Tax Day is quickly approaching on April 15th, unless you have filed for an extension or reside in certain states. The IRS has already processed over 79 million tax returns and issued more than $169 billion in refunds since the start of tax season. If you are still waiting for your refund, you can use the IRS tool to track its status. The CNET Taxes 2024 coverage provides information on the best tax software, tips, and everything you need to file your return and monitor your refund.
To track the status of your 2024 tax refund, you can use the IRS’ “Where’s My Refund?” tracker page. This tool requires your Social Security number, filing status, and refund amount in whole dollars. By entering this information on the Get Refund Status page and submitting it, you can monitor the progress of your refund. You may need to wait at least 24 hours for online returns or up to four weeks for paper returns before tracking your refund.
If you are looking to track refunds from previous years, you can access the Where’s My Refund tool for federal refund information for the past two years. For details from prior years, you will need to check your IRS online account. This account provides information on the total amount owed, payment history, tax return details, IRS notices, and address on file. The IRS2Go mobile app is another option available on both iOS and Android to track your refund status.
The IRS tools display three main messages regarding your tax return status: “Received,” “Approved,” and “Sent.” It is common to see Tax Topic 152, which suggests that you may be receiving a refund that has not been approved or sent yet. Tax Topic 151 indicates that your tax return is under review by the IRS for verification or to resolve any potential tax owed. If you are unsure about the status of your refund, you can reach out to the IRS for assistance, but note that live phone assistance may be challenging to obtain.
If you receive your tax refund via direct deposit, you may notice “IRS TREAS 310” on your bank statement, indicating a refund from a filed tax return through electronic payment. In cases where refunds are mailed instead of deposited, it may be due to incorrect account information, limitations on direct deposits, or other reasons. The IRS directs taxpayers to provide accurate account details to ensure timely receipt of refunds. If you are receiving a refund check in the mail, you can track it from the IRS office to your mailbox for added security.
