What the IRS Get My Payment tool does

Get My Payment is an IRS online tool that shows you the status of a tax refund, stimulus payment, or other money the IRS has sent to you. You enter your Social Security number, date of birth, and street address, and the tool tells you whether the payment has been mailed, deposited to your bank account, or is still being processed. It does not let you change your payment method or speed up the process — it only shows you where your money is in the IRS system.

The tool is free and available on the IRS website at irs.gov. You do not need to create an account or log in with a password. It works for federal tax refunds, Economic Impact Payments (the stimulus checks from 2020, 2021, and 2022), and certain other payments the IRS sends out. If you are waiting for money from the IRS, this is the fastest way to find out whether it has left their system and when it should arrive in your bank account or mailbox.

Key Takeaways

  • Get My Payment shows the status of your IRS payment — whether it has been mailed, deposited, or is still processing — but does not let you change the payment method or speed up delivery.
  • You can access the tool free at irs.gov without logging in, using only your Social Security number, date of birth, and street address.
  • The tool updates once per day, usually overnight, so checking multiple times in one day will show the same status.
  • If Get My Payment says your payment was mailed but you never received it, you can file a claim with the IRS or request a replacement check.
  • The tool works for federal tax refunds, stimulus payments from 2020–2022, and certain other IRS payments, but not for state refunds or payments from other agencies.

How to use Get My Payment to check your payment status

Go to irs.gov and search for "Get My Payment" or navigate directly to the tool through the IRS homepage. You will see a screen asking for three pieces of information: your Social Security number, your date of birth in MM/DD/YYYY format, and your street address as it appears on your most recent tax return. Enter these exactly as they are on file with the IRS — misspellings or outdated addresses will cause the tool to say it cannot find your information.

After you submit this information, the tool will display one of four statuses. Payment status not available means the IRS has not yet processed your payment or the information you entered does not match their records. Payment pending means the IRS has approved the payment but has not yet sent it out — this is the most common status in the days after you file or after the IRS processes your return. Payment sent means the IRS has mailed a check or arranged a bank deposit. Payment received appears only if you set up an account with the IRS beforehand and linked your bank information — it confirms the money has arrived in your account.

The tool updates once per day, typically between midnight and 6 a.m. Eastern time. Checking the tool multiple times in the same day will show the same status. If your status has not changed in more than a week and you filed your return more than 21 days ago, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to speak with a representative.

What each payment status means and how long to wait

When Get My Payment shows Payment pending, your refund or payment is in the IRS queue but has not been sent out yet. For a standard tax refund, this phase typically lasts 21 days from the date you filed. For stimulus payments, the IRS usually processes them in batches over several weeks. If you filed electronically and chose direct deposit, your money will move to the next status within this window. If you chose a paper check, the IRS will print and mail it after this phase ends.

When the status changes to Payment sent, the IRS has either deposited the money to your bank account or mailed a check to your address on file. If the payment was deposited, it should arrive in your account within one to two business days, depending on your bank. If a check was mailed, allow 7 to 10 business days for it to reach you. The tool does not tell you which method was used — you have to check your bank account or watch your mailbox to confirm.

If Get My Payment still shows Payment status not available after 21 days, the IRS may not have your correct information on file, or there may be a problem with your return. This can happen if you moved and did not update your address with the IRS, if you entered your information incorrectly on the tool, or if the IRS flagged your return for review. Call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to find out why your payment is delayed.

What to do if Get My Payment says your check was mailed but you did not receive it

If the tool shows Payment sent and says a check was mailed, but you have not received it after 10 business days, the check may have been lost in the mail or sent to an old address. Do not wait indefinitely — contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and tell them the check never arrived. Have your Social Security number, the amount of the payment, and the date the tool said it was mailed ready when you call.

The IRS can issue a replacement check or, in some cases, deposit the money directly to your bank account if you provide your routing and account numbers. Processing a replacement takes an additional 4 to 6 weeks. If you believe the check was sent to an old address, update your address with the IRS before requesting the replacement — this prevents the same problem from happening again.

If you suspect the check was stolen from your mailbox or intercepted, you can file a claim with the U.S. Postal Service at usps.com or visit your local post office. The Postal Service can investigate whether the check was delivered and to whom. If the IRS issued the check in your name only, a thief cannot cash it without forging your signature, but it is still worth reporting.

Payments the Get My Payment tool does track versus those it does not

Get My Payment tracks federal tax refunds (money you overpaid in taxes during the year), Economic Impact Payments from 2020, 2021, and 2022 (the federal stimulus checks), and certain other payments the IRS sends, such as advance Child Tax Credit payments that were issued in 2021. The tool does not track state tax refunds, payments from other federal agencies, or money you owe the IRS.

If you are waiting for a state refund, you will need to use your state's tax agency website instead. Most states have their own refund tracking tool — search "[your state] tax refund status" to find it. If you are waiting for a payment from the Social Security Administration, Veterans Affairs, or another federal agency, those agencies have separate tracking systems on their own websites.

If you owe the IRS money and have set up a payment plan, Get My Payment will not show that information. To check the status of a payment plan or see how much you owe, log into your IRS account at irs.gov/account or call 1-800-829-1040.

Why Get My Payment sometimes cannot find your information

The most common reason Get My Payment says it cannot find your information is that the details you entered do not match what the IRS has on file. This happens when you moved and did not update your address with the IRS, when you entered your street address differently than it appears on your tax return (for example, "123 Main St" versus "123 Main Street"), or when you typed your date of birth in the wrong format. Try entering your address exactly as it appears on your most recent tax return, including apartment numbers and directional prefixes.

If you have not filed a tax return yet this year, Get My Payment will not have any information about you, because the IRS only processes payments after your return is filed and processed. If you are waiting for a refund, file your return first — the tool will not show anything until the IRS has received and begun processing it.

If you have filed but Get My Payment still cannot find your information after several attempts, the IRS may be holding your return for review due to identity verification, missing information, or a discrepancy with your income. Call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to find out whether your return is under review and what you need to do to move it forward.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often does Get My Payment update?

Get My Payment updates once per day, usually between midnight and 6 a.m. Eastern time. Checking the tool multiple times in the same day will show the same status. If your status has not changed in more than a week and you filed your return more than 21 days ago, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040.

Can I use Get My Payment to change my payment method from a check to direct deposit?

No. Get My Payment only shows you the status of a payment that has already been processed. Once the IRS has decided to send your payment by check or direct deposit, you cannot change it through the tool. If your payment has not been sent yet, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to ask whether they can change the method before it goes out.

What if I entered the wrong bank account information when I filed my return?

If Get My Payment shows your payment was deposited but it went to the wrong account, contact your bank when ready and ask them to reverse the deposit. Then contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and provide your correct bank information. The IRS can issue a replacement check or arrange a new deposit once they verify the error.

Does Get My Payment work for payments I owe the IRS?

No. Get My Payment only tracks money the IRS is sending to you. If you owe the IRS money and want to check the status of a payment plan or see your balance, log into your IRS account at irs.gov/account or call 1-800-829-1040.

Can I check someone else's payment status with Get My Payment?

No. Get My Payment requires the Social Security number and date of birth of the person whose payment you are checking. You can only check your own payment or, if you have power of attorney, the payment of someone you are authorized to represent. The tool will not display results for anyone else.