2023 IRS tax refund tracker: When will you get your refund or check?

Tax filers will be eager to know if and when they will be receiving a tax refund. Filing a tax return as soon as possible is the best way to make sure your return is processed promptly; the IRS will be sifting through tens of millions of tax returns on a first-come-first-served basis.

Typically the IRS is able to distribute a tax refund within 21 days so long as the return is filed electronically. Those who file with paper may have to wait up to six months to receive their refund.

How to check the status of your tax return

The IRS has a tool called “Where’s My Refund” which is accessible online. This allows taxpayers to check the status of their refund after providing their Social Security Number, the refund total, and their tax filing status. Information is available 24 hours after a filing has been submitted. Another good use of the tool is its notifications if there is an error with an application, allowing filers to make changes quickly. This will require your return to be sent electronically instead of paper.

Once your return has been processed and your refund confirmed, the Where’s My Refund? portal will give you the following information:

Confirmation that your refund has been approved

- Notification that the refund has been distributed and should be on its way to your account

For those who have not seen any changes to their filing status and filed a paper return, the IRS offers a help line which can be reached at 1-800- 829-4477.