Income tax when will i get my refund

Note: If a direct deposit of your Indiana individual income tax refund was requested, once DOR initiates the deposit, our system will reflect the date the request was processed. Normally, it takes seven business days for your financial institution to receive and process the funds.

For more information on refunds, use INTIME’s secure messaging to contact DOR Customer Service.

Information regarding the $125 Automatic Taxpayer Refund (ATR) issued in 2022 will not be displayed or available via INTIME. The ATR will be sent separately from your 2021 Individual Income Tax refund (if applicable). More information is available on DOR’s Automatic Taxpayer Refund information page.

By telephone at 317-232-2240 (Option 3) to access the automated refund line. Please allow 2-3 weeks of processing time before calling. Some tax returns may take longer to process due to factors like return errors or incomplete information.

"Where's my tax refund?"

Ever wonder what happens between e-filing your tax return and receiving your refund?
Here is what really happens when you press that green button and transmit your tax return.

• First, we "stamp" the return with an electronic postmark, and then we send it to the government.
• Then we both wait 24 to 48 hours for the IRS to accept your return.
• What are they doing? They are checking your personal information to make sure it matches their records.
• If everything looks good, the IRS accepts your return.

Once you are accepted, you are on the IRS payment timetable. Only the IRS knows the status of processing your tax return, whether you owe taxes or are due a refund. In prior years, the IRS issued more than 9 out of 10 refunds to taxpayers in less than 21 days last year. The same results are expected for 2021.

TurboTax Tip: You can use the IRS Where’s My Refund? tool or call the IRS at 800-829-1954 to check on the status of your refund, beginning 24 hours after you e-file. The IRS will provide an actual refund date as soon as your tax return and refund are approved.

Once you have e-filed your tax return, there are a few ways to check the status of your refund:

• You can use the online IRS Where’s My Refund? tool (fastest option)
• Call the IRS at 800-829-1954

The online tool will get you personalized refund information based on the processing of your tax return. They will provide an actual refund date as soon as the IRS processes your tax return and approves your refund. Most refunds will be issued in less than 21 days. You can start checking the status of your refund within 24 hours after you have e-filed your return.

Remember, the fastest way to get your refund is to e-file and choose direct deposit.

Other tools and refund delays

You can also use the TurboTax Where's My Refund tracking guide that will show you how to check the status of your tax refund and common reasons for delays.

These articles explain in more detail what may cause a delay:

• Where's My Refund? Top 5 Reasons It's Been Delayed
• Delays Due to Claiming the Earned Income Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit
• Why is my IRS refund taking longer than 21 days? 

Let an expert do your taxes for you, start to finish with TurboTax Live Full Service. Or you can get your taxes done right, with experts by your side with TurboTax Live Assisted. File your own taxes with confidence using TurboTax. Just answer simple questions, and we’ll guide you through filing your taxes with confidence. Whichever way you choose, get your maximum refund guaranteed.

If you have filed your federal income taxes and expect to receive a refund, you can track its status.

Have your Social Security number, filing status, and the exact whole dollar amount of your refund ready. 

How to Check Your Refund Status

Use the Where's My Refund tool or the IRS2Go mobile app to check your refund online. This is the fastest and easiest way to track your refund. The systems are updated once every 24 hours.

You can call the IRS to check on the status of your refund. However, IRS live phone assistance is extremely limited at this time. Wait times to speak with a representative can be long. But you can avoid the wait by using the automated phone system. Follow the message prompts when you call.

When to Expect Your Refund

Refunds are generally issued within 21 days of when you electronically filed your tax return or 42 days of when you filed paper returns. If it’s been longer, find out why your refund may be delayed or may not be the amount you expected.

How to Check the Status of Your Coronavirus Stimulus Check

If you're trying to find out the status of your coronavirus stimulus payment, go to the IRS's Recovery Rebate Credit page. 

Learn more about the stimulus payments, including whether you qualified for one and what to do if you didn't receive yours.

Find out if Your Tax Return Was Submitted

You can file your tax return by mail, through an e-filing website or software, or by using the services of a tax preparer. 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.)

• Looking for emails or status updates from your e-filing website or software

If you file your taxes by mail, you can track your tax return and get a confirmation when the IRS has received it. To do so, use USPS Certified Mail or another mail service that has tracking or delivery confirmation services.

What information should I have to get my tax return status?

If you call the IRS, you should have the following information ready when you ask about your tax return’s status:

• Social Security number and birthdate
• Filing status: Are you single, married, or a head of household?
• Any prior communications from the IRS

What is the status of my state tax return?

To see if your state tax return was received, you can check with your state’s revenue or taxation website. There, you can find out if your refund is being processed. Or, you can get further contact information to confirm that your return was received.

Is Your Tax Refund Lower Than You Expected?

If you owe money to a federal or state agency, the federal government may use part or all your federal tax refund to repay the debt. This is called a tax refund offset.  

How the Treasury Offset Program Works

Here's how the Treasury Offset Program (TOP) works:

1. The TOP will check if your name and taxpayer information are in its delinquent debtor database.
2. If there is a match, TOP will notify you that it is deducting the amount you owe from your tax refund.
3. TOP will send the outstanding amount to the government agency to which you owed the money.

If you owe more money than the payment you were going to receive, then TOP will send the entire amount to the other government agency. If you owe less, TOP will send the agency the amount you owed, and then send you the remaining balance.

Here's an example: you were going to receive a $1,500 federal tax refund. But you are delinquent on a student loan and have $1,000 outstanding. TOP will deduct $1,000 from your tax refund and send it to the correct government agency. It will also send you a notice of its action, along with the remaining $500 that was due to you as a tax refund.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) can help you understand more about tax refund offsets.

If a Deduction Was Made in Error

If you believe that a deduction was an error, contact the agency that said you owed money. Call the Treasury Offset Program at 1-800-304-3107 to locate the agency you need to contact.

Undelivered and Unclaimed Federal Tax Refund Checks

Every year, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has millions of dollars in tax refunds that go undelivered or unclaimed. 

Undelivered Federal Tax Refund Checks

Refund checks are mailed to your last known address. If you move without notifying the IRS or the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), your refund check may be returned to the IRS.

If you were expecting a federal tax refund and did not receive it, check the IRS' Where’s My Refund page. You'll need to enter your Social Security number, filing status, and the exact whole dollar amount of your refund. You may be prompted to change your address online. 

You can also call the IRS to check on the status of your refund. Wait times to speak with a representative can be long. But you can avoid waiting by using the automated phone system. Follow the message prompts when you call.

If you move, submit a Change of Address - Form 8822 to the IRS; you should also submit a Change of Address to the USPS.

Unclaimed Federal Tax Refunds 

If you are eligible for a federal tax refund and don’t file a return, then your refund will go unclaimed. Even if you aren't required to file a return, it might benefit you to file if:

• Federal taxes were withheld from your pay

and/or

• You qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

You may not have filed a tax return because your wages were below the filing requirement. But you can still file a return within three years of the filing deadline to get your refund.

When should I expect my refund from the IRS?

What date will I receive my refund?

Why is my refund still processing?

How can I check my income tax refund status?