How to Track Your Tax Refund (And Why You Actually Don't Want One)

Tax season is long over (thank god), and that means that if you were supposed to get a tax refund, you should have already received it by now. Today, I’m going to be filling you in on how to get your check from Uncle Sam if you haven’t received it yet. But first, I’m going to tell you why you don’t want a tax refund in the first place.

I know this may come as a shock to you, because you probably love getting a tax refund. It feels like bonus money from Uncle Sam, right? And what’s better than bonus money?

But here’s the thing: this is not free money from the government. Your tax refund is not like a stimulus check. Your tax refund is, and has always been, your money.

If you got a tax refund, that means that the federal government overcharged you for your income taxes, and is now giving you back the extra funds they took. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a refund. And that sucks! Sure, you get the money back eventually, but that’s money you could have been spending on rent, groceries and Index Funds.

Instead, the government basically took out a loan from your paycheck and then paid it back to you without interest. That’s a pretty sweet deal for Uncle Sam. On the other side of the coin, when you take out a loan from the federal government (like a student loan, for example), you definitely have to pay it back with interest. So, why is it that when you owe the government money, they charge you interest, but when the roles are reversed, the government doesn’t play by the same rules?

Okay, rant over. Now let’s talk about how to get you that refund, if you’re owed one.

When you filed your taxes, you knew right away whether you would be getting any money back from the IRS. If you have not received your refund yet, it’s time to track it down. In order to check the status of your refund, I’d recommend having a copy of your tax return handy, because you’ll need to have on-hand your Social Security Number or ITIN, your filing status (or, whether you filed single or jointly) and the exact refund amount reflected on your tax return.

To see what’s going on with your refund, go to www.irs.gov/refunds and hit the “Track Your Refund” button. And lucky you, you don’t need to sign up for an IRS account to do this.

Fair enough. Here are some questions you may run into:

Q: If I file jointly, should I use my social security number or my partner’s?

A: You can use either! Easy peasy.

Q: Where the fuck do I find the refund amount?

A: You can find your expected refund amount on your tax return. That number will probably be on line 35a or 14a, depending on how you filed.

The IRS is letting people know that they should expect delays if you mailed in your tax return, or if you claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit. If neither of those situations apply to you and its been over three weeks since you filed, you should probably give the IRS a call. You can call the IRS at 800-829-1040.

One more time with feeling: if you haven't already, take a minute to double check that you actually did receive your tax refund. Depending on how you filed, your tax refund will either have been sent as a paper check or deposited directly into your bank account. Don’t assume that your tax refund will go through without a little nudge from you. Take some time today to make sure that your money, yes your money, made it back to you.

xo,