Nobody loves giving Uncle Sam his cut, but if you’re lucky the IRS will issue you a tax refund and you’ll get some of your hard-earned money back.
For many Americans, their annual refund isn’t just mad money — it’s a critical part of their budget that goes to pay for essentials. According to a TaxSlayer survey, the biggest expenditures people planned to use their refund on were rent (52% of respondents), groceries (44%) and paying credit card bills (37%)
Given how essential this infusion of capital is, every very minute you wait for it can feel like an eternity.
Fortunately We’ve got some tips on making sure you get your federal tax refund as quickly as possible.
Tax refunds
What is a tax refund
After your federal tax return is processed, the IRS will refund any overpayments you made during the previous year. That money doesn’t come instantaneously, however: Even if you file electronically and set up direct deposit, the IRS says it can take up to 21 days to get your refund.
If you file a return in the mail or require a paper check, it can take up to eight weeks
Tip #1: E-file your tax return
Roughly, 93% of taxpayers file their federal income tax returns electronically. That saves the IRS countless man hours they’d have spend opening scanning and deciphering paper returns. In 2021, the agency was so backlogged that it intentionally destroyed paper documents for an estimated 30 million filers in March 2021.
According to the IRS, e-filers should get their refunds within 21 days, compared to up to eight weeks with a paper return.
If you file a return in the mail or require a paper check, it can take up to eight weeks.
Tip #2: Set up direct deposit
The other half of the equation is setting up direct deposit so the funds are digitally submitted and no one is waiting for a paper check.
Paper refund checks are 16 times more likely to have an issue, according to Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service, like being lost, misdirected, undelivered ,stolen or uncashed..
Start preparing your taxes with these options
Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.
Xpert Assist is available with any plan for a flat fee
Guarantees 100% accuracy and maximum refund
Tip #3: File early
Returns are processed in the order they’re received. The sooner you file, the sooner you get your money.
In addition, it’s hardly a surprise that many people put off filing: A 2025 survey conducted by !PX 1031 found that 31% of U.S. taxpayers said they were procrastinating doing their taxes.
The longer you wait, the more busy the IRS will be when they finally get your return. And if there’s a hiccup with your return, it’ll get stuck in the back of the line.
Tip #4: Double-check your figures
Making a simple math mistake or switching the last two digits of your Social Security Number can cause big problems for the IRS. Whether you work with a tax professional or use DIY software, go through everything before you submit.
And save copies of all your documentation in case you need to prove your information is accurate.
Tip #5. Get a tax return advance
TurboTax has partnered with WebBank and First Century Bank to provide zero-interest refund advance loans between $250 and $4,000 that go into your Credit Karma Money™ checking or savings account.
TurboTax
-
Free version
TurboTax Free Edition. Simple Form 1040 returns only (no schedules except for earned income tax credit, child tax credit and student loan interest). TurboTax reports that 37% of files qualify for the free edition.
-
Guarantee
Guarantees 100% accuracy and maximum refund
-
Live support
Live Assisted plan includes unlimited assistance and final review. Live Full Service includes a dedicated expert to complete and file your return.
-
Tax refund advance loan
Pros
- Step-by-step guidance with easy-to-follow Q&A format
- On-demand advice and a final review from a tax expert
- Live Full Service plan has a tax expert who can complete your return
- Offers tax refund advance loan
Cons
- More expensive than other tax-prep software programs
- May try to upsell you into getting pricier plan
H&R Block
-
Free version
-
Guarantee
Guarantees 100% accuracy and maximum refund
-
Live support
Live chat available with all paid plans
-
Tax refund advance loan
The catch is tax prep companies typically only offer these tax advance incentives until the end of February. All three of these companies stopped issuing advances on Feb. 28, 2025.
There are other options: *Chime® Tax Season Unlocked™ offers state and federal tax for free directly through its app and touts simple returns taking as little as 24 minutes and refunds coming six days early in you set up direct deposit.
*Chime offers state and federal tax for free directly through its app, with simple returns completed in as little as 24 minutes. Members who set up direct deposit can get their federal tax refund up to six days early.
