If you’re receiving a refund personally (for example, from payroll withholding or estimated payments):  

Filing Method     Estimated Refund Time     Notes  

E-file + Direct Deposit     1 – 3 weeks     Most refunds arrive within 21 days.  

E-file + Paper Check     3 – 4 weeks     Mail delivery adds processing time.  

Paper Filing (by Mail)     6 – 8 weeks     Slowest method — manual data  

entry required.  

Tip: Check your refund at IRS Where’s My Refund using your SSN, filing status, and exact refund amount.  

S-Corporations are pass-through entities, so the company itself usually doesn’t get a refund — shareholders do, through their personal returns.  

If your S-Corp overpaid federal or state taxes, refunds are issued to the business EIN (typically 3–8 weeks after filing).  

Shareholders receive any overpayment through their individual 1040 refunds.  

The refund status for Form 1120-S can’t be tracked online; please call the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line at 1-800-829-4933.