Residents in These States Could See Tax Refund Delays. Here's Why

Multiple states are warning taxpayers that refunds may be late this year due to a mix of factors, including last-minute state tax law changes tied to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, software issues and administrative delays.

These announcements from state governments are separate from recent reports that some federal tax refunds could be delayed due to IRS staffing issues and the transition away from paper checks for federal refunds. While the IRS says most federal refunds are issued within 21 days, state refunds could take longer.

Here's what we know about the latest warnings of delays across the country:

Idaho

On Friday, the Idaho State Tax Commission advised taxpayers that those "who file before March 10 can expect their refund by the end of May" putting the wait time at up to 12 weeks for early filers. Taxpayers who file electronically on or after March 10, though, can expect their refunds within seven to eight weeks (the standard timeframe).

Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed a law last month creating "conformity" deductions, bringing the state's tax code into alignment with the new federal deductions for tips, overtime and more. However, the late passage of that bill means that some tax refunds will be "delayed beyond normal timeframes," the state confirmed on Feb. 17.

South Carolina

The South Carolina Department of Revenue reports that "2025 return processing is taking longer than usual because South Carolina currently does not conform to the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act."

In a normal year, the department's website states that refunds are processed in up to eight weeks. The department could not be reached for comment to clarify how long residents may have to wait this year.

Michigan

Michigan's Department of Treasury said in a Feb. 26 statement that it was seeing an increase in early filings and mentioned that some returns were taking longer to process. Officials said most Michigan taxpayers will receive their state refunds within four to six weeks of the return being accepted, which is the normal timeframe. However, others with more complicated taxes may have to wait.

"Those state tax returns that claim multiple credits or requiring additional verification take a little bit more time to process," Deputy State Treasurer Kavita Kale said in a statement.

New York

Last month, some New York TurboTax users were reportedly stuck in a "processing loop" due to issues related to the state's inflation refund checks, which were issued in the fall of 2025. According to media reports, some early filers' New York tax refunds were delayed as a result.

It's unclear how many taxpayers were affected, and TurboTax has said the issue was fixed.

Oregon

The Oregon Department of Revenue issued a recent notice regarding processing delays for returns filed by paper.

"The first refunds for e-filed returns are expected to be issued February 17," the department said at the time. "For paper filed returns, refunds will not start being issued until early April."

Oregon said it did not receive all the forms and information it needed in a timely manner from the IRS to set up its computer systems and scanners for paper returns. The IRS did not immediately respond to Money's request for comment.

The bottom line: Taxpayers are being encouraged to file electronically and select direct deposit to get their refunds faster.

How long state tax refunds normally take

According to TurboTax, state tax refunds are typically processed in a period of up to about three weeks, if returns are filed electronically. Be prepared for it to take up to four weeks if you mail in your return, according to the tax software company. Other sources report slightly longer windows, such as Cash App Taxes, which states that it varies "from weeks to months."

States have different timelines, so check your tax department's website for more info.

How to check the status of your state refund

States generally have an online portal or tracker system that taxpayers can use to find out what's going on with their refunds. H&R Block maintains an online resource that links to all these state websites.

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