The IRS cautions taxpayers not to rely on receiving a refund by a certain date, especially when making major purchases or paying bills.

Visit the tracker page on the IRS website and click the Check your refund button. Once directed to the Refund Status page, enter your details and click Submit. You should be directed to your refund status. Note that it takes 24 hours after you e-file your return or four weeks after you file a paper tax return for your status to appear.

If you are eligible for a tax refund, filing earlier could mean your rebate will be paid quicker, but it’s possible your return may require additional review and take longer to process. The deadline to file your taxes this year — both federal and in North Carolina — is April 15.

If you've already filed your tax return, here's everything you need to know about your refund, including when it will arrive and how to track it.

Tracking your state tax refund can be a lot harder than your federal tax refund. If you’re like most Americans, you live in a state that requires you to file a state tax return. Even though you may not have too much trouble filing your state return,