Where’s My Tax Refund?!

Ah, tax season! It’s like waiting for a package you ordered online—only this one is full of your hard-earned cash.

So, you’ve filed your tax return and now you’re probably wondering, “Where’s my money?”

If you’re an e-filer, you might get your refund within three weeks—assuming the tax gods smile upon you and no issues pop up. If you went old school and mailed your return, expect to wait up to six weeks.

Now, the IRS has some rules about when you should bug them:

• It’s been more than three weeks since you e-filed.
• It’s been more than six weeks since you sent your return by mail.

If you’re in the waiting zone, the best way to check on your refund’s status is to hop onto the IRS website. You’ll need:

• Your Social Security number or ITIN
• Your filing status (single, married, etc.)
• The exact amount of your refund

Even if you’re not at the “bug the IRS” stage yet, you can still use their handy online tool to see where your refund is in the process. Just remember to wait 24 hours after e-filing and four weeks after mailing before you start checking.

The refund status tool is available 24/7, except for some scheduled maintenance. And a heads-up: the “Where’s My Refund?” system takes a nap on Mondays from midnight to 3 AM Eastern Time. The Refund Trace system also has its own little downtimes, which you’ll want to note below.

So, sit tight and keep checking—your treasure is on its way!