Most people get one tax refund per year, and it comes from your annual return
The short answer is: probably not, unless your situation changed. A tax refund happens when you paid the IRS more tax than you actually owed during the year. The IRS calculates what you owe based on your income and deductions, compares it to what you already paid through paychecks or estimated payments, and sends you back the difference. That happens once a year when you file your return — usually between January and April.
If you are waiting for a second refund in the same tax year, it would only happen if something unusual occurred after you filed: you got a major refund from a previous year that was delayed, you amended a return and that amendment resulted in a refund, or you received a tax credit you did not claim the first time. These are rare situations, not the normal pattern.
Key Takeaways
- The IRS sends one refund per tax year based on your annual return, usually between January and April.
- A second refund in the same year only happens if you amended a return, received a delayed refund from a prior year, or claimed a credit you missed on your original filing.
- You can check the status of any refund you are expecting by using the IRS Where's My Refund tool with your Social Security number, filing status, and refund amount.
- If your refund is taking longer than expected, the IRS may be verifying information on your return, which can add weeks to processing time.
When a second refund might actually arrive
An amended return is the most common reason for a second refund. If you filed your original return and later realized you missed a deduction, made an error, or forgot to claim a credit like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), you can file Form 1040-X (Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return) to correct it. If the amendment lowers what you owe, the IRS will send you the additional refund, but this takes longer than your original refund — usually 8 to 12 weeks after the IRS receives the amended return.
A prior-year refund that was delayed can also arrive months after your current-year refund. This happens when the IRS held your previous year's refund because they needed to verify information, or because your refund was offset to pay a debt (like back child support or student loans). When the hold is lifted, that older refund arrives separately from your current-year one.
Some people also receive a refund related to a tax credit they did not claim on their original return. The most common is the Child Tax Credit, which the IRS may have issued as advance payments in 2021 and 2022. If you did not receive all the credit you were due, you claim the remainder on your next return. That is not a second refund — it is part of your next year's return — but it can feel like an unexpected payment if you were not expecting it.
How to check if a refund is actually coming
The IRS provides a tool called Where's My Refund on their website at irs.gov. You enter your Social Security number, filing status, and the exact refund amount from your return. The tool shows you whether the IRS has received your return, is processing it, has approved it, or has sent it. It updates once a day, usually overnight.
If the tool says your refund has been sent but you have not received it, the next step depends on how you chose to receive it. If you requested direct deposit to your bank account, the refund usually arrives within one to three business days after the IRS sends it. If you requested a check by mail, it can take two to three weeks depending on postal service delays. You can also call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to confirm the refund was sent and ask them to verify the bank account or address on file.
Why refunds take longer than expected
The IRS aims to process most returns within 21 days, but several things can slow this down. If your return includes certain credits like the EITC or the Additional Child Tax Credit, the law requires the IRS to hold your refund until mid-February, even if your return is complete and correct. This is a mandatory delay, not a problem with your return.
The IRS also delays refunds when they need to verify information. This might happen if your income does not match what employers reported, if you claimed a large deduction, if there is a mismatch between your Social Security number and name, or if you claimed a credit for the first time. Verification can add two to eight weeks to your refund. The IRS will contact you by mail if they need more information — they do not call or email about this.
During tax season (January through April), the IRS processes millions of returns, which naturally slows everything down. If you filed early in January, your refund may arrive faster than if you filed in March or April.
What to do if you think you are owed more money
If you received your refund but believe you are owed more, the first step is to review your return for errors. Check that all your income was reported correctly, that you claimed all deductions you are due, and that you did not miss any credits. Common missed credits include the Saver's Credit (for retirement savings), the Lifetime Learning Credit or American Opportunity Credit (for education), and the Dependent Care Credit (for childcare expenses).
Once you have identified what you missed, you file an amended return using Form 1040-X. You must file this within three years of the original return's due date. For example, if you filed your 2023 return in April 2024, you have until April 2027 to amend it. Mail the amended return to the address shown in the Form 1040-X instructions — do not file it electronically unless you are using a tax professional's software.
Refunds from other sources that are not tax refunds
Sometimes people confuse a tax refund with other government payments. The IRS also issues payments for things like the Economic Impact Payments (stimulus checks) from 2020 and 2021, which were not refunds but emergency payments. If you did not receive one of those, you may have been able to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2020 or 2021 return to get the money you missed. That credit is now in the past, but if you did not claim it and are within the amendment window, you can still file Form 1040-X.
State tax refunds are separate from federal refunds and arrive on their own schedule. Some states process refunds faster than the IRS, and some slower. If you filed both a federal and state return, you will receive two separate refunds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a refund if I did not file a return?
You must file a return to receive a refund. If you had taxes withheld from paychecks or made estimated payments but did not file, you can file a return now to claim that refund, even if it is for a prior year. You have three years from the original due date to claim a refund, or the IRS keeps the money.
What if the IRS says my refund was sent but I never got it?
Contact your bank first to confirm the deposit did not arrive in a different account. If your bank has no record, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 with your Social Security number and return information. They can verify the refund was sent and investigate if it was lost in the mail or deposited to the wrong account. This can take several weeks to resolve.
Do I have to report my tax refund as income next year?
No. A tax refund is your own money being returned to you, not new income. It does not count as income on next year's return. However, if you received interest on a delayed refund, that interest is reported as income.
Can I get my refund faster if I file early?
Filing early can help, but only if your return is straightforward and error-free. If your return requires verification or includes certain credits, the IRS will hold it regardless of when you file. Direct deposit is always faster than a mailed check.
What if I owe taxes instead of getting a refund?
If you owe, you can pay the full amount when you file, set up a payment plan with the IRS, or request a short-term extension to pay. The IRS charges interest and penalties on unpaid taxes, so paying as soon as possible costs less in the long run.