If you e-filed your return, you can expect to receive a faster refund through direct deposit rather than if you mailed in your tax documents. The IRS states that paper tax returns are mailed out within 6 to 8 weeks, while those filed electronically will be issued in less than 3 weeks, and again, even faster if using direct deposit. Show Choosing to receive your refund as a paper check will definitely slow down the process; therefore, if you are looking to get your money faster, e-filing and choosing direct deposit is the way to go. Although direct deposit is much faster, you should still expect to wait a few extra days for the funds to be available in your account. Depending on your financial institution, your waiting time may vary. To e-file, you may want to consider filing online through reliable websites like TurboTax, TaxAct, or E-file. After e-filing your taxes, you will need to set up how you will receive your payment. Other than direct deposit, there are a few other options to choose from when you file electronically as to how to receive your refund, such as:
If you’re a Chime member, you can choose “direct deposit” on your tax return software. You then input your Chime Checking Account number and corresponding routing number, and that’s it! From there, you just have to wait for your refund to show up in your account. Once your refund is available Chime will send you a text alert and email. This way you will know that the money is there the second you receive it. When choosing your delivery option, remember that it will affect how quickly you receive your money. Again, direct deposit is known as the fastest and safest way to get your tax refund, and the IRS recommends this method to taxpayers across the board. Direct Deposit is a safe, reliable, and convenient way to receive Federal payments. The Department of the Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service and the Internal Revenue Service both encourage direct deposit of IRS tax refunds. Direct Deposit combined with IRS e-file provides taxpayers with the fastest and safest way to receive refunds. This resource page of frequently asked questions about IRS tax refunds provides financial institutions with useful information for reference while assisting customers during the tax filing season. For other FAQs about Direct Deposit, download the Direct Deposit FAQs. Looking for Information About Your Tax Refund?E-file and sign up for Direct Deposit to receive your refund faster, safer, and easier! You can check the status of your refund using IRS’ Where’s My Refund? Not using e-file? You can still get all the benefits of Direct Deposit by getting your tax refund deposited into your account. Simply provide your banking information to the IRS at the time you are submitting your taxes. Convenience, reliability and security. No more special trips to your institution to deposit your check — a nice feature if you are busy, ill, away from home, located far from a branch or in a place where parking is hard to find. You no longer need to wait for your check to arrive in the mail. Your money will always be in your account on time. If you move without changing financial institutions, you will not have to wait for your check to catch up with you. You do not have to worry about lost, stolen or misplaced checks. Last modified 08/25/22 Tap on the profile icon to edit
Once you’ve gone through the burdensome process of filing your taxes, your sigh of relief might be short-lived. That’s because you’ll likely be wondering, “How long does it take to get a tax refund?” But as excited as you may be to get that refund check from your federal income tax return, you may be disappointed with IRS processing times. So as you plan your budget for the year, you should know how long it will take to get your federal tax refund. If you want to go beyond taxes and build a comprehensive financial plan for your future, a financial advisor can help you put a financial plan together. How Long Will My Tax Refund Take?When you get your tax refund will depend largely on how you file your return. The fastest option is to e-file your return and to receive your refund via direct deposit. For 2021 taxes, which you will file in 2022, the majority of taxpayers who choose this option will receive their refunds within 21 days. That means your bank will have your refund within three weeks from the day the IRS accepts your tax return. Then it may take up to a few additional days for your bank to make the funds available to you. If you file a paper return or if you want to receive your refund as a paper check, your return will take longer to process. Filing a paper return and receiving your refund as a paper check will take the longest to process at two months or more. So if you’re inclined to sit around asking, “How long does it take to get a tax refund?” you might want to consider e-filing, or at least direct deposit. The table below will give you an idea of how long it typically takes to get a tax refund:
*Note that these are just guidelines. Based on how you file, most filers can generally expect to receive a refund within these time frames. For reference, here’s a detailed breakdown of when taxpayers received their refund in 2021:
Tax Returns That Include the EITC or ACTCIf you claimed either the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), you may have to wait a bit longer for your refund. Law requires the IRS to hold refunds from these returns until February 15. You shouldn’t expect the refund to hit your bank account until late February, according to the IRS. If you don’t elect for direct deposit or if there are problems with your return, you can expect the refund to take longer. How to Check Your Tax Refund StatusAre you the sort of person constantly wonders, “How long does it take to get a tax refund?” If you want to check the status of your federal tax refund, you can use the Where’s My Refund? on the IRS website. You can also access that tool on the IRS2Go mobile app. Your return’s status will usually be available within 24 hours if you file electronically. If you mailed a paper return, it will take at least four weeks before you can check the status of your return. You’ll need three pieces of information to check your return’s status:
If you filed a return with the EITC or ACTC, the IRS says you can expect your refund status to update by late February. Bottom LineHow long it takes to get your tax refund will depend on how and when you file your tax return. The best way to get your refund quickly is to e-file your return and elect to receive the refund by direct deposit. For the 2021 tax year, the IRS has said that the vast majority of e-filers (who also use direct deposit for refunds) will receive their refund within 21 days. Sending a paper return or receiving your refund as a paper check will potentially slow down processing by months. The IRS also processes returns more slowly at the beginning and end of the tax season. That’s because the majority of taxpayers file during those times. Tips for Getting Through Tax Season
Photo credit: ©iStock.com/fstop123, ©iStock.com/Eva-Katalin, ©iStock.com/alex_skp Derek Silva, CEPF® Derek Silva is determined to make personal finance accessible to everyone. He writes on a variety of personal finance topics for SmartAsset, serving as a retirement and credit card expert. Derek is a member of the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing and a Certified Educator in Personal Finance® (CEPF®). He has a degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and has spent time as an English language teacher in the Portuguese autonomous region of the Azores. The message Derek hopes people take away from his writing is, “Don’t forget that money is just a tool to help you reach your goals and live the lifestyle you want.” Categories
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