4 Mistakes That Will Delay Your Tax Refund

You’ll likely get your refund within 21 days if you avoid these common blunders

Rocky Mengle,

Updated February 18, 2026

AARP

Comments

En español

Published February 17, 2022

/ Updated February 18, 2026

an draining hourglass with a tax return check in it

AARP; (Source: Getty Images (2))

In 2025, the average tax refund from Uncle Sam was $3,167. That’s a pretty good payday for most people. This year’s average refund is expected to be larger, thanks to the new tax provisions from the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), with Americans projected to receive an extra $1,000 on average.

Unfortunately, you don’t get that money instantly. While the majority of taxpayers receive their tax refund within a few weeks, the process can drag on for much longer in some cases.

How do you avoid a lengthy delay? Steering clear of the following missteps will certainly help.

1. Filing a paper tax return

Don’t hold your breath waiting for your refund if you mail a paper return. It’s going to take longer to get your money.

You can speed things up by filing your return electronically. Not only will the IRS receive your return in seconds, it can also process e-filed returns much more quickly and efficiently than paper returns. And the sooner the IRS processes your return, the sooner it can send your refund.

The IRS typically issues refunds within 21 days for electronic returns. Refunds for returns sent by mail usually take four weeks or more, the agency says.

There are several ways to file your return electronically. For instance, you can hire a certified public accountant (CPA), enrolled agent or other tax professional to prepare and e-file your return. That’s typically the most expensive option, but at least you’ll avoid some of the headaches and uncertainty that come with doing your own taxes.

If you do your own return, commercial tax software products such TurboTax, H&R Block and TaxSlayer let you file electronically. You might even qualify for free use of the software if your return is relatively simple.

The IRS also provides a few options for no-cost tax preparation and e-filing. You can use the IRS Free File program if your 2025 adjusted gross income (AGI) was $89,000 or less. At higher income levels, you can still use the IRS Free File Fillable Forms, but you won’t have the benefit of tax software that guides you through your return.

Filers that make $69,000 or less, have disabilities or have limited ability to speak English can have an IRS-trained volunteer complete and e-file their return through the agency's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

2. Not waiting for all your 1099s or W-2s to arrive

Filing your tax return too soon can also delay your refund. Say you filed shortly after tax season began and then you received a 1099 form for an account you forgot about. Or perhaps you hold multiple jobs and a W-2 arrived after you submitted your return. The problem is that the IRS has already received all your 1099s and W-2s, and thus has different information on your income for the year.

That will likely trigger an IRS CP2000 Notice, a letter telling you the income you reported on your return doesn’t match what the IRS has on file. The notice will propose changes to your return based on the agency’s files and ask you to pay additional taxes, or let you know that the IRS is reducing your refund. You’ll have to complete and sign a response form saying that you either agree with the IRS’s changes or disagree, in which case you’ll need to provide documentation to support your case. While all this is going on, the IRS is sitting on your refund.

Even if you have all your 1099s and W-2s, carefully check them and other year-end statements (such as a 1099-INT 1099-R from your bank, brokerage or retirement plan provider) to ensure there are no errors. If you do find a mistake, contact the employer, payer or issuing agency right away and request a corrected form.

If an employer or financial institution doesn’t respond to your request for a corrected form by the end of February, call the IRS at 800-829-1040 and ask them to contact the employer or payer for you. If that doesn’t work, use Form 4852 to send estimated W-2 or 1099-R amounts to the IRS. Again, all this takes time and ultimately delays your tax refund.

3. Making errors on your 1040

If the IRS discovers a potential mistake when it’s processing your return, it takes additional time to review the error and make adjustments if necessary. This delay in processing can push back your refund.

The more complicated the error, the longer the potential delay. However, even simple mistakes can slow your refund. That’s why it’s important to carefully review your return before submitting it. That goes for returns prepared by a tax professional, too.

What types of blunders can delay the processing of your return and stall your refund? The IRS provides a list of common errors that can slow things down, including:

Name, address or other important information isn’t legible.
Social Security numbers are missing or incorrect.
Filing status is incorrect or more than one box is checked.
Standard deduction amount doesn’t fit your filing status.
Information about dependents is absent or wrong.
Math is incorrect.
Bank routing and account numbers are missing or incorrect.
Tax deductions or credits are claimed on the wrong line.
Necessary forms or schedules are missing.
Tax table isn’t used properly (for example, a wrong column is used).
Signature or filing date are missing.

4. Mailing your return to the wrong IRS processing center

Even if your tax return is perfect, you won’t get your refund as quickly as possible if you mail your paper return to the wrong address. There are three different IRS processing centers that handle returns that show a refund. If you send a paper return to the wrong one, it's going to cause processing delays. Not putting enough postage on the envelope can slow things down, too.

Need help with your tax return? Try AARP's tax calculator, or visit AARP Foundation Tax-Aide to learn about free tax prep services by 30,000 volunteers nationwide.

%{postComment}%

Rocky Mengle has more than 25 years of experience covering federal and state tax developments for CPAs, tax attorneys, and ordinary taxpayers, including stints at Kiplinger Personal Finance and Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting.

Unlock Access to AARP Members Edition

Join AARP to Continue

Already a Member? Login

Recommended for You

Benefits Recommended For You

See All