Check Your Tax Status and Track Your Return

To check your tax status, use the official tool for the return you filed: the IRS for a federal return or your state tax agency for a state return. Choose the tool for an original return, amended return, refund, or account balance because these records may be tracked separately.

Before starting, have your filed return and any notice from the tax authority nearby. Enter sensitive information only on an official government page, and do not share passwords or verification codes with anyone who contacts you unexpectedly.

What tax status are you checking?

The phrase “tax status” can describe several different records. Identifying the record first helps you avoid a result that appears missing or incomplete.

• Return processing: Whether an original federal or state tax return was received and is being reviewed.
• Refund tracking: Whether a refund connected to a processed return has been approved or issued.
• Amended return: The progress of a correction submitted after an original return. An amended filing may use a separate status tool.
• Account balance: An amount recorded on a tax account, including payments or a balance due. This information may appear in an authenticated online account rather than a refund tracker.
• State tax matter: A return, refund, notice, or balance handled by a state tax agency instead of the IRS.

If you are asking, “How can I check my tax status?” begin with the agency that received the filing. Federal and state tax tracking systems are separate, and no single system shows every filing.

How do I check my federal tax status online?

Use the official IRS return or refund status tool for an original federal filing. Use an IRS online account when you need broader account information, such as records, notices, payments, or a balance, if that information is available for your account.

1. Open the official IRS website and find the option for checking a refund or viewing an individual online account.
2. Select the tool that matches the federal record you need.
3. Enter the identifying details requested by the IRS exactly as they appear on the filed return.
4. Review the filing status, tax year, and refund information before submitting the request.
5. Read any status message and follow only instructions displayed by the IRS or printed on an official notice.

The refund tool may request identifying information, filing status, and the expected refund amount shown on the return. The online account may require identity verification. This page does not collect those details; enter them only into the official IRS system.

How do I track a state tax return or refund?

To check the status of a state tax return, use the official tax or revenue agency for the state where the return was filed. The IRS handles federal taxes and does not display the processing or refund status of a state return.

1. Identify the state agency named on your return, filing confirmation, or tax notice.
2. Find the refund-status, return-status, or individual-account section on that agency’s official government website.
3. Choose the correct tax year and return type.
4. Enter only the information requested by the state’s official system.
5. Follow any instructions shown with the result or provided in an official state notice.

Requirements differ by state. A state may ask for information from the filed return to match the request with its records. If you filed in more than one state, check each state separately.

What does each tax status mean?

A tax status message describes the filing’s current stage, not a guaranteed completion or payment date. Exact wording varies by agency, but common messages generally mean:

• Received: The agency has a record of the filing, but review may not be complete.
• Processing: The return is still being reviewed or matched with agency records.
• Approved: The agency has approved the refund shown in its system, subject to any instructions or adjustments displayed with the status.
• Issued or sent: The agency reports that the refund was released using the recorded delivery method.
• Delayed: Processing needs more review or cannot continue through the usual sequence. The message may not identify the reason.
• Additional action required: The agency needs information, identity verification, or a response to a notice before it can proceed.

A return marked received is not necessarily approved, and an approved refund is not the same as an issued refund. Use the complete message shown in the official system when interpreting my tax status.

What should I do if my tax status is missing or has not changed?

A missing tax status does not by itself mean the return was lost or rejected. Recently filed returns may not appear immediately, and mailed returns must be entered into the agency’s system before online tax tracking can display them.

• Check that the tax year, filing status, and requested figures match the filed return exactly.
• Confirm that you are using the federal tool for a federal return or the correct state agency for a state return.
• Use the separate amended-return status option when checking a corrected federal filing.
• Review filing confirmations and mailed notices for an error, rejection, or request for information.
• If an identity verification notice arrived, follow the instructions on that official notice. Do not use instructions sent through an unexpected message.
• If the official tool directs you to contact the agency, use the contact details displayed by the agency or printed on the notice.

Do not repeatedly change entries to force a result. If check tax status searches lead to unfamiliar tracking pages, leave those pages and return to the relevant government agency.

How do I get help with my tax status?

Contact the IRS for a federal return, federal refund, amended federal return, or federal account issue. Contact the relevant state tax agency for a state return, state refund, state balance, or state notice.

Have the filed return, tax year, filing confirmation, and any notice ready before requesting help. The agency may verify your identity, but you should never send a password or verification code to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.

Avoid advertisements and unofficial pages claiming to show “tax status now” or promising faster results. Use only official government tools and contact information. Tax agencies do not need a third-party tracker to let you check my tax status, and no legitimate status message can promise a specific refund date before the responsible agency confirms it.