Your Personal Income Tax Refund

Find out how to get the latest information about your Massachusetts personal income tax refund. Learn why your state income tax refund may be delayed and get answers to common questions.

Updated: January 9, 2026

Where's My Refund?

Check My Refund 

MassTaxConnect's Check the status of your Personal Income Tax refund is the fastest way to check the status of your state tax refund.

You don't need to sign in or register.

On MassTaxConnect, the current Tax Year is filled in. To select a prior-year refund, use the drop-down arrow.

You need to enter:

• Tax year of the refund
• Your Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
• Refund amount.

If you don't have access to MassTaxConnect, you may call:

• [phone] or
• Toll-free in Massachusetts [phone].

Why Is There a Delay?

In some cases, your refund may be delayed because you:

• Added a wrong Social Security number
• Included the wrong banking information (routing and account numbers)
• Made a typo, like a spelling mistake
• Made a math mistake
• Submitted a return with more than one filing status
• Amended your return
• Included the incorrect number of dependents
• Filed too early.

Direct Deposit Refunds

• The Department of Revenue (DOR) is not liable for any incorrect banking information submitted by taxpayers or their tax preparers. It is the responsibility of the taxpayer or tax preparer to ensure that the routing and account numbers are accurate.
• If a request for direct deposit is submitted, but the banking information provided on the filed return does not meet DOR’s validation criteria, a paper check will be issued instead.
• The account or routing number on the return cannot be changed once it has been submitted to the DOR for processing. Taxpayers are not allowed to submit an amended return to correct the banking information on the original return.
• Direct deposit will be sent to the bank account specified on the tax return. If the bank cannot verify the taxpayer's information, the refund will not be deposited. In this case, DOR will issue a paper check instead. This process may take up to 30 days, beginning from the date the deposit was sent to the bank.
• If the routing and account numbers provided are incorrect but the account belongs to another individual, the financial institution may still accept the deposit. If the bank has not returned the refund, the taxpayer should contact the bank's ACH department. During this process, the taxpayer will need to provide the account and routing numbers that were listed on the original tax return.
• You requested a Refund Anticipation Loan (RAL) or Refund Anticipation Check (RAC) through your preparer or preparation software. This occurs when the preparer allows access to a portion of your refund prior to normal DOR processing timeframes. Even if you didn't request a direct deposit, these types of refunds are directly deposited into the preparer’s financial institution. This also applies when you authorize the preparation fee to be deducted from your refund. In such cases, contact your preparer or a representative from the software company that prepared your tax return for assistance.

In other cases, a delay may be because:

• DOR asked you to verify or provide more information on your return.
• Your return was missing information or was incomplete.
• Your refund (or part of it) was intercepted to pay an existing tax or child support liability.

Paper Is Slower and Leads to Mistakes

Filing on paper is the slowest way to file your state income tax. Delays occur more frequently with paper returns. If you file on paper, remember to:

1. Include all schedules, such as Schedule HC. If you don’t include all the schedules, your return can’t be processed, and your refund will be delayed. The Schedule HC must be completed and enclosed for all resident returns and most part-year resident returns. Nonresidents are not subject to the Massachusetts Health Care Reform Law. If you amend your return, include all the schedules filed with the original return, even if you did not make any changes to those schedules.
2. Check your math. When you add or subtract, check your numbers. If you claim the Earned Income Tax Credit, make sure the credit amount is correct. Follow each instruction carefully.
3. Don’t use staples or paper clips. Put checks and other documents inside an envelope. Do not use staples or paper clips. Doing so will slow down the processing of your return.
4. Recheck your bank numbers. You can have your refund deposited directly into your savings or checking account. Be sure to enter the correct routing and account numbers on your return.
5. Sign and date your return. Don’t forget to sign your tax return at the bottom of Page 1. The return is not valid without a signature. If married and filing jointly, you and your spouse must both sign the return. When you owe taxes and are paying by check, don’t forget to sign the check.

E-file your return to get the fastest tax refund. If you already filed on paper this year, don't e-file for the same tax year. 

If you filed your taxes on paper, before you contact DOR, you should wait up to 10 weeks to get:

• Your refund or
• A request from DOR for more information.

When Will I Receive My Refund?

E-filed Return	Paper Return
Takes about 4-6 weeks for direct deposit requests If a paper check was requested, add another week.	Takes about 8-10 weeks for direct deposit requests If a paper check was requested, add another week.

Do You Need to Register with MassTaxConnect?

You don't need to sign in or register to check the status of your refund on MassTaxConnect. However, to e-file your state tax return for free using MassTaxConnect, you need to be registered.

To create a MassTaxConnect account, follow the instructions in the guidelines and video.