Posted on by Manisha Hansraj

What Does My Tax Refund Status Mean?

Don’t stress! You won’t miss this flight.

Have you ever walked into an airport and realized you and everyone around you seem to be in a rush? Well, tax filers tend to mimic the same anxious energy, especially those trying to figure out their tax refund status.

We understand that like the airport checking luggage-security-shoes-off whirlwind, tax filing is also something you don’t do every day and can be pretty stressful. Actually, filing your taxes is the hardest part though so give yourself a pat on the back, sit back and await your refund.

What status updates should I look out for?

Whether you are a RapidTax customer or not,  you’ll probably use the IRS “Where’s My Refund?” tool. Before checking your refund status, you’ll want to recognize and know the meaning of the following status updates:

  1. Return Received or Accepted
  2. Refund Approved
  3. Refund Sent
  4. Your tax return is still being processed. A refund date will be provided when available.

What does Return ‘Received’ or ‘Accepted’ mean?

The IRS updates you with “We have accepted your tax return and it is being processed”. This is solely to update you that your return was successfully received by the IRS. This status update does not mean your return was approved. It simply means the IRS has it and it is in line to be reviewed and processed.

  • The Return Received status may remain longer than you were expecting. You may have friends who had this status displayed on their page for only a few days and yours has remained much longer. Don’t panic, it happens.

What does ‘Refund Approved’ mean?

The IRS updates you with ” Your refund has been approved”. This means that your return was processed successfully and the estimated refund amount was approved by the IRS. You’re one step closer to getting that refund! 

  • This refund status is the second stage of the IRS refund updates and means you have nothing to worry about.

What does ‘Refund Sent’ mean?

Once the IRS updates you that your refund has been sent, the deal is sealed. You should be receiving your refund via check or direct deposit. In most cases, you’ll even be issued an approximate date to expect your money to arrive.

  • If you had your tax refund direct deposited, it may take your bank or financial institution 1-5 business days to deposit the tax refund money into your account. If instead, you opted to have your tax refund sent to you in the mail, by check, you should expect to wait much longer.

What does ‘Your tax return is still being processed. A refund date will be provided when available ‘ mean?

Although it may drive you crazy waiting for your refund, this status could just mean that the IRS hasn’t approved your refund as yet and it reviewing your return.

  • Most refunds are issued in less than 21 days. Additional review may be the case if you claim credits such as the Additional Child Tax Credit, or Earned Income Credit. This ensures that you’re receiving the correct refund. This process may take longer, but it will change eventually.

What does Tax Topic 152 mean?

If you are using the Where’s My Refund tool and see a generic message accompanied by “Tax Topic 152“, consider this IRS tax jargon. In short, your return is still in the processing stage. Tax Topic 152 is simply a lengthy internet document listing the ways you are able to receive your refund. Although applicable, chances are that by this stage of the game, you’ve already chosen whether or not you’d like a check or direct deposit.

If you notice your tax refund status is not appearing on the IRS tool, be sure you are entering the correct information. If it still doesn’t work, contact your tax preparer. 

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500 Replies to “What Does My Tax Refund Status Mean?”

  1. Has anyone received their ddd yet? Refund? Accepted on 2/6. Orange bars disappeared and message still say your return is being processed & deposit date will be issued when return is processed

    Reply

  2. Fri made the 21st day for me here it is tues the 25th and still nothing I get the same message as everyone else but I don’t get a tax code is that a good or bad thing 🙁 I need my money! !!

    Reply

    1. Hi Xaviera,
      I would suggest contacting the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040. They will research the status of your return. Just a heads up, there will probably be an extensive waiting time.

      Reply

    2. Hi I have the same experience this year. Mine doesn’t have a code with the same message that you received. Will u please let me know if that was a good or bad sign or did u ever receive a refund and how long was the waiting process? Please let me know thanks.

