How to find out if irs received my tax return

"Where's my tax refund?"

Ever wonder what happens between e-filing your tax return and receiving your refund?
Here is what really happens when you press that green button and transmit your tax return.

• First, we "stamp" the return with an electronic postmark, and then we send it to the government.
• Then we both wait 24 to 48 hours for the IRS to accept your return.
• What are they doing? They are checking your personal information to make sure it matches their records.
• If everything looks good, the IRS accepts your return.

Once you are accepted, you are on the IRS payment timetable. Only the IRS knows the status of processing your tax return, whether you owe taxes or are due a refund. In prior years, the IRS issued more than 9 out of 10 refunds to taxpayers in less than 21 days last year. The same results are expected for 2022.

TurboTax Tip: You can use the IRS Where’s My Refund? tool or call the IRS at 800-829-1954 to check on the status of your refund, beginning 24 hours after you e-file. The IRS will provide an actual refund date as soon as your tax return and refund are approved.

Once you have e-filed your tax return, there are a few ways to check the status of your refund:

• You can use the online IRS Where’s My Refund? tool (fastest option)
• Call the IRS at 800-829-1954

The online tool will get you personalized refund information based on the processing of your tax return. They will provide an actual refund date as soon as the IRS processes your tax return and approves your refund. Most refunds will be issued in less than 21 days. You can start checking the status of your refund within 24 hours after you have e-filed your return.

Remember, the fastest way to get your refund is to e-file and choose direct deposit.

Other tools and refund delays

You can also use the TurboTax Where's My Refund tracking guide that will show you how to check the status of your tax refund and common reasons for delays.

These articles explain in more detail what may cause a delay:

• Where's My Refund? Top 5 Reasons It's Been Delayed
• Delays Due to Claiming the Earned Income Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit
• Why is my IRS refund taking longer than 21 days? 

Let an expert do your taxes for you, start to finish with TurboTax Live Full Service. Or you can get your taxes done right, with experts by your side with TurboTax Live Assisted. File your own taxes with confidence using TurboTax. Just answer simple questions, and we’ll guide you through filing your taxes with confidence. Whichever way you choose, get your maximum refund guaranteed.

When you electronically file your taxes, the IRS confirms each tax return with an Acknowledgement Record. It will either indicate “Accepted” or “Rejected.”

• A “Rejected” status will include a description of what needs to be fixed on the return. You'll have to re-file, but you won't have to pay again with 1040.com.
• An "Accepted" status confirms that the government received your return and accepted it for processing.

Your e-file provider, whether software or tax professional, receives the Acknowledgment Record and can inform you of the status.

When you file with 1040.com, our sophisticated transmission technology formats and encrypts your return for secure, direct delivery to the IRS.

As soon as we get word that your tax return has been reviewed and accepted by the IRS, we’ll email you to let you know whether your return has been accepted or rejected. If it's been rejected, we'll show you what needs to be fixed when you log back in. We're in your corner!

Yes, if you need to know whether your federal tax refund check was cashed, you can initiate a refund trace by using one of the following methods:

• Use Where's My Refund, call us at 800-829-1954 (toll-free) and use the automated system, or speak with a representative by calling 800-829-1040 (see telephone assistance for hours of operation).
• If you filed a married filing jointly return, you can't initiate a trace using the automated systems. The IRS will send you a Form 3911, Taxpayer Statement Regarding RefundPDF to get the process started or you can download the form.

If you're trying to obtain a photocopy of your refund check because of a dispute over the proceeds, call us and speak to a representative to request assistance.

By law, the IRS can't disclose any information to you about someone else’s refund. For example, the IRS can't discuss a check issued to another taxpayer with you unless you have obtained authorization. If you submit a Form 8821, Tax Information Authorization for a person, we may provide information to you for that person’s refund.

How do I know if IRS received my mailed tax return?

What if the IRS never received my tax return?