Tax Refund Status and IRS Tax Refund Dates for 2012

IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM THE IRS: Week of Jan. 23, 2012 - The number of delayed tax refunds is much higher this week than expected. The IRS has confirmed that it is working on the issues and expects this to be resolved as soon as possible.

Check your latest IRS tax refund status:	Where Is My Federal Tax Refund?
Check your latest state tax refund status:	Where is My State Tax Refund?

How to Check Your Tax Refund Status - Where Is Your Refund?

First, check whether your federal or state tax return has been efiled and accepted by the IRS or not: Tax Return status

If your tax return has been accepted, check the tax refund dates below.

Check your federal tax refund status online: "Where is my refund?"

You may also call 1-800-829-4477 for automated information 24 hours a day.

For more information:
If you used e-Collect, and your tax refund has already been transferred from the IRS to our partner bank, you can check the status of your refund online here:
http://www.efile.com/my-tax-refund-money/
Otherwise, your tax refund will be transferred from the US Treasury/IRS to the bank account you entered during your online tax preparation on efile.com. You can check your tax refund status here: http://www.efile.com/my-tax-refund-status/.

Find out how to track your state tax refund status.

Estimated 2012 Federal Tax Refund Dates (for Your 2011 Tax Return)

Tax Tip: For the fastest tax refund, use efile.com and choose direct deposit.

IRS efile Tax Refund Cycle Chart:

Tax Return Transmission and IRS Acceptance Dates	Tax Refund Direct Bank Deposit by IRS Deposit Date	Tax Refund Paper Check by IRS Mail Date
Jan 17 and Jan 18, 2012 (by 11am)	Jan 25, 2012	Jan 27, 2012
Jan 19 and Jan 25, 2012 (by 11am)	Feb 1, 2012	Feb 3, 2012
Jan 26 and Feb 1, 2012 (by 11am)	Feb 8, 2012	Feb 10, 2012
Feb 2 and Feb 8, 2012 (by 11am)	Feb 15, 2012	Feb 17, 2012
Feb 9 and Feb 15, 2012 (by 11am)	Feb 22, 2012	Feb 24, 2012
Feb 16 and Feb 22, 2012 (by 11am)	Feb 29, 2012	Mar 2, 2012
Feb 23 and Feb 29, 2012 (by 11am)	Mar 7, 2012	Mar 9, 2012
Mar 1 and Mar 7, 2012 (by 11am)	Mar 14, 2012	Mar 16, 2012
Mar 8 and Mar 14, 2012 (by 11am)	Mar 21, 2012	Mar 23, 2012
Mar 15 and Mar 21, 2012 (by 11am)	Mar 28, 2012	Mar 30, 2012
Mar 22 and Mar 28, 2012 (by 11am)	Apr 4, 2012	Apr 6, 2012
Mar 29 and Apr 4, 2012 (by 11am)	Apr 11, 2012	Apr 13, 2012
Apr 5 and Apr 11, 2012 (by 11am)	Apr 18, 2012	Apr 20, 2012
Apr 12 and Apr 18, 2012 (by 11am)	Apr 25, 2012	Apr 27, 2012
Apr 19 and Apr 25, 2012 (by 11am)	May 2, 2012	May 4, 2012
Apr 26 and May 2, 2012 (by 11am)	May 9, 2012	May 11, 2012
May 3 and May 9, 2012 (by 11am)	May 16, 2012	May 18, 2012
May 10 and May 16, 2012 (by 11am)	May 23, 2012	May 25, 2012
May 17 and May 23, 2012 (by 11am)	May 30, 2012	Jun 1, 2012
May 24 and May 30, 2012 (by 11am)	Jun 6, 2012	Jun 8, 2012
May 31 and Jun 6, 2012 (by 11am)	Jun 13, 2012	Jun 15, 2012
Jun 7 and Jun 13, 2012 (by 11am)	Jun 20, 2012	Jun 22, 2012
Jun 14 and Jun 20, 2012 (by 11am)	Jun 27, 2012	Jun 29, 2012
Jun 21 and Jun 27, 2012 (by 11am)	Jul 4, 2012	Jul 6, 2012
Jun 28 and Jul 4, 2012 (by 11am)	Jul 11, 2012	Jul 13, 2012
Jul 5 and Jul 11, 2012 (by 11am)	Jul 18, 2012	Jul 20, 2012
Jul 12 and Jul 18, 2012 (by 11am)	Jul 25, 2012	Jul 27, 2012
Jul 19 and Jul 25, 2012 (by 11am)	Aug 1, 2012	Aug 3, 2012
Jul 26 and Aug 1, 2012 (by 11am)	Aug 8, 2012	Aug 10, 2012
Aug 2 and Aug 8, 2012 (by 11am)	Aug 15, 2012	Aug 17, 2012
Aug 9 and Aug 15 , 2012 (by 11am)	Aug 22, 2012	Aug 24, 2012
Aug 16 and Aug 22, 2012 (by 11am)	Aug 29, 2012	Aug 31, 2012
Aug 23 and Aug 29, 2012 (by 11am)	Sep 5, 2012	Sep 7, 2012
Aug 30 and Sep 5, 2012 (by 11am)	Sep 12, 2012	Sep 14, 2012
Sep 6 and Sep 12, 2012 (by 11am)	Sep 19, 2012	Sep 21, 2012
Sep 13 and Sep 19, 2012 (by 11am)	Sep 26, 2012	Sep 28, 2012
Sep 20 and Sep 26, 2012 (by 11am)	Oct 3, 2012	Oct 5, 2012
Sep 27 and Oct 3, 2012 (by 11am)	Oct 10, 2012	Oct 12, 2012
Oct 4 and Oct 10, 2012 (by 11am)	Oct 17, 2012	Oct 19, 2012
Oct 11 and Oct 17, 2012 (by 11am)	Oct 24, 2012	Oct 26, 2012
Oct 18 and Oct 24, 2012 (by 11am)	Oct 31, 2012	Nov 2, 2012
Oct 25 and Oct 31, 2012 (by 11am)	Nov 7, 2012	Nov 9, 2012
Nov 1 and Nov 7, 2012 (by 11am)	Nov 14, 2012	Nov 16, 2012
Nov 8 and Nov 14, 2012 (by 11am)	Nov 21, 2012	Nov 23, 2012
Nov 15 and Nov 21, 2012 (by 11am)	Nov 28, 2012	Nov 30, 2012
Nov 22 and Nov 28, 2012 (by 11am)	Dec 5, 2012	Dec 7, 2012
Nov 29 and Dec 5, 2012 (by 11am)	Dec 12, 2012	Dec 14, 2012
Dec 6 and Dec 12, 2012 (by 11am)	Dec 19, 2012	Dec 21, 2012
Dec 13 and Dec 19, 2012 (by 11am)	Dec 27, 2012	Dec 31, 2012
Dec 20 and Dec 26, 2012 (by 11am)	Jan 3, 2013	Jan 7, 2013

