Waiting on your tax refund? Here's why your return may be taking longer this year (2024)

FAQs

Waiting on your tax refund? Here's why your return may be taking longer this year? ›

The IRS can delay your tax refund until it completes any audits. This is most common when the IRS is conducting a mail audit on your EITC or ACTC return from a prior year. Normally, you'll receive IRS Letter CP88 indicating that your refund is frozen until the IRS completes the audit.

Some tax returns take longer to process than others for many reasons, including when a return: Is sent by mail. Contains errors or is incomplete. Needs further review in general.

Why is my refund taking so long? A refund will take longer if you file by mail or don't select direct deposit. In addition, if the return is more complex or corrections are needed, it may slow the process down.

You should only contact the IRS if:

It's been 21 days or more since you e-filed. Where's My Refund? tells you to contact them.

Refund timing

The IRS issues more than 9 out of 10 refunds in the normal time frame: less than 21 days. However, it's possible that some tax returns may require further review and could result in the refund being delayed. Some common issues which may extend processing times: You mailed your return.

If the IRS decides that your return merits a second glance, you'll be issued a CP05 Notice. This notice lets you know that your return is being reviewed to verify any or all of the following: Your income. Your tax withholding.

If the IRS is reviewing your return, the review process could take anywhere from 45 to 180 days, depending on the number and types of issues the IRS is reviewing.

If you file a complete and accurate paper tax return, your refund should be issued in about six to eight weeks from the date IRS receives your return. If you file your return electronically, your refund should be issued in less than three weeks, even faster when you choose direct deposit.

Many different factors may affect the timing of refund delivery: The tax return has errors, requires additional review or is incomplete.

The IRS can delay your tax refund until it completes any audits. This is most common when the IRS is conducting a mail audit on your EITC or ACTC return from a prior year. Normally, you'll receive IRS Letter CP88 indicating that your refund is frozen until the IRS completes the audit.

Does it really take 9 weeks after identity verification to get a refund in 2024? ›

What happens after I successfully verify? We'll process your tax return. It may take up to 9 weeks to receive your refund or credit any overpayment to your account. However, if we find other problems, we'll contact you again and this may delay your refund.

You should only call about your:

E-filed return: 3 weeks after you filed it. Paper return: 6 weeks after you mailed it.

It's natural to think the worst when your tax refund is delayed, but don't jump to the conclusion that you're getting audited. Fewer than 1% of tax returns get audited each year, so your chances aren't so high. It pays to check up on your refund to see what's going on.

If your refund details state that it's still processing, you can check your tax return to see if you catch any errors. If your refund status instructs you to contact the IRS, you can speak to an agent to get clarification by calling 1-800-829-1040.

If you owe money to a federal or state agency, the federal government may use part or all of your federal tax refund to repay the debt. This is called a tax refund offset. If your tax refund is lower than you calculated, it may be due to a tax refund offset for an unpaid debt such as child support.

There are a few reasons why your federal refund may be delayed. One of the most common culprits is submitting a return that contains an error, such as the wrong Social Security number or incorrect direct deposit information. The IRS could also be holding up your refund if it requires additional review or is incomplete.

For some taxpayers, PATH Act requirements and other identity-protection safeguards implemented by the IRS may account for longer wait times. Other things that can delay your refund include, but are not limited to: Liens, back taxes, or refund offsets. Errors, inconsistencies, or missing information.