      Reply

      1. I have the same…no TT. I ID verified Monday so I have to wait. Have you updated on transcripts?

  3. My taxes is saying the same thing right now and I was trying to figure out what did it mean because I never waited until 21days for taxes but I guess they did make some changes and also they said that it is a glitch in they system

    Reply

  4. i filed the 28 the irs says they didnt accept it till the 4th but i got something for my transcripts that i requested on the 12th of feb…and i have account balance 0 as of feb 24th …can anyone let me know what that means also when i check my refund status it says your tax return is still being processed a refund date will be provided when available my bars been gone since like the 8th of feb….

    Reply

    1. IM IN THE SAME BOAT I WAS ACCEPTED BY THE IRS ON JAN31 I HAD ONE BAR UP THAN 3 DAYS AGO MY BAR WAS GONE AND IT SAID STILL PROCESSING A DATE WILL BE AVAILABLE!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS CRAZY I HAVE NEVER WAITED THIS LONG AND THE COMPANY THAT I FILED WITH SAID IM APPROVED BUT HOW AM I APPROVED IF IT DOES NOT SAY IT ON THE IRS WEBSITE AND MY 21 DAYS WILL BE TOMORROW THIS ID SO FUSTRATING AND NOT RIGHT!!!!!! WHATS GOING ON??????

      Reply

      2. I filed mines on the 14 of February then had to fax in info march 10 it is now may 4th still nothing. Have you got your return yet? How long did it take

  5. I Submitted my return on 2/5 an was accepted 2/5 now my orange bars disappeared saying still processing an a refund date will be given when available. With tax topic 152 . What does this mean ? Am i being audited

    Reply

    1. Hi Monet,
      No. Topic 152 just means your tax return is in progress. Once it’s processed, the status will change to approved and an estimate date of when you’ll receive your refund will appear.

      I wouldn’t worry until 21 days has passed. Once 21 days has passed and if there are no changes, I would contact the IRS by phone.

      Reply

      2. Question my bank say they can’t erify my tax rfund check? Not understand this when the irs just issued my check on september the 2nd of this month

      3. Hi Edward,

        Your bank should be able to tell you why they are not able to verify the check. If for some reason they are unable to do so, I suggest contacting the IRS and explaining the situation to them.

      6. Hi I’m going through the your refund is still being processed a refund date will be given when available. I got accepted on the 13th of January what should I do

      8. Hello Gregory,

        If there is an error message regarding your tax refund status, you may be entering your information incorrectly. Be sure to check that your social security number, filing status and refund amount is correct. If you are still encountering this issue, contact the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 to check the status of your refund.

      10. If you are using the Where’s My Refund tool and see a generic message accompanied by “Tax Topic 152“,
        consider this IRS tax jargon. In short, your return is still in the processing stage. Once processed, your
        status will be updated. Once your return has been approved, and estimated date of when you will receive your
        refund will be provided by the IRS.

      11. Mines saying the same thing I filed on 1/25/16 and still on one bar with topic 152 its now 2/4/16 how long do it normally takes

      12. Hi Monica,

        This is nothing to worry about. The IRS states that you should allow 21 days to receive your tax refund. It could take a shorter amount of time. In the event that you are waiting longer than 21 days, you can contact the IRS and they will further research where your tax return is in the filing process.

      13. Today was my 21 day and I no it was a federal holiday but I’m not understanding why still saying being process my 152 topic is still up and the only letter I received is telling me that my state is being held due to a fine I owe… Nothing about my federal payment…

      14. Hi Erica,

        As long as your federal refund is not being withheld, then you have nothing to worry about as of yet. Although the IRS attempts to distribute refunds within 21 days, it is not a guarantee. There is always a chance of delays due to a high volume of returns being submitted. That being said, the IRS will conduct further research after 21 days if you contact them directly.

      16. Hi Shay,

        If you e-filed your tax return, you should allow up to 21 days to receive your refund. As of now, you’re still in the IRS processing stage which is acceptable. Once approved, the next status update will be that your refund was approved and an accompanying date that your refund will be sent.

