The tax season has begun. Here is when you get your refund

New York (AP) – The tax season is underway and the IRS expects 140 million people to return returns by April 15. Agency has also debuted New online tool To help taxpayers control the status of any refund, they may be entitled to.

President Donald Trump this week offered all federal employees a buyout package In an attempt to reduce the size of the public workforce, which can affect the IRS staff for an important period for the agency, although it is not yet clear how. IRS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Here’s what to know:

When do I receive my refund?

If you archive your tax return electronically, IRS says it should take 21 days or less to receive your refund. If you choose to receive your refund with direct deposit, it should take even less time. If you submit a paper return, the refund may take four weeks or more and if your return requires changes or corrections, it may take longer.

The IRS warns taxpayers not to trust to receive a refund on a specific date, especially when making larger purchases or paying bills.

How can I check the status of my refund?

Taxpayers can use the online tool Where is my refund? To check the status of their reimbursement of income tax within 24 hours of e-archiving and generally within four weeks of filing a paper return.

Information related to this tool is updated once a day overnight. To access the status of your refund, you need:

– Your Social Security or Individual Tax Rights ID Number (ITIN)

– Your filing status

– Refund amount calculated by your return

How does refund work?

If you paid more through the year than you owe tax due to detention or other reasons, you need to get money back. Even if you did not pay excess tax, you may still receive a refund if you qualify for a refundable credit, such as the earned income tax credit (EITC) or childcat’s credit. To get your refund, you must submit a return and you have three years to claim a tax refund.

Do I qualify the earned income tax credit (EITC)?

To qualify for EITC, you must have less than $ 11,600 in investment revenue and earn less than a specific income level from working. If you are single without children, your income level should be $ 18,591 or less. And if you are married to archiving in common with three or more children, you must earn $ 66,819 or less. To determine if your household qualifies based on your marital status and your number of relatives you can use Online EITC Assistant Tool.

What about the childcat?

If you have a child, you are probably eligible for childcat’s credit. The credit is up to $ 2,000 per Qualifying child. In order to qualify, a child must:

– have a social security number

– Be under 17 years of age at the end of 2024

– is claimed as a dependent on your tax return

You qualify for the full amount of the child tax for each qualifying child if you meet all eligibility factors and your annual income is no more than $ 200,000 ($ 400,000 if you archive a joint return).

What is different this year?

The IRS has expanded a program that allows people to submit their taxes directly to the Agency for free. Federal Direct file programthat allow taxpayers to calculate and submit their returns without using commercial tax preparation software is now available to taxpayers in 25 states, up from 12 states that were part of last year’s pilot program.

The program gives people in some states with very simple W-2s to calculate and submit their returns directly to the IRS. Those who used the pilot program in 2024 demanded more than $ 90 million in a refund, the IRS said in October.

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