What to Expect After You File Your Tax Return

Once your tax return is accepted by the Internal Revenue Service, the IRS processes your refund based on the IRS E-file Refund Cycle Chart. Exact refund dates are based on IRS processing times and can be found in IRS Publication 2043 and IRS Topic 152 for both e-filed and mailed returns. After filing and assuming your tax return is on order, you should receive your federal refund between 8 and 21 days after your filing has been received. If you did not select the electronic deposit option, getting a paper check mailed to you adds about a week. As a general rule, you can expect your state tax refund within 30 days of the electronic filing date or the postmark date.

Note that for the 2016-17 tax season the IRS has announced that there will likely be tax refund payment delays. In particular for those claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), refunds may not be processed until after February 15 in order to perform further identity verification checks. To get specific details on the refund amount your best option is to review the official IRS Where’s My Refund tool once your return has been accepted.