Electronic Filing & Refund Facts

Whether you have a refund coming or expect to pay when you file your return, electronic filing is the safest, easiest and most accurate away to file your federal and state tax returns.  Pacific Northwest Tax Service has been preparing and E-filing tax returns for over 15 years.  Here are some important E-File facts and answers to frequently asked questions.

SanDee Tharp LTC Pacific Northwest Tax Service

SanDee Tharp, LTC

Is Electronic Filing safe?

Yes, electronic filing is the safest and most accurate way to file your tax return.  Electronic Filing eliminates the risk of your tax return being "lost" in the mail.  E-file greatly reduces the risk of human-error that frequently occurs during the manual processing of paper tax returns.

How can I be sure my return has been filed?

Both the IRS and state governments provide an electronic acknowledgement to Pacific Northwest Tax Service that your tax return has been electronically accepted and is being processed. The IRS and Oregon also offer refund status information on their websites.

How fast will I receive my refund?

How quickly you will receive your refund depends on whether you want your refund to be directly deposited to your bank account or whether you want to recieve your refund by check in the mail.

  • With Direct Deposit, you should recieve your refund just 9 - 17 days after your return is electronically filed.
  • If you want to recieve your refund by check in the mail, your refund will arrive in about 19-27 days after your return is electronically filed.

Where's My Refund?

How Can I Check on my IRS Refund?
You will be able to access information about your refund status as early as 4 or 5 days after you file, however, the information provided on the IRS site is not generally accurate until 3 days prior to the date your refund is actually issued.  For example, the IRS "Where' My Refund" site may tell you your refund is due to be deposited in 7 days on a Tuesday.  IRS rarely issues refunds on any day except Friday, so a Tuesday release date is not likely to be accurate.

IRS - Federal Refund Facts

  • IRS acknowledgement and acceptance of your electronically filed tax return takes as little as one day.
  • Approximately 3 days prior to issuance of your refund, IRS will update its website to indicate the date your refund will be issued.
  • In general, the IRS issues refunds on Fridays only.  This means you can check the status of your refund beginning on Tuesday of the week your refund is to be released.

Look for a Friday Refund Date
Approximately 3 days prior to issuance of your federal refund, the IRS will update its systems to show accurate information about your refund status on their website.  If IRS indicates your refund is due for deposit on a particular Friday, the information is probably (but not guaranteed) to be accurate.

IRS Wheres My Refund LinkCheck the status of your IRS refund

IRS's Website Says I Should Call Them, Now What?
If the IRS "Where's My Refund?" site instructs you to call a special phone number to provide additional information, you should do so immediately.  Instructions of this kind may mean your tax return has been selected for review.  IRS will not generally release a refund on a tax return that has been selected for review until the taxpayer provides additional information.

Oregon State Refund Facts
Oregon usually issues refunds within 2-weeks of receipt of an electornically filed return. If you are a part-year or non-resident of Oregon, your Oregon refund will not be issued before March.

Oregon State sealCheck the status of your Oregon refund

 

Refund Anticipation Loans

We offer refund anticipation loans (RALs) to our clients. You must meet certain criteria to qualify and additional fees are charged.  To qualify for a RAL, you must have  a minimum refund of $2,000.

Do you guarantee a refund date?

NO - The IRS does not guarantee a specific refund date.  The IRS publishes a refund-cycle-guide to show you when you can expect to receive your refund and about 80% of filers receive their refunds "on-time".  However, 20% of filers find their tax refunds are delayed.

IRS Refund Cycle Guide

Why is my refund late?

Both IRS and state governments may delay or withhold your tax refund for a variety of reasons.  The most common reasons for a delayed refund are as follows:

  • You are claiming the Earned Income Credit.
  • You are claiming dependents on your tax return who have different last names than you do.
  • Your refund is over $5,000.
  • You are claiming the first-time home-buyer credit.
  • You are a first-time filer who is filing a federal tax return for the first time.
  • You are filing your first tax return in the last 10 years.
  • You have not filed one or more back-year tax returns.
  • Your refund may be garnished or offset to pay certain types of delinquent debt that you owe.  Both IRS and state refunds may be offset by the following kinds of debt you owe:
    1. Delinquent child support
    2. Delinquent student loans
    3. Unpaid back income taxes