Improved Where’s My Refund? tool, video offer help for Oregon taxpayers

• Additional detail about refund status. 
• Added functionality to see when the agency is requesting additional information to complete processing a return. 
• Website enhancements for improved customer experience.

To have the benefit of the enhancements, however, taxpayers need to be signed into their Revenue Online account. Taxpayers who don’t already have a Revenue Online account can create one by following the Revenue Online link on the department’s website. Taxpayers can still use the Where’s My Refund? tool without being signed into Revenue Online account, but won’t be able to see the updated features.

A video outlining the refund process and timelines is also available to help taxpayers understand the process.

Most taxpayers can expect to receive their refunds within two weeks of the date their return is filed. Some returns, however, require additional information and review and can take up to 20 weeks before a refund is issued. The Where’s My Refund? tool can help taxpayers identify if more information is needed to complete processing their return and, in most cases, provide that information electronically through Revenue Online.

Through March 11, the Oregon Department of Revenue has received and processed nearly 850,000 returns and has issued more than 640,000 refunds. That leaves a little more than 60 percent of the expected 2.2 million Oregon income tax returns to be filed in the final 34 days before the April 15 deadline.

"If you haven't filed your taxes yet, take care of them this month and beat the April rush," said Megan Denison, administrator of DOR's Personal Tax and Compliance Division.

Besides the high volume of returns filed at the end of tax season, there are other common things that can make it take longer for Oregonians to get their refunds.

Five common reasons refunds take longer and what to do about it.

• Filing a paper return. Paper returns take longer to process and, as a result, it takes longer to issue related refunds. File electronically instead.
• Filing electronically and requesting to receive a refund via a check takes longer. Request direct deposit instead.
• Filing more than once. Sending a duplicate paper return through the mail after e-filing will a delay a refund. Taxpayers should file just once unless they need to amend their return to make changes.
• Refunds for taxpayers that are new to filing returns may be delayed so we can verify your identity. Taxpayers who receive a letter requesting identity verification are urged to respond promptly through Revenue Online to speed the processing of their return.
• Refunds can also be delayed when errors are identified on returns. Taxpayers who receive a letter requesting additional information are urged to respond promptly through Revenue Online to speed the processing of their return.

Taxpayers who are not logged into Revenue Online and want to check the status of their refund with the Where’s My Refund? tool on Revenue Online will need their:

• Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN);
• Filing status; and
• The exact refund amount shown on:
• Line 47 of their Form OR-40, or
• Line 72 of their Form OR-40-N, or
• Line 71 of their Form OR-40-P

The Department of Revenue recommends that taxpayers wait one week after they have electronically filed their return to use the Where’s My Refund tool.

Filing electronically is the fastest way for taxpayers to get their refund. On average, taxpayers who e-file their returns and request their refund via direct deposit receive their refund two weeks sooner than those who file paper returns and request paper refund checks.

All Oregon resident taxpayers preparing their own returns in 2024 can file electronically at no cost using one of the free file options that can be found on the Department of Revenue website.

Taxpayers can check the status of their federal tax refunds on the IRS website.