With the 2025 tax season coming in a few weeks, taxpayers must have started preparations to file their federal tax returns early and complete their tax responsibility. With tax returns, a tax refund is one thing that leads to anticipation among the taxpayers.
IRS tax refund is made on time based on how you filed your tax return and your selected payment method. The IRS has a convenient tool Where’s My Refund that allows taxpayers to track their tax refund status.
IRS Tax Refund Status 2025
IRS tax refund is generally processed within 3 weeks if you have e-filed the tax return or opted for a direct deposit. The tax refund includes the overpaid taxes or credits you claimed with your federal tax return. Taxpayers can track down their refund status to know at what stage their tax refund is processed through the Where’s My Refund tool.
Taxpayers can use the Where’s My Refund tool on the IRS official website or they can find the tool available at the IRS mobile application, IRS2Go. The IRS initiated the tool to offer the exact status of the tax refund to the taxpayers and make the whole process easy and seamless for them.
Taxpayers can utilize the Where’s My Refund tool based on the kind of return they submit. For example, taxpayers who e-filed their tax return can check the status 24 or 48 hours after filing, 3 to 4 weeks for tax returns sent by mail, and 3 or 4 days for tax returns from previous years.
Steps to track IRS Tax Refund Status 2025
Taxpayers who wish to track their IRs tax refund status for their 2025 tax return would need their Social Security Number, tax year, Refund amount, and filing status. Taxpayers can follow the below steps to get the IRS tax refund status via the Where’s My Refund tool:
- You should first go to the official website of the IRS at https://www.irs.gov/
- Next, click the “Get your Refund Status” tab, in the next page, click the “Check Your Refund” button.
- On the next page, enter your Social Security Number, tax year, filing status (Single, Head of Household, Married-Filing Joint Return, Qualified Widow(er)/ Surviving spouse, Married-Filing Separate Return), and Refund amount.
- Once you submit all the mentioned details in the appropriate boxes, the IRS system will show the status of your IRS tax refund to you.
What do IRS Tax Refund Status stages mean?
The IRS Where’s My Refund tool tells the IRS tax refund in three phases that every taxpayer should understand to know their tax refund stage. Here are the phrases you will see when you use the Where’s My Refund Tool to track the tax refund status:
- Return Received: With this phrase, the system tells you that the agency has received your federal tax return and they are reviewing or processing it for the next step.
- Refund Approved: With this phrase, the system tells you that the agency has approved the refund you have calculated in the tax form and the agency is preparing to issue the refund on the date shown on the system
- Refund Sent: This phrase tells you that the agency has processed your tax refund either through direct deposit or mail check based on the method you have selected. The direct deposit may take a week to show in your bank account, whereas the physical checks can take 4 weeks to deliver to you.
The IRS tax refund status is the same as that is recorded in the IRS system hence the taxpayers can be reassured. For taxpayers whose tax return is rejected or who need more information to review the return, the IRS will send a notice to the taxpayers regarding it.
What tax return information is not available for tax refund status?
The IRS tax refund status tool Where’s My Refund tells you the above-mentioned information, with which the taxpayers can estimate the tax refund payment date, however, there is some information that can’t be accessed through the Where’s My Refund tool, such as:
- Amended Tax Returns: The Where’s My Refund tool does not tell the amended tax return information and its refunds. So, taxpayers who have filed the amended individual tax returns can find the status of the return on the Where’s My Amended Return tool not on the Where’s My Refund tool.
- Business taxes: The Where’s Refund tool does not help to find the business tax information filed through Form 1040. The business tax information is not available on the tool, however, they can check it through toll-free numbers 800 829 4933, 267 941 1000 (people living outside the US).
Can you obtain a replacement refund if it was missing or lost?
Taxpayers who missed or lost, or find their mail check ruined can ask for the replacement of the check to the IRS and get their refund. Taxpayers should first initiate the trace to trace their refund through the Where’s My Refund tool or call 800 829 1954 to speak with the IRS agent for assistance.
The taxpayers can request the replacement when the check is not cashed so that the IRS can cancel the original before sending the replacement. If the tax refund cheque is cashed, then the Bureau of Fiscal Service will investigate the situation and make a decision.
The BFS will review your case and decide whether they can issue the replacement check to you or not. The BFS will decide on the replacement check request within six weeks after you send the request.
The IRS tax refund status is easier to track through the Where’s My Refund tool than any other method as the telephone lines can be busy during the tax season. IRS urges taxpayers to use the tool and get aware of their IRS tax refund in 2025.