The 2025 tax season will end in ten days, and thousands of taxpayers who filed their tax returns in March or near the deadline will receive their refund. The tax filing season for the 2024 tax year started on 27 January 2025, and the taxpayers who filed early have already received their refund.
The IRS expected over 140 million tax returns (individuals) by the end of this season. According to the IRS filing season statistics, the agency refunded around $195.189 million by 28 March 2025 and processed more than 88 million tax returns. The IRS generally processes the tax refund within 21 days if it is an e-filed return with direct deposit.
Some taxpayers may experience a delay in their tax refund due to various reasons. This led the taxpayers to speculate about their tax refunds. Taxpayers who still haven’t received their refund can track it on the IRS Where’s My Refund tool.
| Track Refund Status tool | Where’s My Refund |
| Tool Available at | IRS official website or IRS mobile app (IRS2GO) |
| Tax Refund Processing | 21 days for e-filed return with direct depositA month or more for paper return;More time for returns that need extra review |
| IRS refund amount till now | $195.189 million (reported 28 Mar 2025) |
| Average Refund | $3324 |
| Tax Deadline | 15 April 2025 |
| Official Website | https://www.irs.gov/ |
Track your Refund
The IRS strives to make the tax system easy and accessible for taxpayers. The agency allows taxpayers to track their tax refund through the Where’s My Refund tool, which they can easily access on the IRS official website or IRS mobile app (IRS2GO). With this tool, the taxpayers get the real-time update recorded in the IRS system.
The agency updates the information about the tax return or refund on the system once a day, the tool may be unavailable each morning between 4 to 5 AM Eastern Time. The tool can tell your refund status in 24 hours after you e-file your current year returns, 3 or 4 days if you have filed the prior-year return, and 4 weeks if you have filed the paper return.
To track your refund status, you would need your Social Security or Individual Taxpayer ID number, exact refund amount filed in your return, your filing status, and the tax year. The tool will tell you the refund status in three stages: Return Received, Your Refund is Approved, and Refund Sent. Taxpayers should know that they can’t track the status of the amended tax return via the Where’s My Refund tool.
When to call the IRS?
Generally, the IRS telephone line is busy during the tax season, hence, the agency advised the taxpayers to track their tax refund through the Where’s My Refund tool and get other information through the online services.
However, you should contact the IRS when the Where’s My Refund tool suggests you contact the agency. Individual filers can call at 800-829-1040 and businesses can call at 800-829-4933 between 7 AM to 7 PM (local time).
Taxpayers who can’t access the Where’s My Refund tool can call the automated hotline number of the IRS at 800-829-1954 for the current year tax refund or 866-464-2050 for an amended return to get the current refund status.
When to expect?
As we mentioned earlier, the IRS generally processes the tax refund within 21 days for an e-filed tax return with direct deposit, a month or more for the returns sent by mail or amended returns, and it may take longer if your tax return needs some corrections or extra review.
The taxpayers who have filed early tax returns may receive the tax refund on time; however, the taxpayers who have filed the return in late March or near the deadline can expect some delay in the 21-day process time, as it is the peak time.
Taxpayers who have claimed the refundable credits with their tax returns may expect some extra time in processing their tax refund, as the agency would need more time to review the return. According to the IRS, if you see your tax refund status as “Refund Sent,” you can expect the tax refund in your account within five days or several weeks for the physical check to reach your mailing address.
What can cause a delay?
The IRS tax refund can be delayed for several reasons, and every taxpayer should know these reasons to solve their refund problem:
- Your tax information on the tax return is not correct or incomplete, which may require extra review or create a hindrance in the tax return processing. The IRS will inform you if it needs more information to process your tax return.
- Your bank details are invalid or your bank account is not active, which may result in your refund being returned to the IRS. In this case, the agency will send your tax refund through mail, which may take more time than you expected. You can call 800-829-1040 if you have entered the wrong account number to stop the deposit.
- You have entered the wrong mailing address or you have moved to a new place, which can make you lose your tax refund check.
- You owe tax debt to the agency or federal government, and the agency uses your refund to cover the debt.
This tax season, another reason that can cause the delay in your tax refund, federal employee layoffs, so always track your tax refund and know what’s happening with the tax refund and take action on time.