How long will taxes take this year

Where is my refund?

Use Where's My Refund? to find out if the Illinois Department of Revenue has initiated the refund process. For more specific information about the status of your refund after the Illinois Department of Revenue has finished processing it, you can check the Illinois Comptroller's Find Your Illinois Tax Refund System.

What do I do if my refund is different than what was shown on my return?

If your refund amount is different than what is shown on your return, you will receive a notice within 7 to 10 business days explaining the difference.

How long does it take to get my refund?

If you file your return electronically and have your refund directly deposited into your checking or savings account, you will receive your refund faster. If you file a paper return, the timeframe is extended. In general, you can expect your refund to take longer than previous years as we continue our efforts to prevent identity theft and fraud. You may use our refund inquiry application to check the status of your current year refund.

I have lost or misplaced my refund check, how do I go about getting a new one?

For a replacement check you must call the Comptroller's Office at 1-800-877-8078.

I have not received my refund check. According to your site it has been more than 30 days since it was mailed. What should I do?

For a replacement check you must call the Comptroller's Office at 1-800-877-8078.

I found my uncashed refund check from a prior year. I am unable to cash it because it is over one year old. How do I go about replacing it?

For a replacement check you must call the Comptroller's Office at 1-800-877-8078.

Click here for more Refund Frequently Asked Questions.

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Choose how you will receive your refund

We offer three options for receiving your Individual Income Tax refund: direct deposit, debit card, and paper check. We recommend choosing direct deposit.

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	​​​​ Your refund goes directly into your bank account. You don’t have to wait on the m​ail, activate a debit card, or take time to cash a paper check.
	​You don’t have to worry about a paper check or debit card getting lost in the mail or stolen.​
	​​ If you move during tax season, you can avoid the hassle of your paper check or debit card getting mailed to the wrong address.
	​Direct deposit uses no paper, unlike printing and mailing checks and debit cards.​
​	​Each paper check costs the state about $1 to process. Direct deposit transactions only cost about a dime each.

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​ Your refund is mailed to you as a prepaid Visa debit card to the address listed on your Income Tax return.  Once you receive your debit card in the mail, you must activate your card by visiting bankofamerica.com/screfund or call 1-866-472-4959.

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​ Your refund is mailed with a check to the address listed on your Income Tax return.  Once you receive your check in the mail, you must deposit the check into your bank account or cash it using a check-cashing service.

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After you have filed your return

  Most refunds from electronically-filed returns are issued 6-8 weeks after you file; paper returns may take longer. It's also important to note:

• Refunds from amended returns are issued at least 12 weeks from the date you filed the amended return. 
  
• If you chose a paper check or debit card refund, remember to allow additional time to receive your refund in the mail. 

  If you've already filed your return, you can't change your refund option this year, but you can always update your choice next time you file.

Check your refund status

If you've already filed, check your refund status using our Where's My Refund? tool, which is available 24/7 and provides the same information as our customer service representatives. 

  If you filed electronically and received a confirmation from your tax preparation software, we have received your return.

  You can expect your refund to move through our review process within 6-8 weeks from February 7 or the date you filed (whichever is later), if you filed electronically; paper returns take longer. Amended returns take at least 12 weeks to complete the review process.

  Status changes are posted nightly. Find out how long you can expect to be in each step of processing in the Refund Processing Timeline on this page. 

  If you filed by paper, it may take more time for your refund status to update.

To check your refund status, you will need:

• Your Social Security Number or ITIN
  
• Your exact refund amount
  

Our phone lines are busy this time of year, and our representatives have the same information as our Where's My Refund? tool. You really only need to call if:

• Your refund status hasn’t changed in more than 8 weeks
  
• Your refund status tells you to contact the SCDOR
  

Answers to common refund questions

 What could slow down your refund?

What do we review?

How is the SCDOR protecting taxpayers?

How quickly will you get your refund?

Will calling the SCDOR help you get your refund faster?

Will the Where's My Refund tool tell you when you will receive your refund?

Why am I being asked to verify my withholding?

Why is my refund different than the amount on the tax return I filed?

Click timeline to see a bigger view.

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How soon will I get my tax refund 2022?

Why are 2022 refunds taking so long?

Is IRS backed up on refunds 2022?

What day of the week does the IRS deposit refunds 2022?