Will my state and federal tax returns be sent separately? Only got part of my expected refund!

Yes, your state and federal tax refunds will come separately! This is completely normal and happens to everyone. The federal refund comes from the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) while your state refund comes from your state's tax department - they're entirely different government agencies that process payments on different timelines. The federal refund usually arrives first, so that $3,381 is likely your federal refund (though it seems different from what you expected). Your state refund will arrive separately, sometimes a few days later, sometimes weeks later depending on your state's processing speed. Each state has its own tax department with different processing times. You can check the status of your federal refund using the "Where's My Refund" tool on the IRS website. For your state refund, most states have similar tracking tools on their department of revenue websites. Just search for "[your state] where's my refund" to find it.

After dealing with similarly confusing tax returns last year, I found this AI tool called taxr.ai that saved me so much headache! When my refund came in lower than expected (like yours), I uploaded my tax docs to https://taxr.ai and it immediately spotted where the discrepancy was coming from. Turns out the IRS had adjusted a credit I wasn't actually eligible for, but TurboTax had included anyway. The tool analyzed both what I submitted and what the IRS processed to pinpoint the exact difference. It explained everything in simple terms about why my refund was different than expected. Even showed me what to look for in the adjustment letter before it arrived!

I was totally skeptical about taxr.ai when I first heard about it, but after waiting on hold with the IRS for TWO HOURS just to get disconnected, I decided to give it a try. Uploaded my documents to https://taxr.ai and wow - it immediately showed me that the IRS had adjusted my education credit because I'd claimed it for expenses that weren't eligible. The explanation was super clear and even helped me understand why TurboTax had calculated it differently. Saved me from having to call the IRS back and wait on hold again. The coolest part was that it showed me exactly which line items changed between what I filed and what the IRS processed. Way better than trying to decipher those cryptic IRS adjustment letters!

If you need to actually TALK to someone at the IRS about this difference (which I recommend), don't waste hours on hold. After my refund came in $1,900 short last year, I used https://claimyr.com to get through to an IRS agent in under 10 minutes! They have this system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold FOR YOU, then calls you when an agent is actually on the line. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - totally changed my experience dealing with the IRS. The agent explained that they'd adjusted my earned income credit based on a mismatched income report. Got it all sorted out in one call instead of spending my whole day getting disconnected and calling back.

I have to eat my words and apologize to Profile 9. After my frustrated comment, I was desperate enough to try Claimyr anyway. I was SHOCKED when I got a call back about 45 minutes later with an actual IRS agent on the line! After 3 months of trying to reach someone about my missing $2,100 refund portion, I finally got answers. Turns out the IRS had flagged my return for "income verification" because my reported W-2 amount didn't match what my employer submitted (payroll made a mistake). The agent helped me understand exactly what documentation I needed to submit to fix it. Can't believe I wasted so many hours trying to call them myself when this service actually worked exactly as promised.

Before you panic, check if you had any tax offsets that might explain the difference. Common reasons for lower-than-expected refunds: 1. Do you have student loans in default? The Department of Education can take your refund 2. Unpaid child support? That gets taken too 3. Previous year's taxes still owed 4. State tax debts sometimes get collected from federal refunds The IRS should send you a letter explaining why your refund was different than what you claimed. It usually arrives about a week after your deposit. Check your mail carefully!

Had the same issue last year! My federal and state refunds came 3 weeks apart. But ur situation sounds different bc the amount is wrong too. Did u maybe enter the wrong bank account info? My cousin put one number wrong in his routing number and his refund got delayed for 6 weeks while they figured it out and sent a paper check instead.

Another thing to check - make sure you're looking at the right numbers on TurboTax. Sometimes people look at the total tax WITHHELD (what came out of your paychecks) and mistake that for their expected refund. Your refund is just the difference between what you owed and what was already withheld. Double-check your TurboTax summary to make sure you're looking at the "refund" line and not something else.

Don't panic - this is actually pretty common! The $2,500+ difference between what TurboTax calculated and what you received suggests the IRS made adjustments to your return. Since this is your first time filing, there are a few likely culprits: 1. **Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)** - If TurboTax calculated this credit but you didn't actually qualify based on your specific situation, the IRS would remove it 2. **Education credits** - These have strict eligibility requirements that software sometimes misses 3. **Filing status** - If there was any confusion about whether you can file as independent vs. dependent The good news is that you should receive a detailed notice (CP2000 or similar) explaining exactly what they changed and why. Since you moved, definitely contact USPS about mail forwarding ASAP, or create an online IRS account to access your records digitally. Your state refund will come separately - that part is totally normal. Each state processes at their own pace, so don't worry if it takes several more weeks. Focus on getting that IRS explanation letter first to understand the federal adjustment!