How to Track Your IRS Tax Refund or Payment Using the IRS Website
What the IRS "Get My Payment" tool does
Get My Payment is a tool on the IRS website that shows you the status of a tax refund or a payment the IRS sent to you. You enter your Social Security number, date of birth, and street address, and the tool tells you whether the payment has been mailed, deposited to your bank account, or is still being processed. It does not let you change your address, request a new payment method, or speed up processing — it only shows you where things stand right now.
The tool is free and does not require a login or password. You can check it as many times as you want. The IRS updates the information once per day, usually overnight, so checking multiple times in the same day will show you the same status.
Key Takeaways
- Get My Payment shows the status of your refund or IRS payment, but only if the IRS has already begun processing it — if processing has not started, the tool will say "information is not available."
- You need your Social Security number, date of birth, and the street address on your tax return to use the tool.
- If the tool says your payment was mailed, it typically arrives within 21 days of the mailing date; if it says deposited, check your bank account within one to three business days.
- If your payment was supposed to arrive but did not, the IRS has a separate process to report it missing — Get My Payment itself cannot file a claim.
How to access Get My Payment on the IRS website
Go to www.irs.gov and look for the link labeled "Get My Payment" on the homepage. It is usually near the top of the page under a section for refunds or payments. Click the link and you will be taken to a page that asks for three pieces of information: your Social Security number, your date of birth, and the street address from your tax return.
Enter each piece of information exactly as it appears on your return. If you filed jointly with a spouse, use the Social Security number of the person whose name appears first on the return. After you enter the information, click "Submit" and the tool will show you the status within a few seconds.
If you do not have access to a computer or the internet, you can call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 during business hours and speak with a representative who can look up your payment status for you over the phone.
What each payment status means
When you use Get My Payment, you will see one of several possible statuses. "Payment Status Not Available" means the IRS has not yet started processing your return or payment. This is normal if you filed recently. Check back in a few days.
"Payment Scheduled" means the IRS has approved your refund or payment and has set a date to send it. The tool will show you that date. If the date has not arrived yet, your payment is still being prepared.
"Payment Sent" means the IRS has mailed your check or deposited money into your bank account. If it says "mailed," your check should arrive within 21 days of the date shown. If it says "deposited," the money should appear in your account within one to three business days. The tool will show you the payment method (check or direct deposit) and, if by check, the mailing date.
"Payment Received" means the IRS has confirmed that your bank received the deposit. This status appears after the money has landed in your account.
What to do if your payment status says "not available"
If Get My Payment says your payment status is not available, it usually means the IRS is still processing your return. Processing times vary depending on whether you filed electronically or by mail, whether your return was complete, and whether the IRS needs to verify any information. Most returns are processed within 21 days of filing.
Wait a few days and check again. If you filed by mail, allow extra time — the IRS must receive and scan your return before it begins processing. If you filed electronically, you can check the status sooner.
If you filed more than 21 days ago and the tool still says information is not available, you can call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to speak with someone who can look into your specific return. Have your return handy so you can answer questions about your filing status and income.
What to do if your payment was supposed to arrive but did not
If Get My Payment says your payment was mailed or deposited but you have not received it after the expected timeframe, you will need to report it to the IRS. The tool itself does not have a button to file a claim — you must contact the IRS directly.
Call 1-800-829-1040 and tell the representative that your payment did not arrive. Have your Social Security number, the date shown in Get My Payment, and your bank account information (if the payment was supposed to be deposited) ready. The IRS will file a claim and investigate. This process can take several weeks.
If your check was mailed, the IRS may ask you to wait 30 days from the mailing date before filing a claim, in case the check is delayed in the mail. If your payment was supposed to be deposited directly, you can report it missing sooner — usually within one to three business days of the deposit date.
Differences between Get My Payment and other IRS tools
The IRS has other tools on its website that do different things. Where's My Refund? is similar to Get My Payment but is specifically for tax refunds only. If you are waiting for a refund, you can use either tool — they pull the same information. Get My Payment is broader and covers other types of payments the IRS sends, such as advance payments or corrections.
IRS transcript tools let you view a detailed record of your tax account, including what you filed, what you owe, and what payments the IRS has recorded. These are different from Get My Payment, which only shows the status of a single payment in transit.
If you need to change your address, request a payment by check instead of direct deposit, or make other changes to how the IRS sends you money, you cannot do that through Get My Payment. You will need to contact the IRS directly by phone or mail, or file an amended return if the issue is with your original filing.
Security and privacy when using Get My Payment
Get My Payment does not require you to create an account or log in with a password. You enter your personal information directly into the tool each time you use it. The IRS website uses encryption to protect the information you submit, the same technology banks use to protect online banking.
Never share your Social Security number or date of birth with anyone claiming to help you check your payment status. The IRS will never contact you by email or text message asking you to verify your information or click a link. If you receive such a message, it is a scam — delete it and do not respond.
If you are using a public computer (at a library or internet café), log out completely when you are done and clear your browser history to make sure your information is not visible to the next person who uses that computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often does Get My Payment update?
The IRS updates Get My Payment once per day, usually overnight. If you check the tool multiple times in the same day, you will see the same status. There is no benefit to checking more than once daily.
Can I use Get My Payment to check on someone else's payment?
No. Get My Payment requires the Social Security number and date of birth of the person whose payment you are checking. You can only look up your own payment status, or your spouse's if you filed jointly and you have their information. Parents cannot look up payments for adult children.
What if I filed a joint return but only one spouse's name is on the payment?
Use the Social Security number of the person whose name appears first on your tax return. That is the primary filer, and the payment will be associated with that person's account in the IRS system.
Does Get My Payment work if I filed an amended return?
Get My Payment shows the status of payments related to your most recent return, whether original or amended. If you filed an amended return and the IRS is sending you an additional refund, the tool will show that payment once the IRS has processed the amendment and scheduled the payment.
What if the address on my return was wrong?
If your mailing address on your return was incorrect and the IRS mailed a check to the wrong address, Get My Payment will still show the payment as "mailed" to that address. You will need to contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to report the address error and request that a new check be sent to the correct address. This process can take several weeks.