      17. Mine is saying theres a delay in processing your return. But has no code numbers. What does this mean??

      18. The IRS is indicating that they need more time to process your return. This delay can be as a result of several reasons, one being that the IRS my have experienced a possible computer outage. For more information regarding your IRS status, you can attempt to contact an IRS agent on 1-800-829-1040.

      19. If you are claiming Earned Income Tax Credit or child credits they wont release the return until mid to late feb

      20. If I sent in a paper return will this status also mean ill receive my refund within 21 days? I’m asking because my status went from ACCEPTED to MY REFUND IS STILL BEING PROCESSED A DATE WILL BE PROVIDED WHEN AVAILABLE….Or will it still take up to 6 to 8 weeks?

      22. Hi Monique,

        You are waiting for the APPROVED status update. Your return is still in the processing stage which is between the ACCEPTED stage and the APPROVED stage. Keep checking back daily for your refund mail date.

      23. Hi Monique,

        If you paper file your tax return, you should allow 6 weeks to receive your refund. If you have not received your refund in 6 weeks, then you can contact the IRS to research your refund status. Keep in mind that you are waiting for the ‘Approved Refund’ status on the Where’s My Refund tool.

      25. Hi Tyanna,

        The IRS states that you should allow 21 days after e-filing. If you have not received a status update after 21 days, you can contact the IRS and they will further research the progress of your return.

      27. The same thing happened to me I filed in Jan 30 , got accepted the same day, checked the wmr it says the received. Well 2 days later bars disappeared saying the same still being processed I called they said it was a error and it could take up to 6- 8 weeks. Now today I get on there it says they received it and it is being processed with a 152 topic and a 9001 code .

      28. Hi Doris,

        The IRS code 9001 means: “Taxpayer accessed Refund Status using a secondary TIN. Refund Status could not be returned. Get a Primary TIN Analyze account and follow appropriate IRM.”

        In other words, when you filed your tax return, you were asked to provide a primary SSN. If you login to Where’s My Refund or on the IRS App and try to use the secondary Social Security number, you’re going to get this error message.

      29. The same thing happened to me. You might want to check and see if u have to do an id verification. I had to after my bars dissapeared now the back on and I got a sure but it took about two weeks after Id verification

      30. When i check the irs2go app it gave me a date to be directed deposit but they supposed to mail it out I don’t have a bank account what do that mean?

      31. Same thing is happening to me. There suppose to mail me the card it says sent April 12th. Sent where??? Idk because I don’t have a bank???!!

      32. That is EXACTLY what I am facing now, Precious. It says it was directly deposited….but I don’t have a bank account either. What does that mean? Does anyone know? Or is the system just say that because it’s not programmed to say when the paper checks are mailed? Doesn’t make much sense though?!?!?

      33. Same thing with me.i checked the status or my return it says it was deposited on April 20, 2017 but I don’t have a bank account the were supposed to send me a card in the mail.

      34. Hello Dillion,

        Please contact the IRS directly regarding the payment options of your refund. If you did not provide bank account information, it will be sent to you by a paper check. The IRS website may be programmed to say direct deposit for paper checks. However, if you have selected the Fee From Refund option, your refund will be direct deposited to the bank affiliated with the company you have filed with, and then sent to you by paper check.

      35. I FILED AND WAS ACCEPTED ON 2/5/16 MY TAX PREPARER PUT MY ID PIN IN WRONG SO NOW ITS BEEN 21 DAYS SINCE 2/26/16 I HAD THW ORANGE RECEIVED BAR NOW ITS GONE IT SAYS RETURN BEING PROCESSED AND A DATE WILL BE PROVIDED WHEN AVAILABLE WHY HAS MY BAR DISAPPEARED AND WHY AM I GETTING THAT MESSAGE NOW

      36. Hi Nikki,

        Although the IRS typically issues refunds within 21 days, that is never a promise on their part. However, your return is not out of the ordinary. You mentioned that your return status was accepted/received and is now in the processing stage. This is the normal cycle that is followed. After 21 days, the IRS will research your tax refund further if you contact them directly.

