Where's My Refund? Check Your Federal and State Refund Status in 2026
Every year, a question that often comes up for fast filers is, "Where's my tax refund?" Many of us count on those funds and budget accordingly, so it's key to know when that refund will hit our account.
Check out the IRS tax refund schedule for typical timelines to plan your finances effectively!
What You Need Before You Check Your Refund Status
All taxpayers desire a quick response when expecting a state or federal refund. While the IRS and state treasuries are generally efficient in processing these refunds, issues can sometimes arise. Therefore, it's important for taxpayers to know how to monitor the status of their refunds after submitting their state and federal tax returns.
Using the IRS Where's My Refund Tool
The IRS has instituted a simple method for checking the status of an individual's tax refund. "Where's My Refund" is what the IRS calls its tool, which allows filers to check the status of their Federal Refund.
To use the Where's My Refund tool, you must have first filed your return, and it must have been received by the IRS. Status updates are typically only made every 24 hours, so you may also need to wait at least one day after receipt of the return prior to using the IRS Where's My Refund tool.
Twenty-one days or less is the "stated" turnaround time in which a filer should receive their refund. However, in practice, many refunds are processed much more quickly than this; some in as little as 8 days.
For this reason, you may want to consider waiting until the 8th day before checking your tax refund's status. Keep in mind that federal return timeframes are based on the receipt date, and those who file by mail should add time to this estimate.
What Are the 3 Refund Statuses?
You can check your refund status by clicking the "Check My Refund Status" button below and using the IRS refund status tool. Your refund status may show one of three options:
- Return received
- Refund approved
- Refund sent
What Information Do You Need To Get Your Refund Status?
If you would like to check your status, these are the items you will first need:
- Your Social Security number or tax ID number.
- The type of filing/marital status that was selected in the return (single, married filing jointly, head of household, etc)
- The exact refund amount you are anticipating, according to the tax return filing.
- Specify the tax year for which you need the refund status.
How Do I Access My Tax Refund Status
The IRS' Where's My Refund tool can be accessed in three different ways. Online, over the phone, or using the IRS app (available for most Android devices and Apple iPhone/iPad).
You can check the status of your refund online by visiting the IRS Where's My Refund tool and entering the personal information provided above.
The IRS Refund Hotline is also available for those who prefer to receive information over the phone. The tax refund phone number for this is 1-800-829-1954. Please note that for assistance in locating possible lost refunds, please see our page on contacting the IRS. Finally, the IRS now offers a mobile app version of the Where's My Refund tool, which filers can install and access on their Apple or Android devices.
With each of these access methods, refund status updates occur once every twenty-four hours, usually at night. Calling, checking online, or with the app once daily is enough. Checking more frequently will not prompt a quicker status update.
Where's my State Refund?
There are 41 states that currently collect income taxes. Residents of many of these states who expect a tax refund now also have a means to find information on the status of their state refund, just as with their federal refund. Similar to the IRS, several states also offer a "Where's My State Refund" tool. It is important to note that the various avenues available to individuals for finding information on their state refund status do differ by state.
Tracking Down State Tax Refunds:
Tax refunds in individual states may also take longer to arrive than federal tax returns filed by mail or electronically. Most state governments issue refunds 21 days after receiving a tax return; some states may take even longer. Some states also take longer to issue refunds to first-time taxpayers.
This is an important consideration for taxpayers who just moved to the state or taxpayers who recently started earning income and are filing for the first time.
Like the IRS, most state government websites require the exact expected refund and the individual's Social Security number and/or tax ID to access information. Occasionally, a state may also require information from the prior tax year and either a zip code or the taxpayer's full mailing address.
