Tax season has begun. If you have already filed your federal tax return electronically, the Internal Revenue Service says you can expect your return within about three weeks.

For filers who submit their returns electronically using direct deposit, refunds are generally issued in less than 21 days.

But don’t count on a specific date: The IRS warns taxpayers not to rely on receiving their refund by a certain date, especially when making major purchases or paying bills as some credits prompt longer waits for refunds. Holidays and weekends can delay processing, too.

And some filers should plan to wait longer for a refund.

Will my tax refund take longer to process?

Under the federal Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes, or PATH, Act, the IRS cannot issue Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit refunds before mid-February due to extra identity checks with those credits.

The IRS expects Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit refunds to be available in bank accounts or on debit cards by March 3, assuming there are no other issues with a filer’s tax return.

How to track your tax refund status

You can use the IRS “Where’s My Refund” tool to track your refund. To check, you will need your Social Security number or individual taxpayer ID number, your filing status and exact refund amount on your return.

The information on “Where’s My Refund?” is updated once a day.

Additional tax return information:

• The IRS started processing tax returns on Jan. 27.
• The filing deadline is April 15.
• The IRS expects more than 140 million individual tax returns for tax year 2024 to be filed ahead of the federal deadline.
• The IRS urges taxpayers to always use direct deposit for their refunds.
• Filers with Adjusted Gross Income of less than $84,000 can use IRS Free File to complete returns at no charge.
• IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers have expanded hours for in-person help during tax season.