How long to receive mailed in tax refund

If you choose to have your refund deposited directly into your account, you may have to wait five days before you can gain access to it. If you request a refund check, you might have to wait a few weeks for it to arrive.

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 a more detailed estimate of when you could get your tax refund, this table breaks down when direct deposits are sent an average of two weeks after your taxes were accepted by the IRS for direct deposits and three weeks for paper checks in the mail. This may happen if your return was incomplete or incorrect. The IRS may send you instructions through the mail if it needs additional information in order to process your return.

Note that due to the Coronavirus IRS employees have been working remotely, and paper returns are taking longer to process. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories.

Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service. However, the exact timing depends on a range of factors, and in some cases, the process may take longer. There are a number of factors — including the choices you make when you file — that could impact how long it takes for you to receive your tax refund.

The delivery option you choose for your tax refund will affect how quickly you receive your funds. According to the IRS, the fastest way to receive your refund is to combine the direct deposit method with an electronically filed tax return.

Below is an estimated breakdown of how soon you might expect to receive your tax refund, based on filing and delivery choices.

If you want a more accurate look at when you might get your tax return in , check this table, based on past years and our best estimates. Additional factors could slow down the processing of your tax refund, such as errors, incomplete returns or fraud. You should also expect to wait longer for your refund if the IRS determines that your tax return needs further review. The IRS has eliminated the guesswork of waiting for your tax refund by creating IRS2Go , an app that allows you to track the status of your return.

Both tools provide personalized daily updates for taxpayers 24 hours after a return is e-filed or four weeks after the IRS has received a paper return. After inputting some basic information i. Once your refund reaches the third stage, you will need to wait for your financial institution to process a direct deposit or for a paper check to reach you through the mail. Deciding how to spend, save or invest the money in advance can help stop the shopping impulse from getting the best of you. Your refund is yours to use how you see fit and can be used to help pay for day-to-day expenses or invested for long-term financial stability.

Looking for inspiration? Bankrate offers five smart ways to invest your tax refund. Many reloadable prepaid cards have account and routing numbers that you could provide to the IRS. You would need to check with the financial institution to ensure your card can be used and to obtain the routing number and account number, which may be different from the card number. Your refund should only be deposited directly into U.

No more than three electronic refunds can be deposited into a single financial account or pre-paid debit card. Taxpayers who exceed the limit will receive an IRS notice and a paper refund. Whether you file electronically or on paper, direct deposit gives you access to your refund faster than a paper check. Refunds that are direct deposited are not delayed for disaster and other weather-related events affecting mail delivery. If you requested a refund of tax withheld on a Form S by filing a Form NR, we will need additional time to process the return.

Please allow up to 6 months from the original due date of the NR return or the date you actually filed the NR, whichever is later to receive any refund due.