Tax refunds should show up within 21 days of the IRS accepting a tax return. However, that process can be expedited if a ...

Getty Images It happens more often than you might think. Life gets busy, finances get complicated and suddenly, a year (or more) goes by ... How to get back on track with unfiled tax returns.

Failing to file your tax returns can lead to penalties, interest charges, and potential legal consequences from the IRS. By Robert Thorpe On 3/10/25 at 2:51 PM EDT.

A tax return is the form — typically the 1040 — that you file with the IRS each year and that provides an overview of your finances, such as adjusted gross income, or AGI, expenses and other ...

The IRS says it processed 11.7 million tax returns in the first week of the 2025 filing season. ... Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Economic Security Project hide caption.

Federal tax returns can be tracked using irs.gov/wheres-my-refund. For federal returns, the status benchmark points are return received, approved and sent, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

Tax refunds should show up within 21 days of the IRS accepting a tax return. However, that process can be expedited if a filer opts for e-filing and direct deposit for their return.