The IRS ensures that if a person has filed their income tax by April 18th without any error, they will receive their due refund within three weeks, i.e., on May 9th. However, if they have not set up a direct deposit option or filed the tax return on a later date, the refund will be delayed. To help individuals check their tax refund status, the IRS has provided a smartphone app called Where’s My Refund.

How the Where’s My Refund app works

This refund tracker by IRS is a useful tool that you can use to know your refund status and if IRS has rejected your tax return due to errors. You can start using the tool by providing the required personal information like Individual Taxpayer Identification Number or Social Security number, filing status (head of your household, married, or single), and the refundable amount in dollars.

You can check the income tax refund status using the tool at least 24 hours after filing your tax return electronically. However, if you mail the tax return, you must wait for four weeks before checking the refund status.

Ways to use the Where’s My Refund app

Visit the official IRS site and enter the Get Refund Status page. This is where you must provide the personal data mentioned above. Next, check if the information you provided is accurate, and press the Submit button. If the details are in order, the site redirects you to the page that provides your tax return status. Otherwise, the site might ask you to verify the tax data to try again. The information they require to complete this step includes the date of your tax filing and whether you submitted your return on paper or electronically.

Now, if you are wondering how to check the status of your previous year’s tax return, the IRS also helps with that. While the Where’s My Refund app helps you check the refund information of the previous two years, the IRS online account stores the information from before as well. You must first sign in to your online IRS account to check the information. The data available in your account includes IRS notices regarding your taxation, tax returns, tax payment history, and total tax due.

Using the IRS mobile app
Most people have asked the question, “can I check the status of my tax return   on the phone?” And the answer is yes. The IRS has a smartphone app named IRS2Go that you can use to check your refund status. You can use the app on both Android and iOS and choose between Spanish and English as the app language. IRS2Go shows if the IRS has received your tax return and approved it. The app also shows if they have sent your due tax refund.

You can log into your account using the app by entering your Social Security number. You must also provide the amount of refund you are expecting and your foiling status. In addition, IRS2Go is updated overnight. Hence, if you do not see any refund status on the app, you can recheck the next day to see if it has been updated.

Stages of income tax refund

Before checking your tax status, it’s important to understand the three stages of the refund process: received, approved, and sent. The Where’s My Refund app will show you these three stages to help you determine the status of your tax refund.

Received
If your tax refund status shows “received,” the IRS has your income tax return and they are processing it.

Approved
This stage signifies that your return has been processed and the IRS has approved it. If you are entitled to a refund, they will confirm it.

Sent
This status means that the IRS has sent your tax refund amount, and it will reach you via your preferred method, i.e., a physical check or direct deposit to your bank account.

Causes of tax refund delays
Checking your income tax status might reveal that your refund is delayed. It may cause you some confusion, but this is normal in multiple cases. The primary reason for a delay in refund is an error in your return filing or if you have submitted an incomplete income tax return. The IRS might also delay your refund if they suspect fraud or identity theft. Another common reason for a delay is when officials would like to review your return filing should. Finally, the return can be delayed if you fail to reconcile the stimulus payment with the proper recovery rebate credit.

If your tax refund status is delayed, that means IRS is trying to fix a discrepancy in your return filing. They first try to fix the error without contacting you, but they will write a letter to you if any additional information is necessary for the correction. In case you submit a paper check request, it can take up to two months more for the process to complete. In addition, if your refund is coming through the mail, check the tax refund status by using the Informed Delivery app by the Postal Service. This app updates you about the delivery status of your mail.