State Refund Lookup Tools and Contacts
Below you will find information for all 41 states on how to look up the status of a refund. There are also phone numbers and addresses listed for the various state departments in case you need to contact one of them regarding a missing refund, question, or possible error:
| State Department | Address | Phone Number | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| State of Alabama DOR | Gordon Persons Building, 50 North Ripley Street, Montgomery, AL 36104 | (334) 242-1099 | Link |
| Arizona DOR Income Tax Refunds | 1600 West Monroe, Phoenix, AZ 85007-2650 | (602) 255-3381 | Link |
| Arkansas Dept. of Finance and Admin. | Ledbetter Building, 1816 West 7th Street, Room 2300, Little Rock, AR 72201 | (501) 682-1100 | Link |
| State of California Franchise Tax Board | 9646 Butterfield Way, Sacramento, CA 95827 | (800) 338-0505 | Link |
| Colorado DOR | 1375 Sherman Street, Denver, CO 80261 | (303) 238-7378 | Link |
| State of Connecticut DOR Services | 25 Sigourney Street, Hartford, CT 06106 | (860) 297-5962 | Link |
| Delaware Division of Revenue | Carvel State Office Building, 820 North French Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 | (302) 577-8200 | Link |
| D.C. OTR Customer Service Center | 1101 4th Street Southwest, Suite W270, Washington, D.C. 20024 | (202) 727-4829 | Link |
| Georgia DOR | 1800 Century Boulevard Northeast, #12000, Atlanta, GA 30345 | (404) 417-6605 | Link |
| Hawaii Department of Taxation | 830 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu, HI 96813 | (808) 587-4242 | Link |
| Idaho State Tax Commission | 800 East Park Boulevard, #500, Boise, ID 83712 | (208) 334-7660 | Link |
| Illinois DOR | 15 Executive Drive, Fairview Heights, IL 62208 | (618) 624-6773 | Link |
| Indiana DOR | P.O. Box 40, Indianapolis, IN 46206-0040 | (317) 232-2240 | Link |
| Iowa DOR | 1305 East Walnut Street, #3000, Des Moines, IA 50319 | (515) 281-3114 | Link |
| Kansas DOR | 915 Southwest Harrison Street, #300, Topeka, KS 66612 | (785) 368-8222 | Link |
| Kentucky DOR | 501 High Street, Frankfort, KY 40601-2103 | (502) 564-4581 | Link |
| Louisiana DOR | 617 North Third Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802 | (225) 219-0102 | Link |
| Maine Revenue Services | 51 Commerce Drive, Augusta, ME 04330 | (207) 626-8475 | Link |
| Comptroller of Maryland State Office | 301 W Preston Street, Room 206, Baltimore, MD 21201-2384 | 410-767-1306 | Link |
| Massachusetts DOR | 436 Dwight Street, # 312, Springfield, MA 01103 | (617) 887-6367 | Link |
| Michigan Department of Treasury | Lansing, MI 48922 | (517) 373-3200 | Link |
| Minnesota DOR | 600 North Robert Street, St. Paul, MN 55101 | (651) 556-3000 | Link |
| Mississippi DOR | P.O. Box 23050, Jackson, MS 39225 | (601) 923-7801 | Link |
| Missouri DOR | Harry S. Truman State Office Building, 301 West High Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101 | (573) 751-3505 | Link |
| Montana DOR | Sam W. Mitchell Building, 125 North Roberts, 3rd Floor, Helena, MT 59604-5805 | (406) 444-6900 | Link |
| Nebraska DOR | P.O. Box 98912, Lincoln, NE 68509‑8912 | (402) 471‑5729 | Link |
| State of NJ Department of Treasury | Division of Taxation, P.O. Box 046, Trenton, NJ 08646-0046 | (609) 826-4400 | Link |
| NM Taxation and Revenue Dept. | 1100 South St. Francis Drive, Santa Fe, NM 87504 | (505) 827-0700 | Link |
| NY Dept. of Taxation and Finance | State Processing Center, P.O. BOX 61000, Albany, NY 12261-0001 | (518) 457-5149 | Link |
| North Carolina DOR | P.O. Box 25000, Raleigh, NC 27640-0640 | (919) 707-7500 | Link |
| ND Office of State Tax Commissioner | 600 East Boulevard Avenue, Bismarck, ND 58505-0599 | (701) 328-7088 | Link |
| Ohio Department of Taxation | 4485 Northland Ridge Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43229 | (800) 282-1780 | Link |
| Oklahoma Tax Commission | 2501 North Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK 73194 | (405) 521-3160 | Link |
| Oregon DOR | 955 Center Street Northeast, Salem, OR 97301 | (503) 378-4988 | Link |
| Pennsylvania DOR | 333 Walnut Street, Harrisburg, PA 17128 | (717) 787-8201 | Link |
| Rhode Island DOR | Taxation Division, 1 Capitol Hill, Providence, RI 02908 | (401) 222-1040 | Link |
| South Carolina DOR | 1330 Howard Parkway, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 | (843) 839-2960 | Link |
| Utah State Tax Commission | 210 North 1950 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84134 | (801) 297-3996 | Link |
| Vermont Department of Taxes | 133 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05602 | (802) 828-2515 | Link |
| Virginia Department of Taxation | 1957 Westmoreland Street, Richmond, VA 23230 | (804) 367-2486 | Link |
| West Virginia State Tax Department | Taxpayer Services Division, 1206 Quarrier Street, Charleston, WV 25301 | (304) 558-3333 | Link |
| Wisconsin DOR | 2135 Rimrock Road, Madison, WI 53713 | (608) 266-2772 | Link |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fastest way to get a tax refund?
E-filing and choosing to receive your refund through direct deposit helps to expedite the tax refund process and get you your fastest refund without the use of expensive refund anticipation loans.
At E-file, you'll get a confirmation of acceptance from the IRS within 48 hours. Once accepted, you can get your money in as little as 21 calendar days. In contrast, when you print and mail a return, it can take as long as two months to receive your refund. Another way to help speed up your tax refund is to select direct deposit instead of requesting a paper check. To utilize this, you simply need your bank name, account and routing number.
Can I check the status of a federal refund from a previous year?
Yes, you can check the status of a federal tax refund from the current year and the last two years with the IRS's "Where's My Refund?" tool.
Does my state refund show up in the IRS tool?
No, the IRS's "Where's My Refund?" tool only tracks federal refunds. Your state return is processed by a separate agency on a separate timeline, so a federal refund landing in your account tells you nothing about where your state refund is. Use your state's own lookup tool. You'll find a direct link for all 41 states and the District of Columbia in the table above.