Check your refund status on IRS Where's My Refund
The IRS tool Where's My Refund is the fastest way to find out whether your 2022 refund has been processed, approved, or sent. Go to irs.gov and click the Where's My Refund link on the homepage. You will need your Social Security number, filing status (single, married filing jointly, etc.), and the exact refund amount from your 2022 tax return.
The tool updates once per day, usually overnight. It will tell you one of three things: your refund is still being processed, your refund has been approved and a payment date has been set, or your refund was sent and the date it left the IRS. If the tool says your refund was sent more than a week ago and you have not received it, move to the section below on missing refunds.
You can also call the IRS refund hotline at 1-800-829-1954 if you prefer to speak to someone, though wait times are often long during tax season. Have your return information ready before you call.
Key Takeaways
- Where's My Refund on irs.gov shows your refund status in real time and updates once per day.
- If the tool says your refund was sent more than a week ago and you still have not received it, file a missing refund claim with the IRS.
- Direct deposit refunds usually arrive within 21 days of IRS approval; paper checks take 4 to 6 weeks from approval.
- If your 2022 return was selected for audit or review, the IRS will contact you by mail — your refund will be held until that process is complete.
- State refunds are tracked separately through your state tax agency's website, not through the IRS.
Why your 2022 refund might still be processing
If Where's My Refund says your return is still being processed, the most common reasons are that the IRS is verifying your income, checking for errors on your return, or confirming your identity. The IRS processes most returns within 21 days, but some take longer.
Returns are delayed more often when you claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), or when you report self-employment income. These require extra verification steps. If you filed on paper instead of electronically, processing takes longer — paper returns can take up to 6 weeks or more.
If your return included amended information, corrections, or if you filed late, expect additional processing time. The IRS will contact you by mail if they need more information from you; they do not call or email about this.
What to do if your refund was sent but you did not receive it
If Where's My Refund shows your refund was sent by direct deposit but the money never arrived in your bank account, first check with your bank. Ask them to search their records for a deposit from the IRS for the exact amount shown on Where's My Refund. Sometimes deposits are delayed by one or two business days, or they may have been rejected if your account information changed.
If your bank confirms they never received the deposit, file a missing refund claim with the IRS. Call 1-800-829-1954 and tell them your refund was sent but not received. The IRS will investigate and either resend the refund or issue a check. This process usually takes 4 to 6 weeks.
If Where's My Refund shows your refund was sent by check but you did not receive it in the mail, wait at least 4 weeks from the date shown before filing a claim. Checks can take that long to arrive, especially if you live far from the IRS processing center. If 4 weeks have passed, call the IRS at the number above to report it missing.
How to track a state refund from 2022
Your state tax refund is separate from your federal refund and is tracked through your state's tax agency website, not the IRS. Each state has its own refund tracker tool. Search "[your state] tax refund status" or go directly to your state's Department of Revenue or Department of Taxation website.
State refunds typically take 4 to 8 weeks to process after you file, though some states take longer. If you filed your state return at the same time as your federal return, your state refund may arrive before or after your federal refund — they are not linked.
If you filed a joint federal return but live in a state with no income tax, you will only receive a federal refund. If you moved between states in 2022, you may owe tax to one state and be owed a refund by another; check both states' websites to be sure.
What happens if the IRS selected your return for audit
If your 2022 return was selected for audit or examination, the IRS will send you a letter by mail explaining what they want to review. Your refund will be held until the audit is complete. Do not expect your refund until you have responded to the IRS and they have finished their review.
Where's My Refund will not show a payment date while an audit is pending. The letter from the IRS will explain what documents or information they need and how to send it. Follow the instructions in the letter exactly. Audits can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on what is being reviewed.
If you disagree with the audit results, you have the right to appeal. The letter will explain how to do that. Do not ignore an audit letter — the IRS will make a decision based on the information they have if you do not respond.
Refunds delayed by identity theft or fraud holds
If Where's My Refund says your refund is delayed or held, it may be because the IRS flagged your return for identity verification. This happens when the IRS suspects fraud or when your return does not match other records they have on file. The IRS will send you a letter asking you to verify your identity, usually by uploading documents through an online portal or by mail.
Follow the instructions in the letter carefully and respond as quickly as you can. Once the IRS verifies your identity, your refund will be processed. This can add 2 to 4 weeks to your timeline, sometimes longer if you need to mail documents.
If you receive a letter asking you to verify your identity but you did not receive it directly from the IRS (for example, if it came through email or text), do not respond. The IRS does not contact people about refunds through email or text message. Report the message to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov if it claims to be from them.
Direct deposit versus check: which method affects your timeline
If you chose direct deposit on your 2022 return, your refund should arrive in your bank account within 21 days of IRS approval. If you chose to receive a check, allow 4 to 6 weeks from approval. Checks take longer because they have to be printed, mailed, and delivered by the postal service.
If you did not choose a method on your return, the IRS will send a check by default. You cannot change your method once you have filed, so if you want your next refund by direct deposit, you will need to choose that option when you file your next return.
If you moved between filing your return and receiving your refund, the check may be sent to your old address. Contact the IRS to update your address, or file a missing refund claim if the check was sent to an address you no longer use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get my 2022 refund faster if I call the IRS?
No. Calling the IRS does not speed up processing. Where's My Refund shows the actual status of your return, and the IRS processes returns in the order they were received. The only exception is if there is an error on your return or if you need to respond to an audit — in those cases, acting quickly on the IRS's request can move things along.
What if Where's My Refund says I owe money instead of getting a refund?
If your return shows you owe money, you can pay the IRS directly through irs.gov, by phone, or by mail. You can also set up a payment plan if you cannot pay the full amount at once. The IRS will not refund money if you owe taxes.
Do I need to do anything if my refund was sent to the wrong bank account?
Contact your bank first to see if they rejected the deposit and can tell you why. If your account was closed or the number was wrong, the IRS may have the deposit returned to them. Call the IRS at 1-800-829-1954 to report it and request a check instead, which can take 4 to 6 weeks.
Can I check my 2022 refund status if I filed an extension?
Yes. If you filed an extension for 2022, you can still use Where's My Refund once you file your actual return. The tool will show the status of your return from the date you filed it, not from the extension deadline.
What if I never received a refund and it has been more than a year?
If your 2022 refund was never sent and it is now 2024, contact the IRS immediately. Call 1-800-829-1954 and explain that your refund from 2022 was never received. The IRS can issue a refund check or investigate what happened to the original payment. After three years, unclaimed refunds go to the U.S. Treasury, so act soon.