There are 2 ways to answer this question about how long it takes to get your tax refund back.

The first answer is probably the answer you are looking for.

The second answer may SURPRISE some of you.

I'll start with the first answer.

How long it takes for you to get your tax refund back depends on whether you filed electronically (generally within 4-5 weeks) or filed by mail (generally takes 8-9 weeks). Also, if you chose to direct deposit your tax refund, you will probably see your tax refund a lot sooner than if the IRS had to cut a physical tax refund check.

The good news is that you can always check the status of YOUR tax refund here.

So, if you want to get your tax refund FAST, you have a better chance if you file your taxes ELECTRONICALLY. The IRS has made it easy for everyone to file their taxes ELECTRONICALLY for FREE through approved tax preparers or directly on the IRS website here.

Now, for the second answer.

What if I told you that you can get next year's "tax refund" starting today?

You see, there is a major tax myth that you are limited to what you can claim on your W-4 Form as exemptions. The W-4 Form is what you fill out to let your employer know how much withholding to take out of your paycheck to remit to the IRS for your taxes.

In fact, you can put any number of exemptions that is appropriate, regardless of how many dependents you have. While there may be a red flag if the number of exemptions exceed 10, as long as you can reasonably justify it, they should comply with your request. It's your money to start with anyway. Many people have extra tax deductions or tax credits, or have a side business, which allow them to claim significantly more exemptions on your W-4 Form.

Stop giving the government a tax-free loan of your money! Use this IRS Withholding Calculator to discover how many exemptions you should put on your W-4 Form today.

Then download this W-4 Form, put in the new exemption based on the results of the number of exemptions the IRS Withholding Calculator indicates, and submit it to your employer. It should take effect in the next 1-2 pay cycles. You should be getting a bigger net paycheck and effectively getting next year's "tax refund" starting in your next paycheck.

The goal at the end of the year is for you to neither have to pay nor need a refund when you file your taxes next year.

Want to get a bigger tax refund? Learn about the tax deductions most people don't take but should in my upcoming hub. Become a fan and subscribe to my hub pages so you can get updates right away.

And if you found this hubpage useful, please share it with those who could benefit (i.e. friends and family who need a bigger paycheck NOW).