Most tax refunds reach your bank account within two weeks of lodging online. Once the ATO finishes processing your return and issues the refund, it usually takes another one to three business days to actually appear, because your bank needs time to process the transfer. So while the ATO’s target is two weeks from lodgement to money in the bank, that final step, from the refund being issued to it showing up, is a short bank delay rather than anything the ATO is still doing. Paper returns take much longer, often up to around 50 business days, which is one reason most people lodge online or through an accountant.
The journey your refund takes
It helps to see the whole path, because the wait is spread across a few stages rather than one:
You lodge your return, online or through an accountant.
The ATO processes it, with most online returns done within two weeks.
Near the end, your status may show balancing account, meaning the ATO is finalising the result and checking for any debts to offset.
The ATO issues your notice of assessment and releases the refund.
Your bank processes the transfer, and the money appears, usually within one to three business days.
The money landing in your account is the last step, and by the time you reach it, the ATO’s work is already done.
Can you track where your refund is?
Yes, and it is the best way to settle the wait. You can check the progress of your return in the ATO app, or through myGov linked to the ATO. The status moves through processing, then often balancing account near the end, and finally issued, which means your notice of assessment has been sent and the refund released. The app also shows an estimated completion date once your return is in progress. If the status says issued and shows a refund amount, the money has already left the ATO and you are simply waiting on your bank.
My refund says issued but it is not in my account
This is the most common worry, and it is almost always just the bank catching up. When the ATO issues your refund, it sends the payment electronically, but banks do not post transfers instantly. Allow one to three business days from the date the refund is issued. Weekends and public holidays do not count as business days, so a refund issued on the Friday before a long weekend can take until the middle of the next week to arrive. If your notice of assessment shows a refund and the effective date has passed by more than a few business days, that is the point to start checking, not before.
How long after the notice of assessment?
Your notice of assessment is the signal that the ATO has finished and a refund is on the way. From that point, the refund is typically in your account within a few business days. If you have the notice but no money after that window, the usual causes are a delay at your bank, incorrect bank details on file, or part of the refund being used to pay a debt, which would be shown on the notice itself.
Why is my refund taking longer than two weeks?
Not every refund runs to the two-week target. The common reasons are:
your return was pulled for a manual review, which can take up to about 30 days
there are errors, or claims that do not match the ATO’s pre-filled data
it is your first return, or your first after a long gap, so the ATO is confirming your details
your bank account details are missing or incorrect, so the ATO cannot pay you
part or all of the refund is being used to pay a tax debt or a debt to another agency
you lodged very early in July, before your income was finalised, which invites a correction
Missing or incorrect bank details are worth calling out. If the ATO cannot pay you electronically, it holds the refund and contacts you to update your details, and if that is not sorted within 90 days it issues a cheque instead, which is far slower than an electronic transfer.
The ATO says paid, but the money is not there
First, check the bank account details the ATO has on file in myGov, because a refund sent to an old or closed account is the most common cause of a no-show. Then give it the full one to three business days, counting only business days. If it still has not arrived, contact your bank first to see whether the payment is pending, and then the ATO if your bank has nothing showing. There is no need to lodge anything again, and doing so can actually slow things down rather than speed them up.
How to get your refund sooner
You cannot rush the ATO, but you can avoid the delays. Make sure your bank details are correct and current before you lodge, since that is the single biggest cause of a bounced or held refund. Wait until at least late July to lodge, once your income statement is marked tax ready, because lodging on incomplete data leads to corrections. Check your return for errors, or have an accountant prepare it, since a clean return is far less likely to be pulled for review. Our guide to tax return deadlines and documents covers what to get ready so nothing holds you up.
Does using an accountant change when it hits?
No. The ATO processes returns lodged by an accountant through the same system and on the same two-week target, so the timing to your bank is the same. What an accountant changes is the chance of a delay. A correct, complete return is less likely to trigger a manual review, and an accountant makes sure your bank details and income are right before the return goes in. If you would like your return lodged properly the first time, that is the surest way to keep your refund on the short timeline.
