your return has already been claimed on another tax return.	If you are married filing separately, or divorced, double-check which return the dependent should be claimed on. Alternatively, this may be a symptom of an incorrectly entered Social Security Number (SSN) or tax-related identity theft.
IND-517-01, IND-525	The date of birth or name on the form (for you, your dependent, etc.) does not match IRS records.	Ensure your birthdate for all members of your family has been typed correctly.
R0000-500-01, R0000-503-02	Your (or your spouse's) SSN and name do not match the Social Security Administration's records.	Check your SSN information to ensure it is accurate.
R0000-905-01	The SSN you inputted has already been used on another return or claimed by another taxpayer.	Often referred to as "duplicate submission" this could be a sign of tax-related identity theft. Contact the IRS immediately if your number was inputted correctly.

But since these are submission errors, the IRS "Where's My Refund" tool will generally not provide information about the reason for the delay or processing error.

Instead, you can review the specific error code in your email from the IRS (or tax software, where applicable). If appropriate, update your information and re-file. But if the error persists, contact the IRS. You may need to file a paper return.

Why is my IRS tax refund smaller than expected?

You might see Tax Topic 203 in the online portal if the IRS has reduced your refund amount. All or part of your refund can be diverted ("offset") to pay off the following debts.

Federal tax
State income tax
State unemployment compensation debts
Child support
Spousal support
Defaulted federal student loans (for some borrowers)
Other federal nontax debts

If you chose direct deposit for your tax refund, it can take five or more days after the IRS sends the payment for it to show in your bank account. Some banks will credit funds more quickly than others. If you're getting a paper check, it could take a few weeks before you receive it in the mail.

"Where’s My Amended Return" tax refund

Refund information for an amended federal income tax return on Form 1040X isn't available on the "Where's My Refund" portal. But you can check the status of your amended return through the "Where's My Amended Return" portal.

To access the tool, you'll need to provide your Social Security number, date of birth, and zip code.

Once you submit an amended return, it can take up to three weeks for information to show up in the portal. The "Where's My Amended Return" tool will let you know if your amended return is received, adjusted, or completed. It can take up to 16 weeks for the IRS to process your return.

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Katelyn has more than 6 years of experience working in tax and finance. While she specialized in tax content while working at Kiplinger from 2023 to 2024, Katelyn has also written for digital publications on topics including insurance, retirement, and financial planning and had financial advice commissioned by national print publications. She believes knowledge is the key to success and enjoys providing content that educates and informs.

With contributions from

Kate SchubelTax Writer