21 Apr Are there delays for tax refunds in N.J.?

Q. Has anyone noticed that it’s taking really a long time to process tax refunds in New Jersey? My return was filed electronically on Feb. 8 and it’s still processing.
— Waiting not-so-patiently

A. You’re not the only one to ask whether there’s some kind of hold up.

We put the question to the Treasury Department, and it hasn’t responded yet. We will keep trying.

But there are several reasons — any system issues aside — why a tax refund could be delayed.

If you take certain credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, it’s common for your tax return to get some extra scrutiny, and that just takes more time.

The federal government says refunds take about 21 days to process, but the state doesn’t offer a specific time.

You can check the status of your refund on the state’s website or you can call (800) 323-4400 to use the automated phone system

Your status should be available about four weeks after you file electronically, 12 weeks after you mail a paper return or 15 weeks or more if you sent your paper return by certified mail because it takes for additional processing, the state said.

It also said direct deposits are processed much faster than paper checks, and you may want to double-check that you entered the correct account and routing numbers, just in case.

After the state responds to our questions, we’ll bring the answers to you.

Email your questions to Ask@NJMoneyHelp.com.

This story was originally published in April 2025.

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