Where Is My Tax Refund 2016? How To Check The Status Of Your Federal And State Income Taxes

As accountants across the U.S. see a boom in business and everyone scrambles to collect the proper paperwork, those of you who have already filed your taxes might be expecting to see some money back.

If you file by paper, it can take up to four weeks to find out if the IRS owes you money. For those of you filing online, you will be able to find out within 24 hours of receiving your e-filed tax return. Here are the easy steps to finding out about your tax refund.

First, visit the IRS website page devoted to tax refunds. To check the status of your refund you will need to have your Social Security number or your individual taxpayer identification number handy, along with your filing status (single, married, joint filing etc.) and your tax refund amount. The refund amount is listed on the tax return you filed.

Second, enter your personal information to see if your tax return was received. If it was, you will be able to find out the date of your direct deposit or mailing refund. Be sure to double check that your mailing address is correct at this step. You will also be able to update other personal information during this step.

Third, what if you are not seeing a refund? If it has been more than 21 days since you filed electronically, use the IRS’s “Where’s My Refund?” tool to contact the agency directly. There’s also a frequently asked questions section for refund help here.

Because there’s an app for everything, you can download the IRS2Go app through the Apple Store or Android marketplace to check your tax refund status. You can also check the status of your refund by phone in English or Spanish by calling the refund hotline at (800)-829-1954.

You have until April 18 this year to file your taxes. The IRS provides a free file tool online to get your taxes in order.