Filed your taxes and are waiting for a refund? You might be eager to check the status of your tax return. Many taxpayers find themselves waiting for months due to a backlog at the IRS. Which currently stands at about 35 million unprocessed returns. This backlog has been exacerbated by delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Are you wondering how to quickly track the status of your tax return? Continue reading to learn more.
Read: This Is How You Can Maximize Your Tax Return
How to Track the Status of Your Tax Return
Reasons for Delay
The pandemic has caused major delays at the IRS due to restricted capacity. This limitation has put a major strain on the IRS and its ability to process returns and refunds. Stimulus payment disbursements also contributed to long delays in 2020 and they continue in 2021. While the IRS is no open, they’re still operating with a limited staff. There could also be a few other reasons why your return is delayed, too. For example, if your return is incomplete or has errors, it could take longer for the IRS to spot them and then notify you, so you can make corrections.
People whose refunds are suspected of identity theft or fraud will also be held up in the system. If you filed for the earned income tax credit or you filed an additional child tax credit, your return could also be delayed. Any instance where your return needs additional review will definitely be “stuck” until the problem can be addressed. Those who submitted an Injured Spouse Allocation form (Form 8379) may have to wait up to 14 weeks for their return to be processed. If any of these issues apply to you, the IRS should send you an explanation or notification so that you can take steps to correct them.
Checking the Status of Your Return
There are several methods you can use to check on the status of your return. First, use the IRS online tracker tool to help you determine when your refund should be available. When you use this tool, you’ll need to be able to provide your social security number, filing status, and the exact refund amount that you’re expecting to receive.
It must be at least 24 hours after you filed online or up to four weeks after you mailed your return before you can track the refund using the online tool. When you go to the Get Refund Status page and enter the information, you should be taken to a page that will show you the refund status in more detail.
If you prefer to use your smartphone, the IRS offers an app called IRS2Go. This app allows you to check the status of your tax return from anywhere. The information in the app is updated overnight, so if you don’t see new updates immediately, keep checking. Once your tax return and refund are approved, the app provides details about when to expect the refund in your bank account. You can track the status of tax returns for the past two years using this app. For information on earlier returns, you will need to contact the IRS directly. Utilize these tips and tools to easily monitor the status of your tax return and gain peace of mind.