Client: “Can you check where my refund at?

When clients ask about their refund status, the first step I always recommend is checking the official IRS refund tracking tool called "Where's My Refund?" This tool on the IRS website provides the most accurate and up-to-date information about your refund. You will need your Social Security number or ITIN, filing status, and exact refund amount to access the status. In my experience, many people get frustrated waiting on their refunds and don’t realize the IRS updates the status once a day, usually overnight. So checking multiple times a day won’t speed up the process but keeps you informed. Also, if your refund is taking longer than expected, it’s worth reviewing any notices mailed by the IRS as they might require additional information or corrections. Sometimes refunds get delayed due to identity verification or errors on your return. Visiting the IRS building, as humorous as it sounds, highlights the anxiety many feel about their refunds. Instead of physically going there, I’ve found calling the IRS refund hotline or using the IRS2Go mobile app is a more practical way to get assistance. Above all, staying patient and informed makes the refund experience less stressful. Sharing my client’s question and my immediate reaction is a way of reminding others that help is available and checking your refund doesn’t need to be a complicated or nerve-wracking process.