Most refunds are issued in less than 21 calendar days.

The income tax in the United States is a voluntary system. However, this does not mean that paying income tax is optional. The federal government expects every taxpayer voluntarily to report all their income in the tax return and calculate the corresponding tax using the tax laws. The IRS (Internal Revenue Service), the service in charge of collecting the income taxes in the United States has put security measures in place to ensure that its residents pay the correct amount. For example, the agency receives a copy of your W-2 form each year, and if you do not file a statement they can easily calculate the tax and send you a bill.

You can start checking on the status of your return within 24 hours after the IRS has received your electronically filed tax return or 4 weeks after you mail a paper tax return.