The IRS cautions taxpayers not to rely on receiving a refund by a certain date, especially when making major purchases or paying bills.

If you are eligible for a tax refund, filing earlier could mean your rebate will be paid quicker, but it’s possible your return may require additional review and take longer to process. The deadline to file your taxes this year — both federal and in North Carolina — is April 15.

Tax season is underway. The IRS has debuted a new online tool to help taxpayers check the status of any refund they may be entitled to.

With tax season underway, here's what you need to know about tracking your tax refund and your new 2025 tax brackets.

Visit the tracker page on the IRS website and click the Check your refund button. Once directed to the Refund Status page, enter your details and click Submit. You should be directed to your refund status. Note that it takes 24 hours after you e-file your return or four weeks after you file a paper tax return for your status to appear.

The IRS began processing tax returns Monday. For filers who submit their returns electronically using direct deposit, refunds are generally issued in less than 21 days. There is a caution from the tax agency, however, that urges “taxpayers not to rely on receiving refund by a certain date, especially when making major purchases or paying bills.

You can track your refund’s status on the IRS’s Where’s My Refund? tool and via the IRS2GO app. If you file electronically this season, your refund status will be available