What the IRS "Get My Payment" tool does

Get My Payment is a free tool on the IRS website that shows you the status of a federal tax refund or an economic impact payment (stimulus check). You enter your Social Security number, date of birth, and street address, and the tool tells you whether the IRS has processed your payment, when it was sent, and how it was delivered — by direct deposit to your bank account or by mail as a check.

The tool works for refunds from your tax return and for the one-time payments the IRS sent during the pandemic (2020, 2021, and 2022). It does not show the status of ongoing benefits like the Child Tax Credit or Earned Income Tax Credit payments. If you are looking for information about a different type of payment, you will need to contact the IRS directly or check your tax return status using a different tool.

Get My Payment updates once per day, usually overnight. If you checked yesterday and saw no update, checking again the same day will show the same information. The tool is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but it is often slowest during tax season (January through April).

Key Takeaways

  • Get My Payment is located at irs.gov/payments and requires your Social Security number, date of birth, and street address to look up your refund or stimulus payment status.
  • The tool shows whether your payment has been processed, the date it was sent, and whether it was deposited to your bank account or mailed as a check.
  • Refunds typically take 21 days from the date the IRS receives your return, though complex returns or those with errors can take longer.
  • If Get My Payment shows your payment was mailed as a check more than two weeks ago and you have not received it, you can file a claim with the IRS for a replacement.

How to access Get My Payment on the IRS website

Go to irs.gov/payments and look for the "Get My Payment" link. Click it to open the tool. You will see a screen asking for three pieces of information: your Social Security number (or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number if you do not have a 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 it appears on your return. If your address has changed since you filed, use the address from the return you are checking on, not your current address. The tool is case-sensitive for street names, so if your return says "Oak Street" and you type "oak street," it may not find your record.

After you submit your information, the tool will either show your payment status or tell you that it does not have a record matching those details. If you see no record, wait a few days and try again — the IRS may not have processed your return yet. If you filed more than 21 days ago and still see no record, contact the IRS at 800-829-1040.

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 has not yet processed your return or sent your payment. This is normal if you filed recently. "Payment Sent" means the IRS has processed your payment and sent it out. The tool will show the date it was sent and whether it went to your bank account or was mailed as a check.

"Payment Received" appears only for direct deposits and means the money has arrived at your bank. Your bank may hold it for one to two business days before it shows in your account, depending on your bank's policies. "Payment Status Cannot Be Determined" means the IRS system cannot find a record of your payment. This can happen if there is a mismatch between the information you entered and what is in the IRS database, or if your return has not been processed yet.

If you see an error message or the tool repeatedly tells you it cannot find your information, do not assume your payment was lost. The tool sometimes has technical issues, especially during busy periods. Try again the next day, or contact the IRS at 800-829-1040 to speak with a representative who can look up your account directly.

When to expect your refund or payment

The IRS aims to process most returns and issue refunds within 21 days of receiving your return. This clock starts when the IRS receives your return, not when you file it. If you filed electronically, the IRS usually receives it within one to two days. If you mailed a paper return, it can take two to three weeks just to reach the IRS processing center.

Some returns take longer than 21 days. Returns with errors, missing information, or that claim certain credits (like the Earned Income Tax Credit) are reviewed more carefully and can take six to eight weeks or longer. Returns that are flagged for identity theft verification can take several months. Get My Payment will not show any status during this time — you will see "Payment Status Not Available" until the IRS finishes its review.

If your refund is being mailed as a check, add another five to seven business days after the IRS says "Payment Sent" for the check to arrive in your mailbox. Checks sent to rural areas or during peak mail periods can take longer. If you chose direct deposit, the money usually appears in your bank account within one to two business days after the IRS sends it.

What to do if your check has not arrived

If Get My Payment shows your payment was mailed more than two weeks ago and you have not received the check, contact the IRS at 800-829-1040. Have your Social Security number, the date the tool said the check was sent, and the amount of the check ready. The IRS can verify whether the check was delivered and, if it was lost in the mail, issue a replacement.

The IRS will ask you to wait 60 days from the date the check was mailed before filing a claim for a replacement. This is because some checks take longer than expected to arrive, especially during busy mail periods. If 60 days have passed and you still have not received it, the IRS will issue a new check, usually within two to four weeks.

If you believe someone else cashed your check, or if the check arrived but was damaged, tell the IRS representative. They may need to file a fraud report or investigate further. Keep any pieces of the check or the envelope it came in, as this can help the IRS track what happened.

Troubleshooting common Get My Payment problems

If Get My Payment says "Payment Status Cannot Be Determined," the most common reason is that the information you entered does not match what the IRS has on file. Check that you entered your street address exactly as it appears on your tax return — including abbreviations, numbers, and spelling. If you moved and filed your return from a different address, use that old address, not your current one.

If you are checking on a refund from a joint return (filed with a spouse), Get My Payment will only work if you enter the Social Security number of the person whose name appears first on the return. If you enter the second spouse's number, the tool may not find your record.

If you have tried multiple times with the correct information and still see an error, the IRS website may be experiencing technical problems. Try again in a few hours or the next day. You can also call 800-829-1040 to speak with an IRS representative, though wait times are often long during tax season. Have your return handy so you can provide your filing information if asked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I check on someone else's refund with Get My Payment?

No. Get My Payment requires the Social Security number and personal information of the person whose refund you are checking on. You cannot look up another person's payment status unless you have their Social Security number and date of birth. If you are checking on a joint return, use the Social Security number of the person listed first on the return.

Why does Get My Payment show my payment was sent but I have not received it?

If the payment was sent by direct deposit, it usually arrives within one to two business days, though some banks hold deposits for longer. If it was mailed as a check, allow five to seven business days after the "sent" date. If more than two weeks have passed since the tool said it was sent and you still have not received it, contact the IRS at 800-829-1040 to file a claim for a replacement check.

Does Get My Payment show information about stimulus payments from 2020, 2021, and 2022?

Yes. Get My Payment tracks the status of the three rounds of economic impact payments (stimulus checks) sent during the pandemic. Enter your information the same way you would to check a refund. The tool will show whether each payment was sent and how it was delivered.

What if Get My Payment says my payment was sent to a bank account I no longer use?

Contact your current bank and ask if the deposit was received and what happened to it. If the old account is closed, the money may have been returned to the IRS. Call the IRS at 800-829-1040 with your Social Security number and the date the payment was sent. The IRS can check whether the deposit was rejected and reissue the payment to your current account or as a check.

How often does Get My Payment update?

Get My Payment updates once per day, usually overnight. Checking multiple times in the same day will show the same information. If you checked yesterday and saw no update, the status may change by the next morning. During tax season, updates can be delayed by a day or two due to high volume.