Waiting Period

• Check the status of your IRS refund after seven business days if you have filed electronically. If you filed by paper, it will take four to six weeks for the IRS to process your return. Once the designated time has elapsed, you can use the "Where's My Refund" page on the IRS website to check the status of your return and see if your refund check has been mailed. Typically, if you have not received your refund within eight weeks after checking the status of your return, you will want to contact the IRS for further assistance.
  
  

Getting Help to Replace Your Lost IRS Return Check

• Call (800) 829-1954 to start the process of getting a replacement check. The IRS will perform a Refund Trace to learn whether the paper check has been cashed and will require you to complete Form 3911-Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund to verify that you did not cash the check and that it, indeed, was lost or stolen. Once they have processed the trace and verified the status of the original check they will issue a replacement check to you.
  
  

Avoiding the Hassle of Lost or Stolen IRS Return Checks

• Choose the direct-deposit option for your next IRS return check. Not only is this method safe, it also gets your money to you much more quickly. While it can take six to eight weeks to receive a paper check, a direct-deposit refund can take as little as three weeks.