How to Check on a Federal Income Tax Return Direct Deposit

Filing taxes can be a pain, but getting a refund is the serious upside. Directing the Internal Revenue Service to deposit your refund directly into your checking or savings account is an added convenience. It usually also means you'll get your hands on the money faster, sometimes as soon as six to 10 business days from the day an online return was accepted. If you can't take the suspense, you can check your direct-deposit refund status on the IRS website.

Step 1

Count the days since your return was accepted. If you filed online, you must wait at least 72 hours after the IRS accepts your e-filed return. If you filed by mail, your updates will not be available until three to four weeks after you mailed your return.

Step 2

Get the exact figure for the refund amount.

Step 3

Find your Social Security number and tax-filing status.

Step 4

Go to the "Where's My Refund?" page of the IRS website. Plug in the requested data and click "Submit." The resulting page will indicate the status of your refund. If the direct deposit has been made, the deposit date will be notated.

References

• Internal Revenue Service: Checking the Status of Your Refund
• Internal Revenue Service: Where's My Refund?

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Tips

If your direct deposit has not yet been made, "Where's My Refund?" will let you know whether your return was received and whether it's being processed.

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