These dates are approximate and are not guaranteed by the IRS or efile.com.

Note: You may check the status of your refund 72 hours after your return's acceptance by the IRS. Please remember that once your tax return has been accepted by efile.com, it must still be accepted by the IRS. The dates on the chart refer to the date of acceptance by the IRS, which may not be the same day as the date on which you efiled on efile.com.

Amended Tax Return Refunds

The refund dates on the chart above do not apply to refunds claimed on amended tax returns, and the online "Where's my refund" service does not keep track of amendment refunds. Amended returns typically take 8-12 weeks for the IRS to process, so you should wait at least 8 weeks before checking on the status of your tax refund. If it has been 8 weeks since you filed your amendment and you have not received your refund, you should call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and speak to a customer service representative.

Learn more about amending a tax return.

Direct Deposit Refund

If you choose to receive your tax refund via direct bank deposit, your expected tax refund will be electronically transferred from the IRS (US Treasury) to the bank account you entered during your online tax return at efile.com. This transfer is free of charge.

Click here to find out more about the status of your direct deposit tax refund.

Direct Deposit with Deduct Fee from Refund (e-Collect)

If you use eFile Deluxe or Premium, you can have your preparation fee automatically deducted from your refund. Your expected tax refund will be transferred from the IRS to eFile's e-Collect partner, (EPS Financial/Bancorp), and then to your bank, minus the Premium service's tax preparation fee. A DFFR (Deduct Fee From Refund) fee of only $16.95 will be charged for this service. This fee is one of the lowest in the industry and is charged by EPS Financial/Bancorp, not by efile.com. The fee is automatically deducted from your tax refund.

Click here to find out more about the current status of your e-Collect tax refund.

Learn more about your tax refund options.

What If My Refund Is Lower than I Expected? - Refund Offsets

If you prepared and efiled your tax return on efile.com, and the amount of your direct deposit refund is lower than the refund calculated on your tax return, then your refund may have been adjusted, or offset, by the Department of Treasury. Under the Treasury Offset Program, various federal and state government agencies are authorized to seize certain unpaid debts from federal tax refunds.

Federal tax refunds may be offset to pay:

Unpaid child support
Federal non-tax debts (including student loan repayments)
State income tax debts
State unemployment compensation debts

If your refund has been offset, you will be contacted by the Department of Treasury's Financial Management Service with a detailed explanation.

You can also generally find out more details by checking: "Where is my refund?"

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