A refund transfer is a third-party tax preparation financial service (offered by tax software providers and partner banks such as SBTPG) used to deduct tax preparation fees from a federal tax refund. It is not an IRS program, so its status is not tracked through IRS tools.
To check the status of a refund transfer request, you generally must use the tax software provider’s portal or the refund transfer bank’s system, not the IRS.
The IRS “Where’s My Refund?” tool only shows the status of the federal tax refund issued by the IRS, not the status of any refund transfer or fee-processing arrangement.
How to Check Your Refund Status
Visit IRS “Where’s My Refund?”
- Go to IRS.gov and use the “Where’s My Refund?” tool
- Enter:
- Social Security Number (SSN)
- Filing status
- Exact refund amount shown on your tax return
The system will display IRS refund processing stages such as:
- Return received
- Refund approved
- Refund sent
Important Distinction
- The IRS tool tracks only the IRS refund issuance process
- It does not track refund transfer processing, bank fee deductions, or disbursement by third-party banks
Refund transfer status must be checked through:
- Your tax preparation software account, or
- The refund transfer bank portal (e.g., SBTPG or equivalent provider)
Important Notes
- IRS refund status updates typically appear about 24 hours after e-file acceptance
- Most electronically filed refunds are issued in about 21 days in normal cases
- Paper checks generally take longer due to mailing time
- Amended returns (Form 1040-X) must be fully processed before refund status is updated
Source:
Form 1040-X
Form 1040
Disclaimer: Always verify information with official Federal or State Department of Revenue Forms and Instructions.