Why is tax status important?

Taxpayers often spend a lot of time and money preparing their tax returns only to forget about them after dropping them in the mail or submitting them electronically. Instead, taxpayers should check on their tax refund status periodically so they know what to expect. For example, sometimes the IRS might lose a return or experience data loses that mean that a refund won't be coming anytime soon. Taxpayers in this predicament can immediately phone the IRS or consult with their tax preparer for assistance in resolving the problem. Sometimes the problem is as simple as getting the IRS the proper checking account information for direct deposit.

Sometimes the IRS flags a tax return because it has a calculation error or adjustment that must be made. The IRS usually will mail out a notice about a problem like this, but being the government usually takes weeks or months to send it. Proactive taxpayers who check there tax refund status can quickly learn about situations like these and get the information to the tax agency before they ever receive a notice in the mail. Doing this can speed the process of processing tax returns so taxpayers can get their money.

Another good reason taxpayers should check their tax refund status is to avoid surprises. Sometimes refunds are seized by the government to pay back taxes, student loans or other debts. Sometimes errant ex-souses file amended returns or injured spouse claims that can either change the amount of a refund or reduce the amount of a refund to zero. By learning as soon as possible that the status of their refunds have changed, taxpayers an at least know to stop waiting for that hefty refund check they were expecting.

Checking tax refund status is easy. All taxpayers must do is visit the Where's My Refund? section of the IRS website. Once there, taxpayers need to enter their Social Security number, filing status and expected refund amount to find out the status of their refund. The IRS also has phone numbers taxpayers can call to get automated tax refund information.