Every year, millions of federal and state tax refunds go undelivered or unclaimed. Learn how to claim your refund if you did not file a return or if your check never got to you.
Undelivered federal tax refunds
If you never received your tax refund
If you were expecting a federal tax refund and did not receive it, check the IRS Where’s My Refund page. You will need to enter your Social Security number, filing status, and the exact whole dollar amount of your refund.
If you cannot get your refund status after checking online
You can also call the IRS to check on the status of your refund. Wait times to speak with a representative can be long. But you can avoid waiting by using the automated phone system. Follow the message prompts when you call.
If you moved after filing your return
Refund checks are mailed to your last known address. If you move without notifying the IRS or the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), your refund check may be returned to the IRS. Submit a Change of Address Form 8822 [PDF, 81KB] to the IRS. Also submit a change of address to the USPS.
If you received a CP237A notice from the IRS
The IRS will send you a CP237A if the tax refund check they sent you was never deposited. If you received this notice, call 1-800-829-0115 to claim your refund. In most cases, you will get your refund within 30 days of contacting the IRS.
You may be entitled to an unclaimed federal tax refund
If you are eligible for a federal tax refund but do not file a return, your refund will go unclaimed. Even if you are not required to file a return, it might benefit you to file if:
You may not have filed a tax return because your wages were below the filing requirement. But you can still file a return within three years of the filing deadline to get your refund.
State tax refunds
For information about your state tax refund, contact your state revenue department.
LAST UPDATED: June 26, 2024
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FAQs
If you do not receive your check within 30 days of the date the check was issued, or if you received a check that was lost, stolen, or destroyed, you can request a replacement check. Call the Customer Service Center at 609-292-6400 and speak to a Division Representative.
What happens if I never received my tax refund check? ›
Answer: If you lost your refund check, you should initiate a refund trace: Use Where's My Refund, call us at 800-829-1954 and use the automated system, or speak with an agent by calling 800-829-1040 (see telephone assistance for hours of operation).
What happens if a tax refund check is not cashed? ›
If the check wasn't cashed, you'll receive a replacement check once the original check is canceled. If the refund check was cashed, the Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS) will provide you with a claim package that includes a copy of the cashed check. Follow the instructions for completing the claim package.
How do I get my IRS refund undelivered? ›
If you think your refund check may have been returned to the IRS as undelivered, you should use the Where's My Refund? tool on IRS.gov. This tool provides the status of your refund and, in some cases, instructions on how to resolve delivery problems.
Can you get a tax refund check reissued? ›
Refund checks are good for a year from the issue date. If it's been more than a year, you must send us a request to receive a new check. Complete your request on a replacement form.
What happens if IRS never sends refund? ›
If you never received your tax refund
If you were expecting a federal tax refund and did not receive it, check the IRS Where's My Refund page. You will need to enter your Social Security number, filing status, and the exact whole dollar amount of your refund.
What to do if IRS has not cashed your check? ›
If it's been at least two weeks since you sent the payment to the IRS and your financial institution verifies that the check hasn't cleared your account, call the IRS at 800-829-1040 to ask if the payment has been credited to your tax account. Get up-to-date status on current IRS operations and services.
Can IRS find out about cashed checks? ›
The IRS isn't all-seeing or all-knowing. But -- In the event of an audit, checks do provide a paper trail documenting the origins of your deposits. So if you fail to report income from an "off the books" job, or do not fully report self-employment income, deposit records could be used against you.
What happens if a check never gets cashed? ›
What Happens If a Check Is Never Cashed? Checks that remain outstanding for long periods of time can't be cashed, as they become void. Outstanding checks that remain so for a long period of time are known as "stale" checks. Some checks become stale if dated after 60 or 90 days, while all become void after six months.
What if my refund was sent but not received? ›
So, if it appears the refund was issued, but you still haven't received it, you can ask the IRS to do a refund trace. This is the process the IRS uses to track a lost, stolen, or misplaced refund check or to verify a financial institution received a direct deposit.
Call the IRS Refund Hotline at 800-829-1954 and use the automated system or speak with an IRS employee, or. Go to “Where's My Refund?” at IRS.gov or use the IRS2Go mobile app and follow the prompts to begin a refund trace.
What happens if an old tax refund check is not cashed? ›
It expires in 180 days and is non-negotiable. In order to get the money, you would need to contact the IRS and get a new check issued. Whether you cash a refund check or not, the IRS doesn't care. How can the IRS say you haven't filed but cashed your check?
Can the IRS resend a check? ›
The IRS doesn't resubmit checks or other commercial payment instruments a second time for payment.
What is 800-829-0922? ›
Call 1-800-829-0922 to discuss your payment options with the IRS.
What to do if you lost your tax return check? ›
Once you've determined that your refund is really missing, you can ask the IRS to trace the refund. If your filing status is single, married filing separate, or head of household: Call the IRS Refund Hotline at 800-829-1954 and use the automated system or speak with an IRS employee, or.
How to track a refund check in mail? ›
Use the IRS Where's My Refund tool or the IRS2Go mobile app to check your refund online. This is the fastest and easiest way to track your refund. The systems are updated once every 24 hours. You can contact the IRS to check on the status of your refund.
Can I live chat with an IRS agent? ›
IRS Customer Service, Online Live Chat
The IRS also offers chatbots and live agents to give a quick, online means to contact an IRS representative with simple questions.
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