Chime Checking + High-Yield Savings
Chime ® banking services, credit and debit card provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC.
-
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
Chime Checking 0% APY, required to enroll in Chime High-Yield Savings 2.00% APY
-
Minimum balance
$0, no minimum deposit or balance
-
Fees
No monthly maintenance or overdraft fees. SpotMe service with eligibility for no-fee overdraft up to $200.
-
Perks
Paycheck available up to two days early with direct deposit. Automated savings of 10% of certain direct deposits. Round Ups feature transfers spare change from purchases to savings. Early access to direct deposit funds depends on the timing of the submission of the payment file from the payer. Generally, these funds are available on the day the payment file is received, which may be up to 2 days earlier than the scheduled paymedate.
-
Maximum transactions
Cash withdrawals from checking up to $515 per day at any ATM or as an over-the-counter bank withdrawal. $2,500 maximum daily spend, including any withdrawals, purchases and incurred fees.
-
ATMs
50,000+ in-network no-fee ATMs.
-
Out-of-network ATM withdrawal and over the counter advance fees may apply except at MoneyPass ATMs in a 7-Eleven, or any Allpoint or Visa Plus Alliance ATM.
-
Mobile check deposit
Pros
- 2.00% APY on Chime High-Yield Savings
- No minimum deposit or balance required
- No monthly service fee
- No overdraft fee, transactions for unavailable funds are denied; SpotMe for overdraft up to $200 with $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits over previous 34 days and an activated Chime debit card.
- Paycheck funds available up to two days early with direct deposit
- Automated transfer 10% of direct deposits of at least $500 to savings
- Purchases with Chime Visa® Debit Card or Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card rounded up to the next dollar and difference automatically transferred to savings
- Access to over 60,000 in-network ATMs for no fee, including MoneyPass ATMs in 7-Eleven and Allpoint or Visa Plus Alliance ATMs
- Mobile check deposit
- Security features include blocking transactions for a lost card, providing daily balance updates, sending real-time transaction alerts and protecting from unauthorized charges with Visa Zero Liability
Cons
- Chime checking account required to opening Chime savings account
- No APY on Chime Checking; Chime High-Yield Savings APY above national average but lower than other high-yield savings accounts
- Can’t withdraw money directly from savings, must transfer to checking
- With checking, $2.50 fee for out-of-network ATMs and over-the-counter bank withdrawals
- Checking withdrawals limited to $515 per day at any ATM or as over-the-counter bank withdrawals using Chime Visa® Debit Card. $2,500 daily max spend, including incurred fees, withdrawals, funds withdrawn at a point of sale and purchases.
Cash App Taxes will also deliver your refund six days earlier if they arrange deposit into a Cash App account.
Cash App Taxes
-
Free version
-
Guarantee
Guarantees 100% accuracy and maximum refund
-
Live support
-
Tax refund advance loan
Track your refund
If you want to know where in the process your individual return is, the IRS advises strongly against calling the agency directly. As you can imagine, it’s a bit busy over there.
The best option is to go to the Where’s My Refund page to check for yourself. You’ll need your Social Security number, filing status and expected refund amount to check your refund status.
Information is updated overnight, so there’s not much point in checking more than once a day.
You can also track your refund status on the IRS2Go mobile app and IRS website, where you can access tax records, payments and payment history, outstanding balances.
Tax refund advance FAQS
How long does it take to get a tax refund?
If you filed online and set up direct deposit, the IRS says you can expect a refund within 21 days. If you mailed a printed return, it could take up to eight weeks.
When can I get a tax advance loan until?
Each preparer is different, but most major tax-prep companies start offering these advances in early January and stop at the end of February.
What is the largest tax advance loan?
TurboTax partnered with WebBank and First Century Bank to provide zero-interest refund advance loans of up to $4,000, the largest of any institution we reviewed.
Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every tax article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of tax products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
Catch up on CNBC Select’s in-depth coverage of credit cards, banking and money, and follow us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date.
*Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
