How long does it take to receive IRS check in the mail after mailing date?
Got a notice my refund is coming by check. Curious about delivery time. Anyone know how many days from IRS mailing date to mailbox? First time getting paper check. We just got married and changed address. Hope it doesn't cause issues.
14 comments
Ravi Patel
Generally takes 5-7 business days from the mailed date on your transcript or WMR. Could be up to 2 weeks depending on your location and USPS efficiency in your area. I've tracked this for the past few tax seasons, and it's surprisingly consistent... unless you're in Alaska or Hawaii, then add a few days. š
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Freya Andersen
Is that 5-7 business days consistent across all regions? My brother in rural Montana waited almost 3 weeks last year, whereas my check in Chicago arrived in 4 days.
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12d
Omar Zaki
I believe it might also depend somewhat on the time of year. During peak tax season (February-April), it seems to take a bit longer in my experience, possibly due to higher mail volume.
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CosmicCrusader
You need to watch for that mailing date like a hawk! According to the IRS.gov timeline (https://www.irs.gov/refunds), once it shows "mailed," start counting. If it's been more than 2 weeks, you'll want to start investigating. I've found that https://taxr.ai is incredibly helpful for analyzing your transcript to confirm the exact mailing date and check amount. It interprets all those confusing transcript codes and tells you precisely what's happening with your refund. With your recent address change, definitely worth checking!
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Chloe Robinson
Omg I was in the EXACT same situation last month! š« Waited 12 days and was freaking out about my check! I finally broke down and used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) to get through to an actual human at the IRS. Got connected in like 25 minutes when I'd been trying for DAYS on my own. The agent confirmed my check was still in transit and hadn't been returned. Such a relief! Worth every penny to stop worrying about my $3,400 refund!
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Diego Flores
Idk about paying someone just to call the IRS for you. Been filing for 15+ yrs and never needed that. Just gotta call right when they open at 7am and use the right prompts. But whatevs, if you've got $ to burn I guess.
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Anastasia Kozlov
How much did that service cost you exactly? And what specific information were they able to provide that wasn't available on Where's My Refund or your transcript?
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Sean Flanagan
You might want to consider setting up USPS Informed Delivery if you haven't already. It's free and sends you daily emails with scanned images of mail that will be delivered that day. This way you'll know exactly when your check is arriving without having to check your mailbox constantly.
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Zara Mirza
Did you recently update your address with the IRS after getting married? I went through this last year and found out my check was sent to my old address even though I had updated it with USPS. The IRS needs address changes filed separately through Form 8822.
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NebulaNinja
Got mine last week. Took 9 days total. Was getting worried. Called IRS twice. No help. Just had to wait. Mail is slow these days. Nothing you can do but wait. Check your informed delivery daily. That's what I did.
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Luca Russo
This is really helpful to know! Did you notice if the envelope was distinctive in any way on Informed Delivery? I'm wondering if I might miss it among my regular mail.
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Nia Wilson
Back in 2022, I remember my refund check came in a very plain envelope that looked like regular mail. Not at all what I expected from a Treasury check. Did yours come in something that clearly looked official or was it also in a plain envelope?
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Mateo Sanchez
Thank you for sharing your timeline! It's reassuring to hear from someone who recently went through this exact situation. Nine days seems reasonable considering current mail processing times.
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Aisha Mahmood
Has anyone received a check that was delayed because of an address change? My transcript shows it was mailed April 5th. Should I be concerned yet? The IRS website says to wait 4 weeks before requesting a payment trace. Is that really necessary?
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