How long does it take to get my income tax return

Your tax return is the form you send to the government that shows your income and calculates your tax. The money the government sends back to you is your refund. You don't get your income tax return. You sent your return to the IRS. Eventually you will get your refund.

No one, not even the IRS, can tell you how long it will take to get your refund. There are many variables that can affect how long it takes to process your tax return and issue your refund. The IRS says that, for e-filed tax returns, they pay 9 out of 10 refunds within three weeks. Yours could be the one out of 10 that takes longer. But the IRS is severely backlogged this year, and refunds are taking much longer than normal. Go to the following link on the IRS web site for more information about the factors that can affect when you get your refund, and a link to check the status of your refund.

Tax Season Refund Frequently Asked Questions