Filing the annual income tax return can be quite frustrating for a lot of people and businesses as well. Once the returns have been filed, one has to wait to know the e-file tax refund status. Earlier, it used to quite a hassle to check the refund status. Now, with 24/7 helpline numbers and online methods, it has become fairly easy to know when one can expect their refund in their account. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has its own hotline number to help people know the tax refund status. Moreover, there are a number of websites that offer all the essential assistance right from filing tax returns to knowing about the refund status. Here are a few simple tips to help find e-file tax refund status.

When to check the tax refund status?
The e-file tax refund status can be checked 72 hours after the IRS acknowledges the receipt of the tax return that has been filed online. In the case of a paper tax return, status can be checked after three to four weeks. In general, the tax refund date is usually 21 days after the IRS tax return acceptance date. If one chooses the bank direct deposit method, the refund is done quite sooner (up to 7 days).

What is needed to check the tax refund status?
Before checking e-file tax refund status, keep a copy of the tax return handy. Also, a few essential information from the tax return will have to be provided. These include the Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), filing status (such as Qualifying Widow(er), Single, Married Filing Joint Return, Head of Household, or Married Filing Separate Return), and the exact amount of the refund.

How to check the tax refund status?
There are two steps to be followed before checking the e-file tax refund status. The first step is to check the tax return status through any website that assists in e-filing. The status of the return can be any among these—Not e-filed, Pending, Accepted, and Rejected. In case the return has been rejected, e-filing can be done again after correcting errors until the return has been accepted.

Once the tax return has been accepted by the IRS, the tax refund process will start. There are four refund methods one can choose—direct bank deposit, direct deposit with e-Collect (deduct fee from refund), E1 Visa® Prepaid Card by mail, and IRS check by mail. Whichever method is chosen, the process to check tax refund status is the same. First, check the tax refund date using any tax refund date estimator tool. The tool will calculate the refund date based on the tax refund transfer method and the estimated or actual IRS tax return acceptance date. Most tools usually give two dates—earliest tax refund date and latest tax refund date.

One can start checking the tax refund status from the earliest estimated date. Also, one can check tax refund status through the official IRS website or through websites that provide assistance for tax returns. Another way is to call the IRS tax refund hotline. The toll-free number is an automatic service, which is available every day of the week for 24 hours. There are options to check the refund in English as well as Spanish. Also, one can call the IRS TeleTax System to check the e-file tax refund status. It is important to keep all the necessary information on the tax return handy while making these calls to get the refund status promptly.

For any other queries related to e-file tax refund status or tax returns, one can call the IRS helpline number available on their official website. Tracking the tax refund is as easy as this!