      37. Hi Nikki, my tax preparer did the same and IRS didn’t accept my return. It was rejected. And then I filed again with the correct PIN and was accepted. I got DDD after 8 days.
        How come IRS accept your return with a wrong PIN. Anyway, if the bar is gone, it means you are under review and IRS cannot guarantee your refund within 21 days limit. There may be various reason but as I experienced last year, I guess you now need to verify your identity. After 21 days (it is already more than 21) give a call or wait for letter in mailbox. Once you call them and verify your identity (you can also do it online if you get letter), the bar will come back in few days and you will see DDD another day or so.

      39. Hi i mailed my tax return in cause somebody claimed my son i claimed since he was born .and its been four weeks since and it keeps saying that there’s no info what does this mean

      40. Hi Frederick,

        I suggest contacting the IRS directly. After 21 days, they will conduct further research on the where-abouts of your refund. This process could be quite time consuming since it involves two parties that the IRS must look into.

      42. Mine says the same; “We received your tax return and its still being processed”. I filed on 1/16 but I think they received it until the 23rd because I had my boxes up the first then I went back and looked the status indicated a date will be available for me. When I checked a week later the status indicated it is still being processed. Can i get some advise?

      43. The IRS kicked off their 2016 tax season on 01/23/2017. This was the first day of e-filing. Once your return was e-filed and accepted by the IRS you must allow up to 21 days for the IRS to process your return. Please keep in mind that if you claimed the EITC or ACTC the IRS will release those refunds no earlier than February 27th.

      45. The “processing” status indicates that your return was received by the IRS is currently awaiting approval. In this stage, the IRS is reviewing your return. Once your return has been processed and the IRS is satisfied that you have no outstanding debts, they will approve and then issue your refund.

      47. If you are using the Where’s My Refund tool and see a generic message accompanied by “Tax Topic 152“, consider this IRS tax jargon. In short, your return is still in the processing stage. Once processed, your status will be updated. Provided that your return has been approved, an estimated date of when you will receive your refund will be provided by the IRS.

      48. My refund got sent back to irs from my bank. I went to the website and the bars said it was approved and my return should come by mail by March 10 the. I checked today and it says its being processed. I’m confused!

      49. If you prepared your income tax return with Rapidtax.com, it would be best to contact a customer service representative to assist you with determining obtaining the status of your refund.

      50. I filed my taxes on feb.23 it was received feb25 wen i use to check my status it use to have the orange bars an still was in recieve wen i check it now it shows no bars an it says refund still being processed will have a date wen its available wats goin on?

      52. My tax return was accepted, issued and mailed march 2nd. Apparently the mailman delivered it to the wrong house, they returned to the irs and they reissued it on march 24th. Its april 5th and the irs website says still being processed again. Im so confused? Says to wait again 30 days before I can do anything. I dont know what to do or should I call again or what? Help please…

      54. This is also happened to me my check was sent out on 4/7 the status said sent after about a week I realized that the tax preprayer left out one number on my address we called the irs and gave the right address and had the mail man watch for it but nothing has come a couple days ago I checked the wmr site and my bars are gone and now says they have received my tax return and its being processed!! Today is 4/25/17!! Im freaking out too!! Please let me kbow if u get any news

      55. If you have not received your check to date, you may want to contact an IRS agent to obtain the actual status of your refund, to determine if your check was re-sent to the correct address.

      56. I wanted to know what do 24 hours main because I’ve done my taxes the 27th of last month and I didn’t hear nothing yet

      57. I checked my Maryland tax return and it says “your refund has been adjusted” but it’s sceduled to be sent to my bank account within 48 hrs and a letter is being sent out to explain the reason and income due. Does this mean i am being audited?

      58. I was wondering I was told by the irs that I had to wait 8 weeks for my refund . Does it mean I am being audit or does it just mean I am under review

      60. Well I had to do verification over the telephone and I’m just trying to see how long will it take for me to get my refund

    2. What does it mean that my return has been received and it is still being processed. I am also not seeing any bars as to my status. What does that mean?

      Reply

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