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IRS 'Where's My Refund?' Website Getting Flooded by Eager Taxpayers

by The Associated Press Feb 14th 2013 3:54PM
Updated Feb 15th 2013 2:35PM
Tax refund checkBy STEPHEN OHLEMACHER

WASHINGTON -- The Internal Revenue Service has a message for taxpayers eager to learn the status of their tax refund: Please don't check the IRS website every five minutes. Once a day is enough.

The IRS says its "Where's my refund?" website and smartphone app are being overwhelmed by eager taxpayers. The agency says its systems are only updated once a day, usually overnight, and the same information is available the website, the IRS2go smartphone app and IRS toll-free phone lines.

To avoid delays, the agency says the best time to check on refunds is evening and weekends.

The IRS says nine out of 10 taxpayers typically receive refunds in less than 21 days when they file returns online and get refunds deposited directly into bank accounts.

More on Taxes at the DailyFinance Tax Center


Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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barney

anybody out there being prodded to pay estimated taxes for 2013......DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT DO SO.......have I made myself clear..........I'd rather write their sorry stealing azzes a check on April 15th

February 18 2013 at 10:24 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
john

AH your refund is currently being used for welfare , food stamps, free telephones for the lazy. and believe it or not illegals---so please wait your turn

February 18 2013 at 9:41 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
trbgd

Earned Income Credit is about the stupidest thing ever derived by our Gov't. It makes absolutely no financial sense get get some thing called a refuns when you oaid nothing in.

February 18 2013 at 8:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to trbgd's comment
sam54ct

Blame Nixon, he took the advice of Buckminster Fuller, and enacted the Earned Income and Child Tac Credit.

February 18 2013 at 10:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
karebear1952

Oh give me a break. If you need your 100 dollars that badly, you need to get a life. It will be spent b 4 the end of the day anyway.

February 18 2013 at 7:58 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to karebear1952's comment
Andrew

My refund is definitely more than just $100. Not to mention I was laid off last August and didn't have any income for 5 months.Employer fought me for UI and not to mention work didn't want to hire anyone in my area. So $100 would solve a few issues. There are some people that have worked for it and deserve it you know.

February 18 2013 at 8:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Andrew

Tomorrow is my 21st day that I have been waiting since my taxes were accepted by the IRS. The WMR has been completely useless this year, and the first come first processed didn't happen this year. This was a first for me this year. To be one of those individuals that was the 1 percent. The IRS really showed their true colors this year.

Instead of worrying about how much users check the status of their returns, how about you fix your systems and communicate with the public. It's definitely been a frustrating tax season.

February 18 2013 at 7:38 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
leandercannon

The IRS says its "Where's my refund?"

i say where the tax forms i order in jan13...........the gop congress wont pay the printer...

February 18 2013 at 7:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ntweety7777

Why is it taking so long for my Federal Taxes to be accepted . E Filed 2 weeks ago and still nothing.

February 18 2013 at 4:39 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to ntweety7777's comment
Patti P.

You won't like the answer to why it is taking so long for your Federl tax return..... My tax preparer told me NOT to expect a refund for a while because THERE IS NO MONEY.I think they are waiting for people that owe money to send it to them so they can send it to the ones that gets refunds...... They have spent every last dime in Washington and could care less if we ever get our refunds. However - if you owe them money it better be received by April 15th - or else. Another note that may inflame you is that there are hundreds of federal employees that owe back taxes for several years - and no-one is doing anything to them..... YIKES - This country is really in money trouble and everyone in Washington acts like nothing is wrong....

February 18 2013 at 7:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Andrew

The IRS is beyond messed up this year. Money may be an issue but that ISN'T the reason your not getting paid. There have been MANY that have already received their returns already and many scheduled to get theirs. Don't let people put you into thinking your not getting your money because of the government is broke.f

Their are truly people's refunds that are taking time for review, errors, fraud, and just simply processing. As I said the system is messed up right now.

February 18 2013 at 8:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
thesanantonians@

if you worked and payed taxes ,u should get a refund , if you were and or on government assistance of any kind , no refund , I don"t pay taxes to have the gov. give my money away , alot of this recipents get food stamps , medicate , housing assistance and what not , and yet they filed for child tax credits and get more money free from the gov. No Siree , it is time to stop this madness , NO REFUNDS FOR ANYONE ON GOV. ASSISTED PROGRAMS , nO wonder we have a deficiet , I am not saying not to help this americans needing help , but they should not abuse our generousity. I worked and payed taxes and never got a refund and I was never or gov. help , even thought I needed help , so man -up and be a true american.

February 18 2013 at 3:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
bmaofmus

Want to make ends meet ? Do away with all retirement and high dollar health care for Pres and Congress. They were making a living before being elected, let them go back to it. And while we're at it stop the F16s and M1 tanks being shipped to Egypt and other middle east countries

February 18 2013 at 3:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
thesanantonians@

**** i am not going to comment , if you did not get my comment **** aol

February 18 2013 at 3:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply