Check Federal Income Tax Refund Status for 2011, 2012

You can check your your federal refund status withing 72 hours after you have completed it and sent it to the IRS. If you E-filed then you should be able to check the status of your return even sooner.

If you filed by mailing in your return then it could take up to a month to be able to check the status of your federal return. Once they receive and enter your return it should be available online within 72 hours.

The IRS will allow you to get on their website and enter the following information:

• Social Security Number

• Number of exemptions

• Exact amount of federal return.

Once you enter this information you should be able to view your return. If you cannot locate your return then it may still be in process. If it has been longer than 28 days, you can use their refund tracer. In most cases your return has been mailed to an incorrect address or there was an error with it.

If you are unable to find your return then you can call the IRS and see if they can help you.

How to Track your Tax Refund in the Future

To track your tax refund in the future, you can use an online tax filing service such as TurboTax online to file your taxes. You will know the status of your return from the time it was sent in, until the time you actually receive your refund. This will avoid errors and help you get your tax refund much faster.