How to Check Your Tax Refund Status Online

Guide Note

If you're fortunate enough to be owed money from the government rather than the other way around, you probably want to know when exactly you'll be receiving your refund check.

How to Check Your Tax Refund Status Online will show you how to check the status of both your federal and state refunds via the web.

Table of Contents

Tax Refund Status Online Tips

  1. Gather your personal information. To check either your federal or state tax refund status, you will need to have your social security number, filing status and refund amount on hand.
  2. Visit the IRS website. Check your federal tax refund status via the Where's My Refund? page of the IRS website.
  3. Visit your state's department of revenue website. Each state has a different mechanism for checking the status of your refund. Some use an online system; others maintain a telephone hotline. All states, however, have a website that will instruct you on how to check your refund status.
  4. Your 2008 federal tax rebate is different than your federal and state tax refunds. Your 2008 Bush Tax Rebate check is separate from your federal refund check and has nothing to do with your state refund. Rebate checks will be mailed to qualifying taxpayers beginning in May 2008.

Disclaimer

The content of this page is intended for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional financial advice.

Contact the IRS or a professional financial advisor for the most up-to-date and complete information regarding state and federal tax law.

Introduction

Store the refund for a rainy day. (Photo by Carlos Zaragoza)
Store the refund for a rainy day. (Photo by Carlos Zaragoza)
  • Despite how tedious doing your taxes may be, receiving a refund check makes it all worth it. If you're owed a refund check, you probably want to know when exactly you'll be receiving it. The IRS actually makes running down your refund a very easy process. All you need is your social security number, filing status and exact refund amount to figure out your refund's status online.
  • State refunds can be a little trickier to get a report on, but the majority of states do offer some kind of online service to let you know whether or not your return has been processed yet. Those that don't offer automated telephone hotlines, and if you're very lucky, you live in a state that doesn't levy a personal income tax anyway.

Checking Your Federal Tax Refund Status Online

Where's Your Refund? Find out online. (Photo by Bazilrr)
Where's Your Refund? Find out online. (Photo by Bazilrr)
  • The best way to check the status of your federal income tax refund is to contact the IRS directly. Fortunately, they've set up an online service explicitly for this purpose. Called "Where's My Refund?", the service will let you know whether or not your return has been processed and when your refund was mailed out or deposited into your bank account. If there is a snag, the site will direct you to initiate a refund trace.
  • To use the service, you'll need the following:
  1. Social Security Number (or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number)
  2. Filing Status (Single, Married Filing Joint Return, Married Filing Separate Return, Head of Household, or Qualifying Widow(er))
  3. Exact Refund Amount Shown on Your Return
  • If you lose your internet connection at an inopportune moment, you can always pick up the phone and contact the IRS directly at 1.800.829.1040.

NOTE: Your tax refund is different than the 2008 Bush Tax Rebate. Rebate checks will be mailed to qualifying taxpayers in early May 2008 and will be separate from refund checks. For more information on the rebate, visit Mahalo's page on the Bush Tax Rebate 2008.


Checking Your State Tax Refund Status Online

  • Unfortunately, not every state which levies a personal income tax has a website set up to help you check the status of your state income tax refund. Some still rely on the old-fashioned automated telephone system.
  • Whether you're using your computer or a phone, you'll need to provide some information about your tax return to find out whether your refund has been processed yet. Each state requires something slightly different, but, at the very least, you will be asked to provide your social security number and the exact refund amount shown on your return.

Online State Tax Refund Status

  • The following states maintain an online refund inquiry service:

State Tax Refund Hotlines

  • The following states do not have an online refund inquiry system set up as of February 2008. Most do, however, have refund hotlines as noted below:

Resources for How to Check Your Tax Refund Status Online

General Tax Resources

Tax Filing Books, Products, and Services

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Have any great tips on How to Check Your Tax Refund Status Online? Post your thoughts to the discussion board or email them to Julia: Julia at mahalo dot com.