Now the question most of us have who already filed is when is my tax refund getting here? The IRS announced that they have begun processing tax returns since January 28, 2019. Although the government reopened, the shutdown affected many tax programs yet to be completed so tax refunds may be delayed.
The IRS usually issues most refunds in less than 21 calendar days when electronically filed. Many factors can affect the timing of your refund so it is possible your tax refund may take longer. Your financial institution may take longer to post your tax refund or for you to receive it by mail. If you mailed your tax return you can expect at least 3-4 weeks delay. For mailed tax returns, the process takes longer as they have to be digitized before processing.
Some taxpayers may get their refunds more than 21 days after the IRS received their returns. Reasons being tax return may be incomplete, need further review, have errors, or taxpayers have been affected by identity fraud. Other instances are filed Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or an Injured Spouse Allocation which takes additional time to process. The IRS cannot issue Earned Income Tax Credit refunds before mid-February. For taxpayers with EITC, refunds will be available in taxpayers’ accounts or debit cards starting February 27, 2019. If this is the case with your return the IRS will contact you by mail requesting additional information to complete processing.
Estimated Timeline for Taxpayer Refunds
The IRS does not release a schedule but below is a chart with an estimated timetable. If your tax return is delayed use the “Where’s My Refund?” tool on IRS website to check your refund status. It takes 24 hours to view updates for electronically filed returns once received or 4 weeks for mailed paper returns.
Contact our offices today for a free estimate on your tax return.