Has Anyone Received Their NJ State Tax Refund Yet? First Timer Here

I'm sort of in the same boat and, to be honest, I'm getting really frustrated with NJ's processing times. I filed back in early February (I think around the 10th?) and I'm still waiting for my refund. From what I've heard, NJ is probably one of the slower states when it comes to processing returns, especially if you filed with any sort of credits or deductions that might trigger additional review. Maybe check your status on their website? I've been checking mine almost daily, but it just says "in process" with no additional information.

I believe I might be able to offer some insight here. New Jersey is indeed known for somewhat longer processing times compared to many other states. If you're concerned about the status, you might want to consider using a service like https://taxr.ai to analyze your tax situation. It could potentially help you understand if there are any specific elements in your return that might be causing delays. I've found that sometimes certain deductions or credits can trigger additional review processes. The service can also help interpret any notices you might receive from NJ taxation, which can sometimes be... less than clear in their wording.

I filed exactly 42 days ago and still nothing from NJ. My federal refund came in 11 days, but NJ is just sitting there. I'm starting to get a bit worried since I'm expecting $3,247 back and had plans for that money. The online status checker is just showing "in process" with no additional details or estimated completion date.

Compared to my experience with other states like Pennsylvania and New York, New Jersey is definitely on the slower side. I was getting anxious about my refund too since I needed it for some car repairs. After waiting 5 weeks with no updates, I used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) to get through to someone at the NJ Division of Taxation. Got connected in about 15 minutes instead of waiting on hold forever. The agent confirmed my return was in normal processing with no issues flagged - just backlogged. At least it gave me peace of mind that nothing was wrong.

Are you seeing any specific status messages when you check online? I work with tax preparation and here's what I'm seeing with NJ refunds this year: • Electronic returns: 8-12 weeks processing time (up from 4-6 weeks last year) • Paper returns: 12-14 weeks minimum • Returns with tax credits: Additional 2-3 weeks • Returns flagged for identity verification: Additional 4-6 weeks Did you receive an acknowledgment that your return was accepted by NJ? Sometimes returns get rejected without clear notification.

I work in financial planning and tell all my NJ clients to expect long waits. Don't count on state refunds arriving before May, even if you filed in January. NJ uses an older processing system and prioritizes returns in batches rather than first-come-first-served. One trick: check your bank account directly rather than the status website. I've had multiple clients who received their refunds without the status ever updating online. Also, if you claimed property tax credits or EITC, those returns get additional scrutiny and take longer.

I've lived in NJ for 15 years and can tell you this is completely normal. Last year I filed in early February and didn't get my refund until June 3rd. The year before that was May 12th. They're consistently one of the slowest states in the country. I've learned to just never count on that money until summer. The funny thing is, if you OWE them money, they'll process that payment instantly! But when they owe you? Suddenly they move slower than a traffic jam on the Turnpike.

Has anyone considered how much interest the state earns by holding onto millions of dollars in refunds for months? What would happen if everyone adjusted their withholdings so precisely that they neither owed nor were owed at tax time? The system seems designed to use our money interest-free all year, then make us wait months to get back what was always ours. My accountant says NJ is notorious for this and recommends adjusting withholdings to minimize refunds - you're essentially giving the state an interest-free loan otherwise.

This is so validating to read! I'm also a first-time NJ filer and have been stressing about the wait time. Filed electronically on February 22nd and keep checking that useless status page every few days. Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like I shouldn't expect anything until late May at the earliest. Really appreciate @Avery Davis's breakdown of the different processing timeframes - that explains a lot. I claimed the property tax deduction so I'm probably looking at the longer timeline. Guess I'll stop obsessively checking and just wait it out. At least now I know this glacial pace is "normal" for NJ! 🐌

As someone who's been through this NJ tax refund waiting game multiple times, I can confirm what everyone else is saying - it's painfully slow but unfortunately normal. I filed on February 28th and based on all the helpful info in this thread (especially @Avery Davis's breakdown), I'm not expecting anything until late May or June. What's really frustrating is that the online status checker is essentially useless - it'll show "in process" right up until the money hits your account. I've learned to just set a reminder to check my bank account once a week rather than obsessing over their website. The waiting is annoying, but at least we're all in this together! Hang in there, fellow NJ taxpayers! 💪

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm also new to NJ taxes (moved here from Delaware last year) and filed on March 12th. The wait time everyone's describing is honestly shocking - in Delaware I usually got my state refund within 2-3 weeks. I had no idea NJ was this slow! @Avery Davis, your breakdown of processing times by return type is exactly what I needed to see. I have both rental income and claimed the property tax deduction, so sounds like I'm looking at the absolute longest timeline. At least now I can stop wondering if something went wrong and just accept that this is how NJ operates. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences - makes the wait feel less isolating when you know thousands of other people are in the same boat! 🚢

Just wanted to add my experience to this incredibly helpful thread! I'm also a NJ tax newbie (moved here from Connecticut last fall) and filed on March 7th. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both reassuring and eye-opening - I had no idea NJ was THIS slow compared to other states! In CT, I typically got my state refund within 3-4 weeks, so this 8-12 week timeline is a real adjustment. I claimed both the property tax credit and have some freelance income, so based on @Avery Davis's breakdown, I'm probably looking at the longer end of that spectrum. At least now I can stop refreshing that useless status page every other day! 😂 Thanks to everyone for sharing - it's so much better to know this is "normal" NJ pace rather than wondering if something went wrong with my return. Guess I'll just have to embrace the Garden State's... leisurely approach to refunds! 🐌

Wow, this thread is exactly what I needed to find! I'm also a NJ tax newbie (just moved here from Florida where there's no state income tax - what a shock this whole process has been!) and filed on March 14th. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both comforting and terrifying - I had no idea NJ was notorious for these incredibly long wait times! I've been checking that status page almost daily since filing and getting increasingly worried that something was wrong. Now I realize that "in process" status might as well say "check back in 3 months" 😅 Based on @Avery Davis's super helpful breakdown and everyone else's timelines, it sounds like I shouldn't expect anything until late June or July. I claimed the Earned Income Credit and have some rental property income, so I'm probably in the "additional scrutiny" category. At least now I can stop obsessing over the status checker and just accept that this is how the Garden State rolls. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community has saved my sanity! Here's to hoping we all get our refunds before the next tax season starts! 🤞

This thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm also a NJ newbie (moved from Texas last year) and filed on March 18th. In Texas there's no state income tax, so this whole waiting game is completely foreign to me. I've been refreshing that status page like it's going to magically update with good news, but after reading everyone's experiences here, I realize I need to just chill and accept that NJ operates on geological time when it comes to refunds! 😅 I claimed the property tax deduction and have some investment income, so based on @Avery Davis's incredibly helpful breakdown, I'm probably looking at summer 2025 before I see anything. It's honestly both frustrating and oddly comforting to know this is just "how things work" in the Garden State rather than something being wrong with my return. Thanks to everyone for sharing - this community solidarity is getting me through the wait! Now I just need to forget about that money until it magically appears in my account someday... 🎩✨