Check your refund status through H&R Block's online tool

H&R Block has a refund tracker on their website that shows where your money is in the process. Go to hrblock.com, sign in with your account, and look for "Refund Status" or "Where's My Refund" in your account dashboard. The tool will tell you whether the IRS has received your return, accepted it, and whether your refund has been issued or deposited.

You can also call H&R Block directly at 1-800-HRBLOCK (1-800-472-5625) and speak to someone who can pull up your account and tell you the status. Have your Social Security number, filing status, and the refund amount ready when you call. If you filed through H&R Block's software or with a tax professional at one of their offices, they can look up your return in their system.

The tracker updates as the IRS processes your return, but there is a lag between what the IRS knows and what shows up in H&R Block's system. If your return was accepted by the IRS within the last few days, H&R Block's tool may not have updated yet.

Key Takeaways

  • H&R Block's refund tracker on their website shows your status in real time, but it lags a few days behind the IRS system.
  • The IRS "Where's My Refund" tool at irs.gov is the official source and updates every 24 hours, usually more current than H&R Block's tracker.
  • If you chose direct deposit, your refund arrives in your bank account within one to two business days after the IRS issues it.
  • If you chose a check or H&R Block's refund advance product, the timeline is longer and depends on mail delivery or the product terms.
  • Contact H&R Block at 1-800-472-5625 if your refund status has not changed in over a week or if you see an error in your return.

Use the IRS tool for the most current information

The IRS "Where's My Refund" tool at irs.gov is the official source and updates every 24 hours, usually more current than H&R Block's tracker. Go to irs.gov, click "Refunds" or search for "Where's My Refund," and enter your Social Security number, filing status, and the exact refund amount from your return. The tool will show you the current status: received, accepted, approved, or issued.

This tool is more reliable than any third-party tracker because it pulls directly from the IRS system. If H&R Block's tracker shows something different, trust the IRS tool. The IRS updates its system once per day, usually overnight, so checking multiple times in the same day will show the same status.

How long refunds take after the IRS issues them

Once the IRS marks your refund as "issued," the delivery method determines how long you wait. If you chose direct deposit, the money lands in your bank account within one to two business days. This is the fastest option and the one H&R Block recommends. The IRS sends the deposit instruction to your bank, and your bank processes it on their schedule — most process overnight, but some take up to two business days.

If you chose a paper check, allow seven to ten business days after the IRS issues your refund. The IRS prints and mails the check, and delivery depends on postal service speed. Checks mailed from IRS processing centers in the Midwest typically arrive faster than those from other regions, but you cannot control which center processes your return.

If you used H&R Block's refund advance or rapid refund product, you received the money weeks earlier, before the IRS even processed your return. Those products charge a fee and work by lending you the refund amount upfront; the IRS refund pays back the loan. Check your H&R Block account or the paperwork from your appointment to see which product you chose.

What to do if your refund status has not changed in over a week

If the IRS tool shows "received" but your return has not moved to "accepted" in more than a week, or if it shows "accepted" but has not moved to "approved" in more than three weeks, something may be holding up your return. Common reasons include a missing or mismatched Social Security number, an error in your filing status, income reported on a W-2 or 1099 that does not match what you reported, or a duplicate return filed under your name.

Call H&R Block at 1-800-472-5625 and have them review your return for errors. If they find a mistake, they can file an amended return (Form 1040-X) at no charge if H&R Block made the error. If the error was yours, H&R Block may charge a fee to amend it, depending on how you filed.

If H&R Block finds no error in your return, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. The IRS can tell you why your return is delayed and what you need to do. Bring your Social Security number, filing status, and the exact refund amount. The IRS phone lines are busy during tax season, so call early in the morning or later in the day for shorter wait times.

Refunds delayed by identity theft or fraud holds

The IRS sometimes holds a refund if the system flags it for identity theft or fraud risk. This happens when someone files a return using your Social Security number, when your return matches patterns the IRS considers suspicious, or when your income does not match what employers reported. The IRS tool will show "under review" or "delayed" rather than a specific status.

