Where’s My Refund? What Illinois Taxpayers Need To Know

Andrea Norris
Vadym Pastukh / iStock.com
Vadym Pastukh / iStock.com

If you’re an Illinois resident or business owner, you have until April 18, 2023, to file your Illinois state income taxes. If you’re expecting a refund this year, this quick guide explains how to track your refund, plus the timeline for tax refund processing in Illinois and reasons for refund delays.

See: 3 Ways Smart People Save Money When Filing Their Taxes

Where’s My Illinois State Tax Refund?

To determine the status of your tax refund, you can use the tools offered by the Illinois Department of Revenue and the Illinois Comptroller’s Office.

‘Where’s My Refund?’ Tracking Tool

You can use the “Where’s My Refund?” feature on the agency’s MyTax Illinois website to access the following information:

  • Whether your tax return was received and if it has been processed

  • When you can expect to receive your Illinois tax refund, whether by direct deposit or mail

  • If any notice of a change to your refund was sent to you

To use the “Where’s My Refund?” tool, you’ll need to provide the following information:

  • Social Security number or individual tax ID number

  • Requested Illinois tax refund amount

‘Find My Refund’ Tracking Tool

Once you know that the IDOR has approved your refund and when to expect it, you can use the “Find My Refund” feature on the website of the Illinois Comptroller’s Office to get specific information, including the status of the disbursement. You can also sign up for refund alerts via text and email through this platform.

How Long Are Illinois Tax Refunds Taking This Year?

The Illinois Department of Revenue doesn’t disclose an approximate refund processing timeline on its website. The IDOR must process and approve the state’s annual tax returns before refunds are issued by the Illinois Comptroller’s Office. How quickly you receive your refund depends on how you file your taxes and elect to receive your money.

According to the IDOR, you can speed up your refund by filing your tax return electronically on the IDOR website or using third-party tax preparation software and electing to receive a direct deposit rather than a paper check in the mail.

Why Is My Illinois Tax Refund Taking So Long?

Several factors may prolong your refund wait time. Delays may occur due to:

  • Errors made in the return before or during the filing process

  • An excess volume of returns and refunds awaiting processing

  • Signs of fraud or identity theft

  • Trouble with your direct deposit because of inaccurate account information or because your bank rejected it

Takeaway

Because tax filings vary, with some proving more complex than others, the IDOR can’t provide a solid time frame for the disbursement of your refund until it’s been approved. The refund tracking tools on the websites of the Illinois Department of Revenue and the Illinois Comptroller’s Office can help you determine exactly when to expect your refund. Filing an error-free state tax return electronically and requesting that the refund be deposited directly into your checking or savings account is the surest way to the quickest refund.

Moubin Ghafoory contributed to the reporting for this article.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Where’s My Refund? What Illinois Taxpayers Need To Know

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