It's Time To Call The IRS If This Happens To Your Tax Refund
Tax season is quickly approaching. As you collect your W-2s and search for receipts you promised yourself you'd keep organized, it is also time to make sure you know what you need to know about the ins and outs of getting your refund in your hand — or more specifically, when you should contact the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) because you haven't gotten your refund. The idea of spending hours on the phone with the Internal Revenue Service doesn't sound like a good time, so no one really wants to call them if they don't have to. And while taxpayers are expected to meet this year's April 15th filing deadline, the IRS doesn't have to pay you a fine if they are late in sending your refund.
Luckily, there are some guidelines you can keep in mind while waiting for your refund to arrive, and for the more than 163 million taxpayers filing each year, that does offer some comfort. But there are still reasons why those refunds might not arrive when expected or go missing altogether. When that happens, you might want to set aside some time to contact the IRS to find out what has gone wrong.
When you should reach out
Once you file (this year, tax season opens on January 27th), you can check the status of that refund by using the "Where's My Refund" tool the IRS provides on its website, which is usually updated daily. If you enter all the required information and receive a response advising you to contact the IRS about your refund, then you most definitely want to place a call, as it could mean the IRS has found a problem with your return or suspect fraud. Keep in mind that it could take at least 24 hours before the tool is updated with your e-filing or up to 4 weeks for a paper filing.
If you e-file your return, you can expect to get your refund within three weeks from the date you file. If that time has passed and you have neither received a check nor a direct deposit, reach out to find out what happened.
If you file the old-fashioned way — by mail — you can expect your refund within six weeks. During that time, you can check with the online tool to see if it has been approved or is still being processed, but if the six weeks have passed, it's time to make a phone call.
Be prepared when you contact the IRS
You have plenty of options when it comes to how you file your taxes, but whether you filed on your own using tax software or used a professional tax preparer, preparing to do your taxes and going through the filing process can be a daunting task.. And when you have to reach out to the IRS because your refund is missing, the stress can simply snowball. You can make the process of contacting the IRS to enquire about a missing refund much easier with a little preparation.
You will have to provide some basic information to verify your identity, so be prepared with your Social Security number. If you aren't eligible for a Social Security number but file federal income tax, you'll need your Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). You'll also need to provide your filing status (single, head of household, married filing jointly, married filing separately, or qualifying surviving spouse), the previous year you filed taxes for, and the exact amount of the expected refund. And perhaps the most valuable tool in your arsenal will be patience, especially if you learn there is a problem with your refund.
If you do need to reach out directly to the IRS, you can call 1-800-829-1040 if you are calling about your personal taxes or 1-800-829-4933 if you are calling about business taxes.