Still waiting on your California tax refund? Here’s how to avoid delays
There’s just over a month until your taxes are due. But if you’ve filed already, here’s when you can expect your tax refund in California.
You have to file your federal and state tax returns by April 15. California grants an automatic extension to Oct. 15. No matter when you file, you have to pay any owed taxes to the state and IRS by the April deadline.
When will you get a refund?
If you file electronically through the FTB and IRS, you’ll typically get a refund in 21 calendar days. You’ll also need to request to receive the fund via direct deposit and not have any errors or issues on it.
If you file a paper return in California, it could take up to three months to get your refund. For federal taxes: If you file an amended return or send it in by mail, it could take four weeks or longer.
How to check your tax refund status
Both the state and IRS offer a way for you to check the status of your refund.
To check your refund status through the FTB, you’ll need your Social Security number, ZIP code, exact refund amount and the numbers in your mailing address. For example, if your address is 1234 Main St., the numbers would be 1234. Last year, the FTB received 5.4 million requests from taxpayers to check their refunds, according to a news release.
You can stay current on processing times for tax returns and refunds on the FTB’s website. As of March 6, the website reported it takes one month for a personal refund to process.
You can check your refund status through the IRS tool Where’s My Refund? It will appear around 24 hours after you file a current-year return electronically. You’ll need your Social Security number or individual taxpayer ID number, your filing status, and the exact amount on your return. You can also use the IRS2Go app.
How to avoid delays
Make sure your return is accurate and that your contact information is up-to-date. You should also make sure your bank account information is current, according to the FTB.
If you need to contact the FTB, the agency recommends using its self-service options online first, which include the following:
In 2023, there were 5.4 million requests to check a refund status online.
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