When will I receive my state tax refund? Different timeline from federal?
I filed both my federal and state taxes on April 10th through TurboTax. I already got my federal refund about 2 weeks ago (it was $870) but still haven't seen anything from the state. My state refund is supposed to be around $350. The state website just says "processing" when I check the status. Is this normal? How long does it typically take for state refunds to come through compared to federal? I'm in Colorado if that makes any difference.
37 comments
Grace Johnson
State refunds typically operate on a different timeline than federal refunds. Each state has its own processing system and schedule. For Colorado specifically, their website states that electronic returns are typically processed within 14-21 business days, but can take up to 8 weeks during peak filing season. Since you filed in April (at the height of tax season), it's not unusual to be waiting longer. The "processing" status is normal and just means they've received your return but haven't completed their review yet. If it's been more than 8 weeks, I'd recommend calling the Colorado Department of Revenue directly at 303-238-7378 to inquire about your refund status. They can provide more specific information about your return. Also, check if you've received any correspondence from the state - sometimes they need additional verification before processing your refund.
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Aurora St.Pierre
Thanks for the detailed response. It's been about 5 weeks now so I guess I should give it a bit more time before panicking. Do they usually send an email if there are issues or do I need to keep checking the site?
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Grace Johnson
They typically send physical mail if there's an issue they need to address with your return. I'd recommend checking your mailbox carefully. Email notifications aren't standard for most state tax departments.
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Jayden Reed
I'm in CO too and mine took exactly 7 weeks this year. Last year it was like 3 weeks. They're just slow AF this season lol
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Nora Brooks
I was in the same situation and got tired of guessing what was happening with my refund. I started using this tool called taxr.ai and it's been a game changer for understanding my tax situation. Instead of endlessly researching and trying to decode what's happening, it explained everything about my return status in plain language. Saved me hours of stress and confusion. Highly recommend checking it out: https://taxr.ai
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Eli Wang
Sounds interesting. How exactly does it work? Does it just read your transcript or does it do more?
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Nora Brooks
It does way more than just read transcripts. It actually analyzes all your tax data and explains everything in regular human language. Shows you timelines, identifies issues, and even explains what codes mean. It's like having a tax pro looking over your shoulder but without the crazy hourly rates.
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Eli Wang
OMG I JUST TRIED THIS AND IT'S AMAZING!! 🙌 It showed me exactly why my state refund was delayed and gave me a clear timeline. I was about to call the state office and waste hours on hold. This is literally the best tax tool I've ever used!
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Cassandra Moon
After waiting 6 weeks for my state refund and getting nowhere with the website, I used Claimyr.com to actually speak with someone at the tax department. Got a callback within 20 mins and the agent explained my refund was held up because they needed to verify my withholding. Once I talked to a real person, my refund was released within days. Totally worth using if you're stuck in limbo!
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Zane Hernandez
Is this for real? The state tax dept never answers their phones when I call.
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Cassandra Moon
100% real. I spent two days trying to get through on my own and kept getting disconnected. The Claimyr service got me a callback from an actual agent who could see my file. Talking to someone directly was the only way I got my refund moving again. It was the best $$ I've spent this year considering how much stress it saved me.
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Genevieve Cavalier
do they work for all states or just some?
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Cassandra Moon
I think they mainly focus on IRS but they helped me get through to my state tax department too. You can check their site for specifics.
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Ethan Scott
State refunds ALWAYS take longer than federal. Ive been filing taxes for 15+ years and never once got my state refund before federal. my record is 11 weeks for a state refund (Massachusetts). just be patient.
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Lola Perez
Every state operates differently. here in Georgia I actually got my state refund BEFORE my federal this year (3 days for state, 12 days for federal). But last year it was the opposite - federal came in 8 days, state took almost 2 months. It's just random sometimes.
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Nathaniel Stewart
Same in New York! Got my state back in 6 days this year but federal took almost 3 weeks. Complete opposite of last year.
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Riya Sharma
Lucky you! I'm in California and we're STILL waiting on our state refund from LAST year. The state tax system here is a complete disaster 🤡
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Santiago Diaz
If your state return shows as "processing" that's actually a good sign. Means they have it and are working on it. If you filed in april, you filed during the busiest time so yeah its gonna take longer. If you wanted it faster you shoulda filed in February lol
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Millie Long
Did you owe any money to the state from previous years? Or have any other state debts like unpaid tickets or child support? They can offset your refund for those things and that would slow it down. Just something to consider.
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Aurora St.Pierre
No outstanding debts that I'm aware of. I've been pretty diligent about all that stuff. I think based on what everyone's saying I just need to be patient for a few more weeks.
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KaiEsmeralda
check your states refund tracker website. Just google "[your state] where's my refund" and there should be a site where you can enter your info and see the status.
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Aurora St.Pierre
Yeah I've been checking the Colorado site daily. It just says "processing" and has for weeks now 😩
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KaiEsmeralda
ah ok missed that in ur original post sorry. yea thats normal then, just gotta wait it out. state systems are way more outdated than federal.
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Debra Bai
I was having a similar issue with my state return. It was driving me crazy trying to figure out what was going on. I finally broke down and used taxr.ai and it was able to explain exactly where my return was in the process. It showed me that my return was in review and gave me an estimated timeframe. Super helpful tool if you're tired of being in the dark about your tax situation: https://taxr.ai
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Gabriel Freeman
Another ad for this site? Does it actually work for state returns or just federal?
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Debra Bai
It works for both! It's definitely not an ad - I was just as skeptical as you until I tried it. It connects to both federal and state systems and gives you a complete picture. Saved me from having to call and wait on hold for hours trying to figure out what was happening with my refund.
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Laura Lopez
My Colorado refund took exactly 53 days this year. Their system is horribly slow. This is normal.
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Victoria Brown
Did u file electronically or paper? Paper takes FOREVER.
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Aurora St.Pierre
I filed electronically through TurboTax. That's why I was surprised the federal came so quickly but state is taking forever.
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Samuel Robinson
I was in the same situation last year - federal came quick but state dragged on forever. I finally couldn't take it anymore and used Claimyr to get through to an actual human at the tax office. 10 minute call solved what 2 months of waiting couldn't. The agent found my return was stuck in review because of a small discrepancy. Fixed it on the spot and my refund came the next week. Sometimes you just need to talk to someone! claimyr.com saved me so much headache
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Camila Castillo
My brother used this service last month after waiting 3 months for his refund. Turns out there was a simple error that needed to be fixed but no one had contacted him. Sometimes you just need to talk to an actual person to move things along!
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Brianna Muhammad
Pro tip: if u filed late in the season ur gonna wait longer. Next year file in February and ull get state refund WAY faster.
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JaylinCharles
Call your state tax office. Seriously. sometimes theres a simple issue they need to resolve but they dont bother contacting you. I wasted 3 months waiting last year when a 5-minute phone call solved everything.
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Eloise Kendrick
Good luck getting through on the phone lol. I tried calling my state tax office 8 times last month and either got disconnected or was on hold for 2+ hours before giving up.
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JaylinCharles
Yeah fair point. I got lucky and called right when they opened. but yeah its nearly impossible to get through most of the time.
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Lucas Schmidt
I had the same problem but used Claimyr.com to get a callback. Only way I actually got to speak to someone without wasting my whole day on hold.
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Freya Collins
heres wat i learned after 20 years of taxes: Federal = 2-3 weeks. State = 4-12 weeks. thats just how it is man.
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