To find out where your tax refund is, you can use the IRS "Where's My Refund?" tool online. This tool lets you check the status of your federal tax refund and is updated once every 24 hours, usually showing your refund status about 48 hours after you e-file your return

. To use the tool, you will need:

• Your Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
• Your filing status (e.g., single, married)
• The exact whole dollar amount of your expected refund

The IRS typically issues refunds within 21 days of electronically filing your return. Paper returns or amended returns can take longer—up to several weeks or months depending on the situation

. If you want to check the status of your state tax refund, you should visit your state's department of revenue or taxation website, as each state has its own system for tracking refunds

. Other options to check your refund status include:

• Calling the IRS automated phone system (though wait times can be long)

• Using tax preparation services like TurboTax, H&R Block, or Jackson Hewitt, which offer their own refund tracking tools if you filed with them

In summary, the fastest and easiest way to find out where your taxes (refund) are is to use the IRS "Where's My Refund?" tool online with your personal tax information ready