Refunds and Payments

Your total tax payments are subtracted from your total tax owed, to see whether you are due a refund, or must pay more when you file your tax return.

If you're due a refund, you have a couple of choices. You can ask the IRS to electronically deposit the amount in your bank account, by using the space provided to write down your bank routing number (the first nine-digit number that appears on the last line of your check) and your bank account number (the number that immediately follows the routing number).

If you prefer, you can have some or all of your refund applied to your 2011 estimated tax, by writing the amount you want to apply on Line 74 of Form 1040, or on Line 47 of Form 1040A.

Work Smart For those who will owe estimated tax for 2012 and are filing by April 17th, applying your refund to 2012 can be a good solution because your first estimated payment is also due on April 17th. Simply rolling the amount due you for 2011 into the account for 2012 saves you the time and trouble of writing an additional check to the IRS.

If you don't elect to receive an electronic deposit or to have your refund applied to your 2012 taxes, you will receive a paper check from the government, generally within six weeks.

• Some taxpayers may have part of their tax refund held back by the government, to pay child support or a federal debt.
• If you owe the IRS, you have a couple of options as to how you can pay the bill.