Taxpayers who filed electronically and are deemed to have error-free tax returns should expect to see their refunds within twenty-one days of filing, according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

However, there are still plenty of reports of people who filed their returns weeks ago and have yet to see their refunds. Unfortunately, this appears to be another pandemic-hit tax season that will likely be plagued by long delays.

“It’s taking us longer than normal to process mailed correspondence and more than 21 days to issue refunds,” the IRS writes on its website.  

Utilize These Two Tools

But instead of just blindly waiting for one’s refund to come through, know that there are a couple of handy ways to track it.

“Tracking your tax refund has never been easier,” writes GOBankingRates.com. “There are free tools available, such as the IRS ‘Where’s My Refund?’ tool and USPS Informed Delivery, that allow taxpayers to track their tax refund and know exactly when it’s arriving.”

Taxpayers can access the “Where’s My Refund?” tool via IRS.gov or the IRS2Go app.

“This tool also provides a personalized date after the return is processed and a refund is approved,” notes the finance site, adding that the tool is generally updated once per day at night.

To use the “Where’s My Refund?” tool, all one has to do is enter their Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, the filing status, and the amount of refund stated on the return.

For those expecting a paper check via traditional mail, they can receive alerts on when it is exactly arriving by signing up for USPS Informed Delivery. Just head over to the USPS Informed Delivery page, select “Sign Up for Free,” and follow the simple instructions.

More Refunds Heading Out

Do take note that having access to these two tools might come in handy over the next week, as the IRS has stated that those taxpayers who claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) might see their refunds around March 1.

This is due to the fact that “by law, we can’t issue EITC or ACTC refunds before mid-February. This includes your entire refund, not just the part that’s related to the credit you claimed on your tax return,” the IRS says.

According to The Motley Fool, there is also a higher chance that one can see the refund on March 1 if the following is true: you filed your return online; you choose to receive your refund by direct deposit; the IRS found no issues with your tax return, and taxpayers who meet the above criteria may see their refund a few days earlier.

Ethen Kim Lieser is a Washington state-based Science and Tech Editor who has held posts at Google, The Korea Herald, Lincoln Journal Star, AsianWeek, and Arirang TV. Follow or contact him on LinkedIn.

Image: Reuters.