What "Get My Payment" does and who should use it

Get My Payment is a tool on the IRS website that shows you the status of a payment the IRS sent to you — usually a tax refund, stimulus payment, or advance tax credit payment. It tells you whether the payment was mailed, deposited to your bank account, or is still being processed. You use it when you are waiting for money from the IRS and want to know where it is.

The tool works for any payment the IRS issued in the last three years. If you filed a tax return and are waiting for a refund, or if you received a stimulus payment during the pandemic, or if you got advance payments of the Child Tax Credit, Get My Payment can show you the status. It does not help you request a payment or change where it goes — it only shows you what the IRS has already done.

You will need your Social Security number, date of birth, and mailing address to use the tool. The IRS updates the information once per day, usually overnight, so checking multiple times in a single day will show the same status.

Key Takeaways

  • Get My Payment is found at irs.gov/payments and shows the status of refunds, stimulus payments, and advance tax credit payments the IRS has sent you.
  • The tool tells you if your payment was deposited to your bank, mailed as a check, or is still being processed — but it does not let you change where the payment goes.
  • You need your Social Security number, date of birth, and mailing address to check your payment status.
  • The IRS updates payment information once per day, so you do not need to check more than once daily.
  • If Get My Payment says your payment was mailed but you never received it, you can request a trace or replacement check through the IRS.

How to access Get My Payment on the IRS website

Go to irs.gov and look for the "Payments" section in the main menu. Click on "Get My Payment." You will land on a page that says "Check the Status of Your Payment" at the top.

The page will ask you to enter three pieces of information: your Social Security number (or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number if you do not have an SSN), your date of birth, and your mailing address as it appears on your most recent tax return or IRS record. Type each field carefully — if the address does not match exactly, the tool will not find your payment.

After you enter your information and click "Submit," the tool will search the IRS database. This usually takes a few seconds. If your information matches a payment record, the tool will show you the status and details.

What the payment status messages mean

Get My Payment shows one of three main statuses. "Payment Status Not Available" means the IRS has not yet processed your payment or the information you entered does not match IRS records. This is common if you filed your return recently or if there is a mismatch in your address or name. Wait a few days and try again, or check that you entered your address exactly as it appears on your return.

"Pending" means the IRS has approved your payment but has not yet sent it. The tool will usually show an expected delivery date — this is when the IRS plans to issue the payment, not when you will receive it. If the payment is being mailed, add five to seven business days to that date for delivery. If it is being deposited to your bank, it usually arrives within one business day of the issue date.

"Sent" means the IRS has already issued your payment. The tool will tell you the date it was sent and the method — either direct deposit to a bank account or a check mailed to your address. If it says "Direct Deposit," the money should be in your account by the next business day. If it says "Check," the check was mailed on that date and should arrive within five to seven business days, depending on mail speed in your area.

What to do if your check was mailed but never arrived

If Get My Payment says your payment was mailed as a check but you did not receive it after two weeks, contact the IRS directly. Call 800-829-1040 (the main IRS customer service line) and tell them your payment was mailed but not received. Have your Social Security number and the date the check was mailed ready.

The IRS can file a payment trace on your behalf. This is a formal request to investigate what happened to the check. The trace process takes about four weeks. If the IRS finds that the check was lost or stolen, they will issue a replacement check or deposit the money to your bank account if you provide banking information.

While the trace is being processed, the IRS will usually issue a replacement check right away. You will receive both the original check (if it is found) and the replacement, but you are only supposed to cash one. If both arrive, contact the IRS to return the duplicate.

If Get My Payment says your payment was direct deposited but you do not see it

If the tool says your payment was deposited to your bank account but the money is not there, first check that you are looking at the correct account. The IRS deposits refunds to the account you listed on your tax return — if you changed banks or closed that account, the deposit may have been rejected.

Log into your bank account and search your transaction history for the deposit. Sometimes deposits take longer than expected, especially if your bank is processing a high volume of payments. Wait at least two business days after the issue date shown in Get My Payment before contacting your bank.

If two business days have passed and the deposit is not there, call your bank's customer service line and tell them you are expecting a deposit from the IRS. Provide the amount and the date it was supposed to arrive. Your bank can tell you whether the deposit was rejected (usually because the account number was wrong or the account was closed) or is still pending. If it was rejected, contact the IRS at 800-829-1040 to request a replacement check or to update your banking information.

Reasons Get My Payment might not show your payment

If you enter your information and Get My Payment says "Payment Status Not Available," there are several reasons why. The most common is that your address does not match what the IRS has on file. Make sure you entered your address exactly as it appears on your most recent tax return — include the apartment number, street direction, or any other detail that was on the return.

Another reason is that the IRS has not yet processed your payment. Refunds can take three to five weeks to process after you file, longer if you filed by mail or if your return needs review. Stimulus payments and advance tax credit payments may take longer if there was a delay in the IRS receiving your information.

If you are checking on a payment from more than three years ago, Get My Payment will not show it. The tool only tracks payments issued within the last three years. For older payments, contact the IRS directly.

How to update your banking information if the IRS has the wrong account

If you filed your tax return with the wrong bank account number or routing number, and Get My Payment shows your payment was rejected, you cannot change the information through Get My Payment itself. Instead, you must contact the IRS directly.

Call 800-829-1040 and tell the representative that your refund or payment was rejected because of incorrect banking information. They can update your account details in the IRS system and reissue your payment as a check or to the correct bank account. This process usually takes one to two weeks.

If you are expecting a future payment (such as an advance tax credit payment) and you want to make sure it goes to the correct account, you can update your information through your IRS online account at irs.gov/account. You will need to create or sign into your account using your Social Security number and other identifying information.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often does Get My Payment update?

The IRS updates payment information in Get My Payment once per day, usually overnight. Checking the tool multiple times in a single day will show the same status. If you checked yesterday and the status was "Pending," checking again today might show "Sent," but checking twice in the same hour will not change the result.

Can I use Get My Payment to change where my refund goes?

No. Get My Payment only shows you the status of a payment that has already been processed. You cannot use it to change your bank account, request a check instead of direct deposit, or redirect a payment that has already been sent. If you need to change your banking information before the payment is issued, contact the IRS at 800-829-1040.

What if Get My Payment says my payment was sent but I still have not received it after three weeks?

If the payment was mailed as a check, contact the IRS at 800-829-1040 and request a payment trace. If it was direct deposited, contact your bank to confirm whether the deposit was rejected or is still pending. The IRS can issue a replacement check or redeposit the funds once they investigate.

Do I need to create an account to use Get My Payment?

No. Get My Payment does not require you to create an account or log in. You enter your Social Security number, date of birth, and mailing address, and the tool searches the IRS database. However, if you want to manage your tax account or update your information for future payments, you can create a free IRS online account at irs.gov/account.

Can Get My Payment tell me if I am owed a refund?

No. Get My Payment only shows the status of payments the IRS has already issued. It does not tell you whether you are owed a refund or how much it will be. To learn about you are owed a refund, you need to file a tax return or check your account through the IRS website.