Tax News, Tips & Resources

Track Your IRS Tax Refund Online

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― If you've filed your federal tax return and are waiting for your refund, the IRS has a way for you to keep tabs on it.

The IRS has launched a feature called "Where's My Refund?" on its Web site designed to help taxpayers track down their refunds.

Once you're on the IRS homepage, click on the "Where's My Refund?" page to read the instructions and find the form. You'll need your social security number, your filing status on the return and the exact amount of your refund.

"For the millions of taxpayers that are filing electronically through our e-file services, wait about seven days before you access the Web site," IRS spokesman Andy Hromoko said. "If you're filing by mail, you're going to need to wait about four to six weeks, then go onto the IRS.gov Web site and find out the status of your refund."

If the IRS has received your return, then you should get a message that will tell you when to expect your refund check.

But make sure you're entering you information on the official IRS Web site. Scam artists pretending to be the IRS are sending out emails. The IRS never sends out an email, so never respond to one pretending to be the IRS. And never, ever, give out financial information like your bank account or PIN number. If you stick to the simple IRS form on their website, you should be secure.

"Do not access our Web site from what you think is an email link from someone else because you may think you're on our site, but you may have redirected by a scammer who is then going to take money from you, not give it to you," Hromoko said.

After tax season is over, the IRS is planning another site for taxpayers to track down those economic stimulus tax rebate checks which are expected to be mailed out in May and June.

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