Checking E-file Status Once You File Online

If you’ve chosen to e-file your return, you might be wondering: how long does e-filing take? How do I check my e-file status? Does the IRS have my return yet? 

If you just submitted your return a minute ago, the answer to that last question is probably no. That’s because we first send your return to H&R Block secure servers, where it passes through a review process. If you prepared a state return and chose to e-file it as well, it’s also submitted at the same time. From there, it’s a simple process to check your e-file return status.

Finding the Status of Your E-Filed Tax Return

After the H&R Block review process, we send returns to the IRS. There, they’re processed and either accepted or rejected.

There are a few ways to check your e-file status.

• Go to the H&R Block Where’s My Refund page to check the status of your e-filed tax return.
• Create or sign in to your MyBlock account. 
• Download the free H&R Block mobile app for the iPhone, iPad, or Android. Open it and choose Refund Status to continue.
• Visit the IRS website directly to check your refund.

If your e-file return status is accepted, the IRS has started processing your return.

If your return is rejected, the IRS identified an error on your return. You’ll need to take one of these steps: 

• If you filed with a tax pro, work with your tax pro to fix the error.
• If you’re using our online or software program, fix the error yourself and then resubmit your return.

Your state return won’t be processed until the IRS accepts your federal return. Your return might also be put on hold if the IRS is taking longer than expected to process your federal return. Once the IRS has accepted your federal return, your state return will be sent to your state tax office for processing.

Statuses You Might See When Checking Your E-Filed Refund Status

If you’re checking for your refund or e-file status, here are some of the statuses you might see:

• Return Received — The IRS has received your tax return and is processing it. How long does the e-file take to process? For this part of the process, the IRS can take up to 24 hours to update your status once they’ve received your return.
• Refund Approved — The IRS has finished processing the return and has approved the refund. See common FAQs from the IRS for more information.
• Refund Sent — If you chose to have your refund direct deposited to your personal checking or savings account, the IRS has sent your refund to your bank. The IRS will give you the date your refund was sent to the bank. If it’s not in your bank account, it might be because:
  • You requested a paper check that is in the mail. The IRS will provide a date you should see it in the mail.
  • You chose to put your refund on an Emerald Card.
  • Your financial institution is processing the funds, which might take an additional two to five business days. Be sure to check that your bank received your refund before you spend the money.

You have outstanding debts held by the government that they are deducting from your refund.  This could be back taxes, owed child support, defaulted student loans, and more.

Receiving Your Refund After E-Filing and Checking Your Return Status

You should receive your refund in as few as 10 days with direct deposit. Otherwise, the IRS issues a paper check in about six to eight weeks.

If there are conflicts between the status shown in the H&R Block mobile app and the IRS Where’s My Refund tool, you should work off the information on the IRS website. H&R Block representatives can’t see or check your refund status on the tool.

If the IRS has a problem with your return, they’ll notify you by mail. They won’t contact you via e-mail, text message, or social media. You should respond to all mailings from the IRS promptly.