You thought you did everything right. You gathered all of your necessary tax documentation as soon as it became available and filed your taxes early. Now you’re sitting around waiting for a refund check, which you thought should have arrived by now. It could be that the IRS had difficulty processing your return.
To avoid unnecessary delays in receiving your tax refund this year, make sure you follow these guidelines:
Notification of change of residence
If you have moved in the last year, you probably thought to inform the U.S. Postal Service about your change of address. But did you notify the IRS? If not, you can do so by mailing a Change of Address form (IRS Form 8822) to the address indicated in the instructions.
If you bought a health insurance plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace last year, you should also be sure to notify them of the change.
Notification of name change
If your name—or a dependent’s name—has legally changed in the last year, contact the Social Security Administration about this change. If the name you list on your tax return does not match the SSA records, this can result in problems and delays with processing your return and issuing a refund.
Refund delays with certain types of returns
If you file a tax return that claims Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit, you should know that you will not be able to receive your refund until late February at the earliest. Even if you file your tax return early, the law restricts when refunds on such returns can be issued.