If your refund is held for identity theft, the IRS will mail you a letter explaining the hold and what you need to do. Do not wait for the letter to act. Call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and ask if your return is under review for identity theft. If it is, the IRS can walk you through verification steps, which usually involve answering questions about your income, filing history, or personal information. Verification can take two to four weeks.

If someone else filed a return using your Social Security number, file Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit) with the IRS. You can file it online at irs.gov or by mail. H&R Block can help you file this form, though you may be charged a fee. Once the IRS receives your affidavit, they freeze your Social Security number to prevent future fraudulent filings.

Refunds sent to the wrong bank account or address

If you chose direct deposit and the IRS issued your refund but it never arrived in your bank account, the deposit may have gone to the wrong account. This happens when you enter an incorrect routing number or account number on your return, or when you change banks between filing and the IRS sending the deposit.

Call your bank first and ask if a deposit from the IRS arrived in the last two business days. If it did not, ask your bank to search their records for any IRS deposits to your account in the past 30 days. If your bank finds a deposit that went to the wrong account, they can sometimes retrieve it, but this is rare and depends on the receiving bank.

Contact H&R Block at 1-800-472-5625 and tell them the deposit did not arrive. They can file a trace with the IRS to find out where the money went. The IRS will investigate and either reissue your refund to the correct account or send a check. This process takes four to six weeks. In the meantime, the IRS tool will show your refund as "issued," but your bank will not have received it.

If you chose a paper check and it never arrived, wait ten business days after the IRS issued your refund before contacting H&R Block. Checks sometimes take longer than expected. After ten business days, call H&R Block and ask them to file a trace. The IRS can reissue your check or send a direct deposit instead, but this also takes four to six weeks.

What happens if H&R Block made an error on your return

If H&R Block prepared your return and made a mistake — such as entering the wrong income, missing a deduction, or filing the wrong status — you have the right to have them correct it for free. Call H&R Block at 1-800-472-5625 and explain the error. Ask to speak to a tax professional or the office manager if you filed in person.

H&R Block will review the error and file an amended return (Form 1040-X) if needed. If the error resulted in a smaller refund than you should have received, the amended return will claim the additional refund. If the error resulted in a larger refund, you may owe money back, and the IRS will contact you. H&R Block should file the amended return at no charge if the error was theirs.

Amended returns take longer to process than original returns — usually six to eight weeks. The IRS tool will show your original return status, not the amended return status, until the amended return is accepted. You can track the amended return separately by calling the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and providing your Social Security number and the date you filed the amendment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often does H&R Block's refund tracker update?

H&R Block's tracker updates as the IRS processes your return, but there is usually a lag of one to three days. The IRS "Where's My Refund" tool at irs.gov updates every 24 hours and is more current. Check the IRS tool first for the most up-to-date status.

Can I get my refund faster if I paid H&R Block for a refund advance?

If you chose a refund advance or rapid refund product, you already received your money weeks ago. Those products charge a fee and lend you the refund amount upfront; the IRS refund pays back the loan. You cannot speed up the IRS refund itself, but you already have the cash.

What if the IRS tool says my refund was issued but I never received it?

If you chose direct deposit, the money should arrive in one to two business days. If it has been longer, contact your bank to confirm the deposit did not arrive. If your bank has no record of it, call H&R Block at 1-800-472-5625 and ask them to file a trace with the IRS. The IRS will investigate and reissue your refund, which takes four to six weeks.

Do I need to contact H&R Block or the IRS if my refund is delayed?

Start with H&R Block at 1-800-472-5625 if you filed through them. They can review your return for errors and contact the IRS on your behalf. If H&R Block finds no error, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. The IRS can tell you why your return is delayed and what steps to take next.

How long does an amended return take if H&R Block made an error?

Amended returns take six to eight weeks to process, longer than original returns. H&R Block should file the amendment at no charge if the error was theirs. You can track the amended return by calling the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and providing your Social Security number and the amendment filing date.