Tracking Your Tax Return Is Easy Online

CASTLE ROCK, Colo (CBS4) - In her home in Castle Rock, Janice Hagan was anxiously awaiting her tax refund check.

"We do have a nice home, but we did need the money, and like a lot of people these days you hit rough spots," Hagan told CBS4.

She had waited 21 days for her refund after using TurboTax to e-file her return. She was frustrated, so she called 4 On Your Side Consumer Investigator Jodi Brooks to find out how she could find out when her refund would come.

Brooks walked her through the Where's My Refund section on the IRS Web site. Under Refund Status on the Web site, there is a place to put in your Social Security number, your filing status, and a whole dollar amount of the refund you are expecting.

"I wrote it all down, step-by-step, and as soon as I got off the phone I gave my husband the piece of paper and he pulled it up, and there is was," Hagan explained.

Clyde Hagen followed the steps and found out the refund was due the next day, which is exactly when it was deposited in the Hagans' account.

The IRS estimates that about 2.3 million Coloradans will file tax returns in 2011. Thirty three percent of them will file paper returns, while 67 percent will file electronically. The Where's My Refund took is an easy, accurate way to track your refund.

The tool will not work if your return is not already in the system. If you mail a paper return to the IRS, it can take a week or two to get into the system. If you e-file, it takes about 72 hours. If there's a problem with your return, like a mistake in the address or a bank account number, you can find out about it with this tool as well.

RELATED: More Reports By 4 On Your Side Consumer Investigator Jodi Brooks

- Written for the Web by CBS4 Special Projects Producer Libby Smith