How long does it take when you efile your taxes

If you just submitted your return a minute ago, the answer to that last question is probably no. That’s because we first send your return to H&R Block secure servers, where it passes through a review process. If you prepared a state return and chose to e-file it as well, it’s also submitted at the same time. From there, it’s a simple process to check your e-file return status.

Finding the Status of Your E-Filed Tax Return

After the H&R Block review process, we send returns to the IRS. There, they’re processed and either accepted or rejected.

There are a few ways to check your e-file status.

• Go to the H&R Block Where’s My Refund page to check the status of your e-filed tax return.
• Create or sign in to your MyBlock account. 
• Download the free H&R Block mobile app for the iPhone, iPad, or Android. Open it and choose Refund Status to continue.
• Visit the IRS website directly to check your refund.

If your e-file return status is accepted, the IRS has started processing your return.

If your return is rejected, the IRS identified an error on your return. You’ll need to take one of these steps: 

• If you filed with a tax pro, work with your tax pro to fix the error.
• If you’re using our online or software program, fix the error yourself and then resubmit your return.

Your state return won’t be processed until the IRS accepts your federal return. Your return might also be put on hold if the IRS is taking longer than expected to process your federal return. Once the IRS has accepted your federal return, your state return will be sent to your state tax office for processing.

Statuses You Might See When Checking Your E-Filed Refund Status

If you’re checking for your refund or e-file status, here are some of the statuses you might see:

• Return Received — The IRS has received your tax return and is processing it. How long does the e-file take to process? For this part of the process, the IRS can take up to 24 hours to update your status once they’ve received your return.
• Refund Approved — The IRS has finished processing the return and has approved the refund. See common FAQs from the IRS for more information.
• Refund Sent — If you chose to have your refund direct deposited to your personal checking or savings account, the IRS has sent your refund to your bank. The IRS will give you the date your refund was sent to the bank. If it’s not in your bank account, it might be because:
  • You requested a paper check that is in the mail. The IRS will provide a date you should see it in the mail.
  • You chose to put your refund on an Emerald Card.
  • Your financial institution is processing the funds, which might take an additional two to five business days. Be sure to check that your bank received your refund before you spend the money.

You have outstanding debts held by the government that they are deducting from your refund.  This could be back taxes, owed child support, defaulted student loans, and more.

Receiving Your Refund After E-Filing and Checking Your Return Status

You should receive your refund in as few as 10 days with direct deposit. Otherwise, the IRS issues a paper check in about six to eight weeks.

If there are conflicts between the status shown in the H&R Block mobile app and the IRS Where’s My Refund tool, you should work off the information on the IRS website. H&R Block representatives can’t see or check your refund status on the tool.

If the IRS has a problem with your return, they’ll notify you by mail. They won’t contact you via e-mail, text message, or social media. You should respond to all mailings from the IRS promptly.

Related Topics

Tax preparation and services Personal tax planning Filing online Filing with software

Related Resources

Filing for a Deceased Taxpayer

If you need help handling an estate, we're here to help. Learn how to file taxes for a deceased loved one with H&R Block.

Don’t Overlook the 5 Most Common Tax Deductions

From retirement account contributions to self-employment expenses, learn more about the five most common tax deductions with the experts at H&R Block.

New Baby, New House or New Spouse? How Major Life Changes Affect Your Taxes

Getting married? Having a baby? Buying a house? Go through your life events checklist and see how each can affect your tax return with the experts at H&R Block.

Spring Cleaning: Your Household Goods, Your Tax Deductions

Donating household goods to your favorite charity? Learn the ins and outs of deducting noncash charitable contributions on your taxes with the experts at H&R Block.

Once you’ve gone through the burdensome process of filing your taxes, your sigh of relief might be short-lived. That’s because you’ll likely be wondering, “How long does it take to get a tax refund?” But as excited as you may be to get that refund check from your federal income tax return, you may be disappointed with IRS processing times. So as you plan your budget for the year, you should know how long it will take to get your federal tax refund. If you want to go beyond taxes and build a comprehensive financial plan for your future, a financial advisor can help you put a financial plan together.

How Long Will My Tax Refund Take?

When you get your tax refund will depend largely on how you file your return. The fastest option is to e-file your return and to receive your refund via direct deposit. For 2021 taxes, which you will file in 2022, the majority of taxpayers who choose this option will receive their refunds within 21 days. That means your bank will have your refund within three weeks from the day the IRS accepts your tax return. Then it may take up to a few additional days for your bank to make the funds available to you.

If you file a paper return or if you want to receive your refund as a paper check, your return will take longer to process. Filing a paper return and receiving your refund as a paper check will take the longest to process at two months or more. So if you’re inclined to sit around asking, “How long does it take to get a tax refund?” you might want to consider e-filing, or at least direct deposit.

The table below will give you an idea of how long it typically takes to get a tax refund:

*Note that these are just guidelines. Based on how you file, most filers can generally expect to receive a refund within these time frames.

For reference, here’s a detailed breakdown of when taxpayers received their refund in 2021:

Tax Returns That Include the EITC or ACTC

If you claimed either the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), you may have to wait a bit longer for your refund. Law requires the IRS to hold refunds from these returns until February 15. You shouldn’t expect the refund to hit your bank account until late February, according to the IRS. If you don’t elect for direct deposit or if there are problems with your return, you can expect the refund to take longer.

How to Check Your Tax Refund Status

Are you the sort of person constantly wonders, “How long does it take to get a tax refund?” If you want to check the status of your federal tax refund, you can use the Where’s My Refund? on the IRS website. You can also access that tool on the IRS2Go mobile app. Your return’s status will usually be available within 24 hours if you file electronically. If you mailed a paper return, it will take at least four weeks before you can check the status of your return.

You’ll need three pieces of information to check your return’s status:

• Your Social Security number (SSN)
• Your filing status
• The exact dollar amount of your expected refund

If you filed a return with the EITC or ACTC, the IRS says you can expect your refund status to update by late February.

Bottom Line

How long it takes to get your tax refund will depend on how and when you file your tax return. The best way to get your refund quickly is to e-file your return and elect to receive the refund by direct deposit. For the 2021 tax year, the IRS has said that the vast majority of e-filers (who also use direct deposit for refunds) will receive their refund within 21 days.

Sending a paper return or receiving your refund as a paper check will potentially slow down processing by months. The IRS also processes returns more slowly at the beginning and end of the tax season. That’s because the majority of taxpayers file during those times.