REFUND OPTIONS

Choose from:

Paper Check. Refund check arrives in approximately 4-6 weeks after your return has been accepted by the IRS.

Direct Deposit. Your refund will be directly deposited into your bank account approximately 21 days after the IRS has accepted your return.

Prepaid Debit Card. Your refund will appear on a prepaid debit card by the IRS approximately 21 days after your return is accepted.

Electronic Refund Check or Deposit (ERC or ERD). Electronic Refund Check typically available 21 days after electronically filing a tax return. You can pick up your refund check or have your refund deposited into your bank account or on a prepaid debit card. Your tax preparer can provide you with more information about this option.

Can’t pay the fee upfront?  That’s fine! You can pay with a debit card, credit card, cash or have the amount removed from your federal refund. There is a one-time bank processing fee of $32.99 to have the payment removed from your refund.

If you choose to receive your refund by direct deposit and want to split the refund between two or more accounts, you can request that the refund be deposited in up to three separate accounts, such  as checking, savings, or retirement accounts – just complete Form 8888 (PDF), Allocation of Refund (Including Savings Bond Purchases). However, if you file Form 8379 (PDF), Injured Spouse Allocation, you cannot have your refund direct-deposited into more than one account. Your refund should only be deposited directly into accounts that are in your own name, your spouse’s name or both if it’s a joint account. Please note that to receive your refund by direct deposit (whether into one account or more), the total refund amount must be $1.00 or more.

If you e-file a complete and accurate tax return, your refund should  be issued within 21 days of the received date. This time frame does not include mail and IRS handling time for paper returns. A complete and accurate paper tax return refund will usually be issued within six to eight weeks from the date it is received.

The IRS issues more than 9 out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days. Where’s My Refund? has the most up to date information available about your refund. The tool is updated once a day so you don’t need to check more often. IRS representatives can research the status of your return only if it’s been 21 days or more since you filed electronically, more than six weeks since you mailed your paper return, or if Where’s My Refund? directs you to contact us.

Even though the IRS issues most refunds in less than 21 days, it’s possible your tax return may require review and take longer.

Use Where’s My Refund? to get your personalized refund status. Just use IRS2Go, our free mobile app, from an iPhone or Android device, or go to IRS.gov. Both are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can start checking on the status of your return within 24 hours after we have received your e-filed return or 4 weeks after you mail a paper return.

Have your 2013 tax return handy so you can provide your social security number, your filing status and the exact whole dollar amount of your refund shown on your return.