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If you're fortunate enough to be owed money from the government rather than the other way around, you probably want to know exactly when you'll be receiving your refund check. Online services are available for your federal taxes as well as for most states' taxes, and this page will walk you through the steps to keep an eye on when your refund check should arrive in your eager hands.
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Online Tax Refund Status Tips
- Have all of you necessary personal information on hand before you check.
- Checking both federal and state refund status requires your social security number, filing status and refund amount on hand.
- Check your federal tax refund status using the the Where's My Refund? service hosted on the the IRS website.
- Though many do, not every state has an online system for checking your tax refund status. Visit your state's department of revenue website to check.
- If your state doesn't use an online system, it will definitely maintain a telephone hotline for refund status.
- Every state will host a website that instructs you on how to check your refund status.
- Federal tax rebates have nothing to do with state tax rebates, and vice versa. They are separate payments.
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Introduction
- 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.
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Checking Your Federal Tax Refund Status Online
- 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, and it's called Where's My Refund?Internal Revenue Service: Where's My Refund? Homepage This service will:
- Let you know whether or not your return has been processed.
- Show you exactly when your refund was either mailed to you or deposited into your bank account.
- Initiate a refund trace-- basically, reissuing your refund payment-- if for some reason your payment wasn't completed.Internal Revenue Service: Internet Refund Trace (IRTRC)
- Allow you to update your mailing address if the online status indicates that a mailed check was undeliverable by the Post Office.Internal Revenue Service: What Information Is Available on Where's My Refund?
- To get started with Where's My Refund, you can head directly to the online form hosted on the IRS website.Internal Revenue Service: Get Refund Status Keep in mind that you will need the following personal information before you begin:
- Social Security Number (or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number)
- Filing Status (Single, Married Filing Joint Return, Married Filing Separate Return, Head of Household, or Qualifying Widow(er))
- Exact Refund Amount Shown on Your Return
- If for your internet connection should fail or you are uncomfortable with sending personal information online, you can also pick up the phone and contact the IRS directly at 1.800.829.1040 to check on your tax refund status.
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:
- Arizona Department of Revenue
- Refund Status: 602.255.3381 or 1.800.352.4090
- Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration
- Refund Status: 501.682.0200 or 1.800.438.1992
- Connecticut Department of Revenue Services
- Refund Status: 1.800.382.9463 (In-State) or 1.860.297.5962 (From Anywhere)
- Georgia Department of Revenue
- Refund Status: 1.800.338.2389
- Hawaii Department of Taxation
- Refund Status: 1.808.587.4242 or 1.800.222.3229
- Kentucky Revenue Cabinet
- Refund Status: 1.502.564.1600
- Louisiana Department of Revenue and Taxation
- Refund Status: 1.888.829.3071
- Montana Department of Revenue
- Refund Status: 406.444.9840
- New Jersey Division of Taxation
- Refund Status: 1.800.323.4400
- New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department
- Refund Status: 505.827.0822
- North Carolina Department of Revenue
- Refund Status: 1.877.252.4052
- North Dakota State Tax Department
- Refund Status: 701.328.3450
- Oklahoma Tax Commission
- Refund Status: 1.800.522.8165
- Oregon Department of Revenue
- Refund Status: 1.800.356.4222
- Utah State Tax Commission
- Refund Status: 801.297.2200
- Vermont Department of Taxes
- Refund Status: 1.866.828.2865
- The following states do not charge a personal state income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Texas, Tennessee, Washington, Wyoming.Wikipedia: State income tax
- However, New Hampshire and Tennessee do charge taxes on interest and dividend income. Visit the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration and Tennessee Department of Revenue for additional information.Wikipedia: State income tax - U.S. States without a personal income tax
Tax Filing Books, Products and Services
- Amazon.com:
TurboTax Deluxe Federal + State 2007 (Partner) - Amazon.com:
H&R Block TaxCut 2007 Premium Federal + State (Win/Mac) (Partner) - Amazon.com:
Books on Taxes (Partner) - Amazon.com:
The Ernst & Young Tax Guide 2008 (Partner) - Amazon.com:
Eric Tyson's book Taxes 2008 For Dummies (Partner) - Amazon.com:
J.K. Lasser's Small Business Taxes 2008 (Partner) - Amazon.com:
Taxes 2008 For Dummies (Partner) - Turbo Tax:
Online Filing with TurboTax (Sponsored) - H&R Block:
TaxCut Online Products (Sponsored) - {{ads|7254461503}}
- Have more tax refund questions? Comment on the How to Check Your Tax Refund Status blog
- 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, and it's called Where's My Refund?Internal Revenue Service: Where's My Refund? Homepage This service will:
