What’s delaying my tax refund in Washington state? What to know
Dreaming about how you’ll spend your tax refund?
Whether you’ve already filed your 2025 tax return or are planning to wait, you may be wondering when you can expect your money.
According to the Internal Revenue Service, there are a few reasons why your return might be delayed in 2026.
Here’s what to know:
When is the deadline to file my 2025 tax return?
In Washington state, the deadline to file federal income tax returns for the 2025 tax year is Wednesday, April 15.
Need more time? You can request a six-month filing extension, but you’ll still need to pay any taxes you owe by the April deadline to avoid penalties and interest.
When will I get my tax refund in Washington state?
If you file your taxes electronically and choose direct deposit, you can usually expect your refund within three weeks, the IRS said, provided your return is complete and free of errors.
Federal tax refunds can take up to six weeks if you file an amended return or submit your return by mail, according to the IRS.
If you qualify for Washington’s Working Families Tax Credit, you could also wait for a while.
“It can take up to 90 days to process and issue your refund if your application is approved,” the Washington State Department of Revenue said on its website
What is delaying my federal tax refund?
According to the IRS, several factors could delay you getting your tax refund.
These are the most common:
- Your tax return contains errors.
- Your return was affected by identify theft or fraud.
- Your return needs a correction to the child tax credit or recovery rebate amount.
- You filed a claim for an earned income tax credit, additional child tax credit or an Injured Spouse Allocation
If you need to send more information for your tax return, the IRS will reach out directly to you.
Why is my state tax refund taking so long?
According to the state Department of Revenue, a number of factors can slow processing of your Working Families Tax Credit application and delay your refund.
These include:
- Missing, incomplete or incorrect information
- Requesting your refund in the form of a paper check instead of direct deposit
- Completing your application by paper and mailing it
- Submitting duplicate applications
- Supporting documents in other languages
Will I get my state refund at the same time as my federal one?
The short answer is “no.”
Even if you submitted your federal tax return and your Working Families Tax Credit application at the same time, you’ll get two separate refunds, according to the Washington State Department of Revenue.
Federal tax refunds are issued by the IRS. State tax credit refunds are issued by the state revenue department or, in the case of paper checks, the Office of the State Treasury.
How can I track my tax refund?
You can track your federal tax refund through the IRS’s Where’s My Refund tool.
According to the IRS, your refund status will appear:
- 24 hours after you e-file a current-year return
- 3 to 4 days after you e-file a prior-year return
- 4 weeks after you file a paper return
To check the status of your refund, you’ll need your social security number, filing status and the exact amount on your return.
You’ll also need this information to check the status of your Washington Working Families Tax Credit refund via workingfamiliescredit.wa.gov.