What Get My Payment Does and Who Should Use It

Get My Payment is a tool on IRS.gov that shows you the status of a payment the IRS has sent to you — usually a tax refund, stimulus payment, or advance Child Tax Credit payment. It tells you whether the payment has been processed, mailed, or deposited, and gives you a delivery date if one is available. You do not need to create an account or log in with credentials; the tool works by entering your Social Security number, date of birth, and street address.

The tool is most useful when you are waiting for a refund or a one-time payment and want to know where it is in the pipeline. It cannot tell you why a payment is delayed, whether you are owed a payment you have not received, or how much a payment should be. For those questions, you will need to contact the IRS directly or work with a tax professional.

Get My Payment updates once per day, usually overnight. If you check it multiple times in a single day, you will see the same information. Checking it more often will not speed up your payment or reveal new details.

Key Takeaways

  • Get My Payment shows the status of refunds and one-time payments the IRS has already sent or is preparing to send, but only if the payment was issued after mid-2020.
  • You access the tool at IRS.gov without logging in, using only your Social Security number, date of birth, and street address.
  • The tool updates once daily and shows a delivery date if the payment has been mailed or scheduled for deposit.
  • If Get My Payment shows no record of a payment, the IRS may not have processed it yet, or you may need to contact the IRS by phone or mail to investigate.

How to Use Get My Payment on IRS.gov

Go to IRS.gov and search for "Get My Payment" or navigate directly to the tool. You will see a form 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 the information exactly as it appears in IRS records. If your address has changed since you filed, use the address from the return the payment is tied to, not your current address. After you submit the form, the tool will display the status of your payment in one of several categories: "Status Not Available," "Payment Pending," "Payment Sent," or "Payment Delivered."

If the tool shows "Payment Sent," it will also display the delivery method (direct deposit or mail) and an expected arrival date. For direct deposits, this is typically within one to two business days of the date shown. For mailed checks, the date is an estimate; mail delivery can take longer depending on your location and postal service conditions.

What Each Payment Status Means

"Status Not Available" means the IRS has no record of a payment to you, or the payment was issued before the tool began tracking payments in mid-2020. This does not mean you are not owed a payment — it means Get My Payment cannot find it. You will need to contact the IRS to investigate further.

"Payment Pending" means the IRS has approved a payment and is preparing to send it, but it has not yet been mailed or scheduled for deposit. The tool will not show a delivery date at this stage. Pending payments typically move to "Payment Sent" within a few business days, though delays can occur if there are issues with your account or address.

"Payment Sent" means the IRS has mailed a check or scheduled a direct deposit. The tool will show the delivery method and an expected arrival date. For direct deposits, money usually lands within one to two business days. For checks, arrival depends on postal service speed and can range from five to fourteen days after the date shown.

"Payment Delivered" means the payment has been deposited into your bank account or delivered by mail. If you selected direct deposit and the tool shows "Payment Delivered," the money should be in your account. If a check was mailed and shows "Payment Delivered," it should have arrived; if it has not, contact the IRS or your postal service.

When Get My Payment Will Not Help You

Get My Payment only tracks payments the IRS has already issued or is actively preparing to issue. If you believe you are owed a payment but Get My Payment shows "Status Not Available," the tool cannot tell you whether the IRS owes you money or why a payment has not been sent. Common reasons include a mismatch between your tax return and IRS records, a missing or incorrect address, or a hold placed on your account due to a prior debt or tax issue.

The tool also does not work for payments issued before mid-2020, including some early stimulus payments. If you are looking for a payment from 2020 or earlier and Get My Payment shows no record, you may need to contact the IRS directly or check your bank and postal records to confirm whether the payment arrived.

Get My Payment cannot tell you the reason for a delay, the amount of a payment, or whether a payment you received was correct. For those questions, you will need to call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 or consult a tax professional.

What to Do If Your Payment Is Delayed or Missing

If Get My Payment shows "Payment Sent" but you have not received it after the expected delivery date, wait a few additional days before taking action. Mail delays and banking delays are common, especially during high-volume periods. If more than two weeks have passed since the date shown for a mailed check, or more than three business days for a direct deposit, contact the IRS.

Call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to report a missing or delayed payment. Have your Social Security number, date of birth, and the information from Get My Payment ready when you call. The IRS can investigate whether the payment was sent correctly, whether it was returned by the postal service, or whether there is a problem with your bank account. Wait times are often long, especially during tax season; calling early in the morning or later in the week may reduce your wait.

If you received a check but it was damaged, lost, or stolen, contact the IRS to request a replacement. The IRS can issue a new check or, in some cases, arrange a direct deposit instead. If you believe a check was deposited into the wrong account, contact your bank when ready and provide them with the check number and amount from Get My Payment.

Direct Deposit Versus Mailed Checks

Get My Payment will tell you which method the IRS used to send your payment. If you chose direct deposit on your tax return and the tool shows "Payment Sent" via direct deposit, the money should arrive within one to two business days. If you did not provide banking information on your return, the IRS will mail a check instead.

Mailed checks take longer — typically five to fourteen days depending on your location and postal service conditions. If Get My Payment shows a check was mailed but you have not received it after two weeks, the check may have been lost in the mail. Contact the IRS to request a replacement, which can usually be issued as a direct deposit if you provide your banking information.

If you want future payments by direct deposit but the IRS mailed a check, you can update your banking information on your next tax return or contact the IRS directly. Having a direct deposit on file speeds up payment delivery for refunds and other IRS payments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Get My Payment to check on a payment someone else received?

No. Get My Payment requires your own Social Security number and personal information. You cannot look up another person's payment status, even if you are their spouse or guardian. If you need information about someone else's payment, that person must check Get My Payment themselves or contact the IRS on their behalf with a power of attorney.

What if Get My Payment says my payment was delivered but I never received it?

For direct deposits, contact your bank to confirm the deposit landed in your account; sometimes deposits post overnight and may not show when ready. For mailed checks, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to report the missing check and request a replacement. Have the check number and amount from Get My Payment ready.

How often does Get My Payment update?

Get My Payment updates once per day, usually overnight. Checking it multiple times in a single day will show the same information. If your status has not changed after several days, contact the IRS to investigate a possible delay.

Can Get My Payment tell me if I am owed a refund?

No. Get My Payment only shows the status of payments the IRS has already sent or is preparing to send. To find out whether you are owed a refund, you need to file a tax return or contact the IRS. You can also check your account on IRS.gov using your login credentials if you have created one.

What should I do if Get My Payment shows no record of my payment?

Contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 with your Social Security number and the tax year the payment relates to. The IRS can investigate whether the payment was issued, whether it was returned, or whether there is a problem with your account. Be prepared to provide your current address and banking information if you want the IRS to reissue the payment.