The IRS does pay interest on refunds, but only if the IRS was late in sending your money back

The IRS owes you interest on a refund only when the agency itself delays sending it to you past a certain deadline. That deadline is generally 45 days from the date you filed your return (or the official tax deadline, whichever is later). If your refund arrives after 45 days, the IRS calculates interest from the due date of the return to the date the refund is actually paid.

The interest rate changes quarterly and is set by federal law. For 2024, the rate is 8 percent per year. The IRS does not automatically send you this interest—you have to request it, usually by filing Form 843 (Claim for Refund) or by including a line on an amended return if you file one.

Most refunds arrive within 21 days if you file electronically and choose direct deposit. If yours took longer than 45 days and you did not receive interest, you can still request it, even years later.

Key Takeaways

  • The IRS owes interest only if your refund arrived more than 45 days after you filed or after the tax deadline, whichever is later.
  • The interest rate is set by federal law and changes quarterly; it was 8 percent per year in 2024.
  • You must request the interest yourself using Form 843 or by filing an amended return; the IRS does not send it automatically.
  • Interest accrues from the original tax return due date (usually April 15) to the date the refund was actually paid to you.
  • You can request interest on late refunds from prior years if you did not receive it at the time.

How the 45-day rule works

The 45-day window starts on the date you file your return, not the date the IRS receives it. If you file electronically on February 1, the clock starts February 1. If you file on paper, it starts the day the IRS receives it (which you can confirm through tracking or by the postmark date if you mailed it).

The deadline is also never earlier than the official tax deadline for that year. So if you file your 2023 return on March 1, 2024, the 45-day window runs from March 1 to April 15 (the 2023 tax deadline), whichever gives you more time. In this case, April 15 is later, so the IRS has until April 15 plus 45 days—May 30, 2024—to send your refund without owing interest.

If you filed an extension and the deadline moved to October 15, the same rule applies: the IRS has 45 days from your filing date or until 45 days after October 15, whichever is later.

What triggers a late refund and interest

A refund is considered late if it has not been paid (deposited or mailed) by the end of the 45-day period. "Paid" means the money actually reached your bank account or you received the check, not the date the IRS says it processed the return.

Common reasons the IRS delays refunds include errors on the return (missing information, mismatched Social Security numbers, or math mistakes), identity verification holds, wage garnishment or offset for unpaid taxes or child support, and processing backlogs during peak season. If your refund was delayed for any of these reasons and arrived after 45 days, you are may have access to to interest from day 46 onward.

If you filed electronically and chose direct deposit, the IRS typically processes the refund within 21 days. If you chose a paper check, add 7 to 10 business days for mail delivery. Delays beyond these windows often mean the return hit a hold or error.

How to calculate the interest owed to you

The IRS interest rate is set by statute and changes every three months. The rate for the current quarter is published on the IRS website under "Interest Rates" or you can call the IRS at 800-829-1040 to ask. For 2024, the rate has been 8 percent per year.

To calculate interest, use this formula: (Refund Amount) × (Interest Rate ÷ 365) × (Number of Days Late). For example, if you were owed a $2,000 refund and it arrived 60 days late during a quarter when the rate was 8 percent, the interest would be: $2,000 × (0.08 ÷ 365) × 15 days = $6.58.

The interest accrues from the original return due date (usually April 15 for that tax year) to the date the refund was actually paid, not from the date you filed. This means even if you filed early, interest still runs from April 15 if the refund was delayed past the 45-day mark.

How to request interest on a late refund

You must file Form 843 (Claim for Refund) to request interest. You can file it by mail or, in some cases, through your IRS account online. On the form, you will need to explain that your refund was late and provide the date you filed, the date you received the refund, and the amount of the refund.

Include a calculation of the interest owed based on the IRS interest rate for the quarter(s) the refund was late. Attach a copy of your original return and any documentation showing when you filed and when the refund arrived (bank statement, check image, or IRS transcript).

Mail Form 843 to the IRS address for your state, which is listed in the form instructions. Processing time for a claim is typically 3 to 6 months, though it can take longer if the IRS needs more information. You can also file an amended return (Form 1040-X) and include a line requesting the interest, though Form 843 is the more direct route.

Interest on refunds from prior tax years

You can request interest on late refunds from any prior year, even if several years have passed. There is no statute of limitations on claiming interest owed by the IRS, though you generally have three years from the date you filed the original return to file a claim for a refund of taxes paid.

If you received a refund in 2020 that arrived 90 days late and you never requested the interest, you can still file Form 843 now. Gather the same documentation: the filing date, the payment date, and the refund amount. The interest will be calculated from the original due date to the date paid, using the interest rates that were in effect during that period.

The IRS has records of when refunds were paid, so if you have your bank statement or check image showing the deposit or receipt date, that is your proof of the payment date. If you do not have that, you can request an IRS transcript (Form 4506-C) which shows the refund date.

When the IRS does not owe interest

The IRS does not owe interest if your refund arrived within 45 days of filing, even if it took longer than you expected. The 45-day rule is the legal threshold; faster service does not earn you anything extra.

The IRS also does not owe interest if you requested a delay—for example, if you asked the IRS to hold your refund while you resolved a tax issue or if you filed an extension and the IRS honored your request to wait. Interest is only owed when the IRS itself is responsible for the delay.

If your refund was delayed because of an error you made on the return (such as a wrong Social Security number or missing signature), the IRS still owes interest once the 45-day window closes, even though you caused the initial problem. The 45-day rule is absolute; the reason for the delay does not matter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get interest if my refund arrived 50 days after I filed?

Yes, if 50 days have passed since you filed and the refund has been paid to you. You are may have access to to interest for the 5 days (or more) past the 45-day mark. File Form 843 with the IRS and include your calculation of the interest owed based on the federal rate in effect during that period.

What if I filed my return on time but the IRS took 90 days to send my refund?

You are owed interest for the 45 days past the deadline. The interest runs from the original tax return due date (April 15 for most returns) to the date the refund was paid, using the quarterly interest rate that was in effect. File Form 843 to request it.

Does the IRS automatically send interest on late refunds?

No. The IRS does not automatically include interest with a late refund. You must request it by filing Form 843 or by including it on an amended return. Many people never receive the interest they are owed because they do not know to ask for it.

How long does it take to get the interest payment after I file Form 843?

The IRS typically processes a Form 843 claim in 3 to 6 months, though it can take longer if the IRS requests additional information. You can check the status of your claim by calling the IRS at 800-829-1040 or through your IRS account online.

What if I lost the documentation of when my refund arrived?

You can request an IRS transcript (Form 4506-C) which shows the date the refund was paid. You can also check your bank records or credit union statement from that period. If you received a check, the cancelled check image from your bank shows the deposit date. Include whatever documentation you have with Form 843.