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The Daily Insight

How long does it take for your tax refund to go into your account?

Author

Sarah Duran

Published Feb 22, 2026

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.

How does one know if they will be receiving a tax refund when they file their taxes?

Whether you owe taxes or you’re expecting a refund, you can find out your tax return’s status by: Using the IRS Where’s My Refund tool. Viewing your IRS account information. Calling the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 (Wait times to speak to a representative may be long.)

What to do if you haven’t received your tax refund yet?

If you haven’t completed your 2020 taxes yet, you’ll need to either file your tax return or request an extension from the IRS before the deadline. If you already filed but you’re still waiting on your refund, you can check on its status using these IRS tools.

Why did I not get my tax refund in January?

It’s also possible that your tax refund could be delayed if you filed your return too early or waited until the last minute. If you tried to file in January, for example, a last-minute change to the tax code could have triggered an error on your return that slowed down its processing.

When do I get my tax refund from TurboTax?

This is normal. TurboTax updates what stage your return is in and the IRS site updates when you can expect your refund: E-filing status is what stage of the process your return is in. Refund status is when you can expect your refund. Once your tax return has been submitted, the most up to date information will come from the IRS.

How long does it take for tax refund to arrive?

If you submitted your tax return by mail, the IRS says it could take six to eight weeks for your tax refund to arrive. That’s where tracking your refund comes in handy.