Though Tax Day feels like a lifetime ago and millions of American taxpayers have already received their refund payments from the IRS, approximately 47 million Americans have yet to receive their tax refunds. Typically, it takes up to 21 days to receive your federal tax refund if you file electronically and choose direct deposit–the fastest way to get your refund–though it can take four weeks or more to receive your paper return.
Regardless, if you’re one of the 47 million Americans still waiting on your tax refund, here’s what you need to know:
How long does it take to receive your tax refund?
The amount of time it takes to receive your tax refund can vary whether you chose direct deposit or a paper check. Typical time frames are as follows:
- Up to 21 days for an e-filed return
- 4 weeks or more for amended returns and returns sent by mail
- Longer if your return needs corrections or extra review
What other factors can cause my tax refund to be delayed?
If you still haven’t received your tax refund, here are some reasons why that may be the case:
- IRS Processing Times: refunds may take longer if the return has errors, is incomplete, or requires additional review
- Errors or Incomplete Returns: mistakes like missing social security numbers, mismatched bank account details, or incorrect calculations can lead to delays
- Certain Tax Credits: returns claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) may face delays as the IRS needs to verify eligibility
- Identity Verification or Fraud Concerns: if identity theft or fraud is suspected, processing may be delayed while they verify your information
- Unclaimed Refunds: unclaimed refunds from previous tax years due to non-filed returns–for example, more than $1 billion in refunds for tax year 2021 remained unclaimed as of May 12, 2025
How do I check my tax refund status?
Taxpayers missing their tax refund can use the Where’s My Refund? tool available on the IRS website to check their refund’s status. After entering your Social Security number, filing status, and the exact refund amount on the return, you’ll receive one of the following responses:
- Return received (your refund is processing)
- Refund approved (the IRS is preparing to issue your refund by the date shown)
- Refund sent (your refund was sent to your bank or is in the mail)
How long should I wait to check the status of my tax refund?
According to the IRS, taxpayers who filed electronically should wait 24 hours before checking their refund status, while those who filed a paper return should wait four weeks.
You may receive your tax refund between June 20th-24th
According to Taxpayer Advocate, taxpayers still waiting on their tax refunds may receive them between June 20th-24th–whether they requested direct deposit or a paper check–though it all depends on the day you filed your return. Possible dates are as follows:
If you requested direct deposit:
- Taxpayers who filed a tax return on May 30th – June 20th
- Taxpayers who filed a tax return on May 31st – June 21st
- Taxpayers who filed a tax return on June 1st – June 22nd
- Taxpayers who filed a tax return on June 2nd – June 23rd
- Taxpayers who filed a tax return on June 3rd – June 24th
If you requested a paper check:
- Paper return filed on May 8th – June 20th
- Paper return filed on May 9th – June 21st
- Paper return filed on May 10th – June 22nd
- Paper return filed on May 11th – June 23rd
- Paper return filed on May 12th – June 24th