Check your 2025 federal tax return status

The timeline of a typical IRS tax return cycle, from start to finish, is as follows.

Approximately 24 - 48 hours

Return accepted by IRS. Within 2 days of e-filing, the IRS may accept your return and begin processing it.

Approximately 21 days for a direct deposit, e-filed return

Refund deposited by IRS. You should receive your tax refund from the IRS within 21 days after acceptance and processing. If you have not received it by this time, contact the IRS for assistance.

How quickly you receive your tax refund depends on when you file, how you file, how you choose to receive your refund, and whether you claim certain credits and deductions.

• When you file your return electronically, most refunds are funded within 21 days of filing, according to the IRS. That clock starts after the IRS begins processing tax returns for the year.
• If you chose direct deposit, your bank will receive your tax refund the same day the IRS sends it. It will typically take 3-5 days for your bank to process your refund.
• If you chose to load your refund on a Serve® American Express® Reloadable Prepaid Card, you can get access to your IRS refund up to 5 days faster than direct deposit.
• Please note that due to tax laws in place to reduce fraudulent claims for refunds, taxpayers who claim the EITC or refundable Child Tax Credit will not receive a refund before February 15.

1. Sign into your MyJH account at https://accounts.jacksonhewitt.com/Account/SignIn 
2. Select Return Status
3. Complete the information for either Express Authentication or Standard Authentication; hit Authenticate when done. 

You'll be able to see your return status!

1. Sign into your MyJH account at https://accounts.jacksonhewitt.com/Account/SignIn 
2. Select Manage Documents
3. Authenticate your account through either Express Authentication or Standard Authentication; hit Authenticate when done.

You’ll be able to see tax documents from this year and the prior year!

If you are logged in to MyJH you can authenticate your account from two areas. 

1. If you are on the MyJH Dashboard, click the Return Status area.  If your account is not authenticated you will be prompted to put in your information.
2. If you are on JacksonHewitt.com use the MyJH Account drop down in the navigation and look for "Verify Account."   If your account is not authenticated you will be prompted to put in your information.

Complete the information for either Express Authentication or Standard Authentication.  For Express Authentication you'll need your Document Access Code, a 16-digit code found on tax document printouts received from your Tax Pro.  

You can also visit Where's My Refund (WMR) ‎on IRS.gov and the IRS2Go mobile app for updated tax information. 

Helpful Quick Links: 

• https://www.irs.gov/refunds 
• https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp 

• In Process: Your return is on its way! We’ll update the status as soon as it’s been accepted by the IRS/state.
• Voided: Your return has been voided. If you need further details, please call the office.
• Acknowledged: Your return has been submitted and accepted by the IRS/state!
• In Review: Your return is being reviewed and we may be reaching out to you for more details. As soon as it’s ready, we will send it to the IRS/state.
• Paper: Your return will not be e-filed. Therefore, you must sign and mail a paper version of your tax return to the federal, state, or city government. If you have questions about this process, please do not hesitate to call the office for assistance.

You can view all Return Status Definitions here.

A “pending” return status means your return has not been accepted or rejected by the IRS. Once your return has been reviewed in its entirety, a new status will be assigned to it. If you need additional assistance understanding your return status, contact an expert Tax Pro.

Accepted means your tax return has passed a verification that reviews your basic information. This typically involves Social Security information for the taxpayer and dependents and more. It does not mean your return is approved. Continue to watch the status of your return for additional information. It may be processed by the IRS shortly after being accepted.

The IRS will process the return. Once the return is processed, refund will be released by IRS. If you owe and completed IRS Form 9465, Installment Agreement, the IRS will generally send you a letter about acceptance or rejection of the installment agreement.

There are a variety of reasons why a tax return may stay in pending status. For instance, some states process returns at different times than others which may affect your state e-file status. If you have additional questions regarding the status of your return, contact a Tax Pro.

The IRS will send you a letter if they need additional information in order to process your tax return prior to funding your tax refund. If you have additional questions regarding a letter you receive from the IRS, contact a Tax Pro.

Jackson Hewitt is committed to helping you get your biggest refund each time you file with us. If you filed your return with another organization, ask about a Refund Recheck at your nearest Jackson Hewitt location. An expert Tax Pro can review your tax return for any missing deductions or credits to ensure you get the biggest refund possible.

That depends on whether your return was e-filed or placed in the mail. If your return was e-filed, expect the IRS to update the status of your return within 3-5 business days of loading it into their system. If your return was placed in the mail, you may wait for 3 weeks or more. You can track the status of your return on the IRS.gov website. 

You can research the status of your amended return on the IRS website: Where's My Amended Return?'

According to the IRS, most refunds are funded within 21 days of filing. However, you may receive your refund at a different time depending on how you choose to receive it or if IRS finds issues with accuracy, such as reconciling the amount of stimulus payment or advanced child tax credit received in 2021. Ask a Tax Pro for more information and check your refund status on IRS.Gov.

There are a variety of reasons why a refund may be more or less than expected. You may owe back taxes to the IRS or a state, have seriously delinquent federal loans, back child support, or other tax liens which may ultimately impact your refund amount. Learn more about what could affect your refund and speak to an expert Tax Pro to review your return specifically.

Depending on how you filed your taxes last year, you may be able to access your old return from the IRS if you need an actual copy. If you filed with Jackson Hewitt, you can access your prior-year return after authenticating your MyJH account. You can access your IRS Online Account and request a copy of your prior-year tax returns.