What "Get My Payment" Does
Get My Payment is a tool on the IRS website that shows you whether the IRS has sent you a payment and where that payment is. It tells you the payment amount, the date it was issued, and the method used to send it — direct deposit to your bank account or a check mailed to your address. You can use it to track refunds, stimulus payments, or other payments the IRS owes you.
The tool does not let you change your payment method, request a faster payment, or fix an address the IRS has on file. It only shows you information about payments already in the system. If you need to update your address or banking details before the IRS processes a payment, you will need to file an amended return or contact the IRS directly.
Get My Payment is free and requires no login. You access it through IRS.gov, and you can check your payment status as many times as you want without affecting when the payment arrives.
Key Takeaways
- Get My Payment shows the status of refunds, stimulus payments, and other payments the IRS has sent or plans to send you.
- You will need your Social Security number, date of birth, and street address to use the tool.
- The tool updates once per day, usually overnight, so checking multiple times in the same day will show the same information.
- If Get My Payment says your payment was mailed, allow 7 to 10 business days for it to arrive by mail after the issue date.
- If the tool says "payment status not available," the IRS may still be processing your return or there may be a problem with how you entered your information.
How to Access Get My Payment on IRS.gov
Go to IRS.gov and search for "Get My Payment" in the search box at the top of the page. The first result will be the official tool. Click on it and you will see a screen asking for three pieces of information: your Social Security number, your date of birth, and your street address as it appears on your most recent tax return.
Enter this information exactly as the IRS has it on file. If you recently moved and filed your return from a different address, use the address from that return, not your current one. The tool compares what you enter to the IRS records, and mismatches will cause it to say "payment status not available" even if a payment is in the system.
After you submit your information, the tool will display your payment status. You do not need to create an account, log in, or provide a password. The tool is designed to work without authentication so you can check your status quickly.
What the Payment Status Messages Mean
Get My Payment shows one of several messages depending on where your payment is in the process. "Payment status not available" means the IRS does not have a record of a payment for you yet. This can happen if your return is still being processed, if there is a mismatch between the information you entered and the IRS records, or if you are not due a payment. Double-check that you entered your address exactly as it appears on your return, including abbreviations and spacing.
"Your payment was issued" followed by a date means the IRS has sent the payment. If the message says "by direct deposit," the money should arrive in your bank account within one to two business days of the issue date. If it says "by check," allow 7 to 10 business days from the issue date for the check to arrive by mail. The date shown is when the IRS released the payment, not when you will receive it.
"Your payment is scheduled" means the IRS has processed your return and determined you are due a payment, but has not yet issued it. The tool will show the date the payment is scheduled to be released. The IRS updates this information once per day, usually between midnight and 1 a.m. Eastern time, so if you check in the morning you may see a different scheduled date than you saw the night before.
Why Your Payment Status May Not Appear
If Get My Payment says your status is not available, the most common reason is a mismatch between what you entered and what the IRS has on file. The tool is very strict about exact matches. If your return shows "123 Main Street" but you enter "123 Main St," the tool will not find your record. Check your return for the exact spelling, abbreviations, and spacing of your address.
Another reason is that your return may still be processing. The IRS processes returns in the order they are received, and some returns take longer than others — especially if they include schedules, credits, or deductions that require manual review. If you filed recently, your return may not have reached the point where the IRS has calculated your refund yet. Check back in a few days.
If you filed a paper return rather than electronically, processing takes longer. The IRS must scan and enter the information manually, which can add weeks to the timeline. If you filed by mail more than 21 days ago and still see "status not available," contact the IRS at 800-829-1040 to confirm they received your return.
What to Do If Your Check or Direct Deposit Is Late
If Get My Payment shows your payment was issued by direct deposit more than two business days ago and you have not received it, contact your bank first. Ask them to confirm they have received the deposit from the IRS. Sometimes deposits are delayed on the bank's end, or they may have been sent to an old account if you changed banks recently.
If your bank confirms they have not received the deposit, or if Get My Payment shows your payment was mailed as a check more than 10 business days ago and you have not received it, contact the IRS. Call 800-829-1040 and have your Social Security number, filing status, and the payment amount ready. The IRS can investigate whether the payment was lost in the mail or if there was an error in processing.
Do not deposit a replacement check if you later receive the original. If both arrive, contact the IRS when ready to report the duplicate. Depositing both checks is considered fraud.
How Often Get My Payment Updates
Get My Payment updates once per day, usually between midnight and 1 a.m. Eastern time. If you check the tool multiple times during the same day, you will see the same information. Checking more often does not speed up your payment or provide newer information.
If your payment status changes — for example, from "scheduled" to "issued" — you will see the new status the next time you check after the update has run. The tool does not send notifications or alerts, so you will need to check manually if you want to know the moment your status changes.
During tax season (January through April), the IRS processes a very high volume of returns, and updates may occasionally be delayed. If you have not seen an update in more than 24 hours and your return was filed more than 21 days ago, contact the IRS to confirm your return was received.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Get My Payment to track a payment I received last year?
Get My Payment shows current and recent payments, but the IRS does not specify how far back the tool displays information. If you need to verify a payment from a prior year, contact the IRS at 800-829-1040 or check your tax return transcript, which shows all payments the IRS has recorded against your account.
What if I entered the wrong address when I filed my return?
If you filed electronically and realized the address is wrong before the IRS processes your return, you can file an amended return using Form 1040-X with the correct address. If the IRS has already processed your return and issued a payment to the wrong address, contact the IRS when ready at 800-829-1040 to report the error and request a replacement payment.
Does Get My Payment work for state tax refunds?
No. Get My Payment only tracks federal IRS payments. To check the status of a state tax refund, visit your state's tax agency website. Each state has its own refund tracking tool.
Can I change my payment method using Get My Payment?
No. Get My Payment only shows you information about payments already in the system. You cannot use it to change how the IRS sends your payment. If you need to update your banking information or mailing address before the payment is issued, you must file an amended return or contact the IRS directly.
What should I do if Get My Payment says my payment was issued but I never received it?
First, confirm with your bank that the deposit did not arrive if it was supposed to be direct deposit. If your bank has no record of it, or if a check was mailed more than 10 business days ago, call the IRS at 800-829-1040 with your Social Security number and the payment amount. The IRS can investigate and issue a replacement if the payment was lost.