To check on the status of a refund, you can either call the IRS or you can check online. The phone number for the IRS is 1-800-829-1040, although we recommend you check your refund status online before you call the IRS. It can be challenging and time-consuming to get through to a person. 

In general, it usually takes 2-4 weeks for a refund to arrive. There can be delays for a number of reasons, both due to internal IRS processing or due to your unique tax situation. If you have any outstanding tax bills (such as tax owed from a previous year), the IRS will withhold your refund to cover those payments owed. Generally there is no reason to worry about a delayed refund; it will process in due time. But you can always give them a call if things are taking a particularly long time.

Most states have the option to track your refund online as well—the easiest way to find your state is to do a quick Google search such as “refund status New Jersey.” Here are some links we end up using a lot:

• Federal refund status

• New York refund status

• California refund status