If you have already filed your federal tax return and are due a refund, you have several options for checking on the status of your refund, says the IRS.

One is "Where´s My Refund," an Internet-based service available on the IRS Web site, www.irs.gov. With "Where´s My Refund?," you can get the information you need quickly, efficiently and safely.

Simple online instructions guide taxpayers through a process that checks the status of their refund after they provide identifying information shown on their tax return. Once the information is processed, results can include one of several responses, including:

• That a return was received and is in processing,
• The mailing date or direct deposit date of the taxpayer�s refund, or
• Whether a refund has been returned to the IRS because it could not be delivered.

The results also include links to customized information that is based on the taxpayer´s specific situation. The links guide taxpayers through the next steps needed to resolve any issues that may be affecting their refund.

The "Where´s My Refund?" service meets stringent IRS security and privacy certifications. Taxpayers enter identifying information that includes their Social Security Number, filing status and the exact amount of their refund, using both dollars and cents.

The information must be entered exactly as it appears on the 2003 tax return filed with the IRS, especially the expected refund amount. The exact information verifies that the person is authorized to access that account and avoids an unsuccessful response.

"Where´s My Refund?" is accessible to visually impaired taxpayers with the Job Access with Speech (JAWS) screen reader used with a Braille display and is compatible with different JAWS modes.

If it has been at least four weeks since you filed your return, another option is to check on the status of your refund by calling the toll-free IRS TeleTax System at 1-800- 829-4477. When you call, you will need to provide the first Social Security number shown on the return, your filing status and the amount of the refund. If the IRS has processed your return, the system will tell you the date your refund will be sent. TeleTax´s refund information is updated each weekend. If you do not get a date for your refund, please wait until the next week before calling back.

A third option is the IRS Refund Hotline. This service is available to Form 1040-
type Individual and Joint Filers who need to check the status of their current year
refund. It offers Automated Refund Self-Service Interactive Applications. The toll-free
hotline number is 1-800-829-1954. It is staffed from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. weekdays
and from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturdays through April 10. All times are local,
except for Alaska and Hawaii, which should use Pacific Time.

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