Since the start of tax season at the end of January, the Internal Revenue Service has processed 21 million tax returns with an average refund of $3,207.

If you’re one of those who have already filed well ahead of the April 15 deadline, you may be wondering when you can expect your refund to arrive. You can track that via the Where’s My Refund? tool that, according to the IRS, has received some upgrades.

You can get three pieces of information on Where’s My Refund?: confirmation the IRS has received your federal tax return, approval of the refund and issuing date of the refund. Information for returns from tax years 2021, 2022 and 2023 are available.

This year’s version also includes upgrades designed to reduce the need to call the IRS, the agency said. Those upgrades include messages with detailed refund status provided in plain language, access on mobile devices and with the IRS2Go app and notifications indicating whether the IRS needs additional information.

How to use Where’s My Refund?

To use the tool, enter your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification number, filing status and the exact whole dollar amount of the expected refund from the original tax return for the year they’re checking.

Once the IRS has acknowledged receipt of the return, information is typically available:

• 24 hours after receipt of a taxpayer’s e-filed tax year 2023 return.
• Three to four days after receipt of an e-filed tax year 2022 or 2021 return.
• Four weeks after mailing a paper return.

The IRS typically updates the tool once a day, usually overnight.

How soon will you get your tax refund?

The IRS said refunds are typically released within 21 days, assuming the person files electronically and uses direct deposit. Tax returns with errors, that require additional review or are incomplete can delay the process.

If there are issues, the IRS will contact taxpayers by mail if more information is needed to process a return. And one important reminder – the

The IRS will contact taxpayers by mail if more information is needed to process a return. IRS phone and walk-in representatives can only research the status of a refund if: 21 days or more have passed since the return was filed electronically or six weeks or more have passed since a return was mailed.

You can access Where’s My Refund? tool here.