Refund tracker
Federal tax refund status
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
Check the status of a federal tax refund you filed for, directly with the IRS.
Benefits directory
Benefits for real life.
Identification refunds. Income. A place to call home. Explore official resources for what matters to you.
Your personal ID numbers stay private. Apply directly with official agencies.
Explore all benefits
Your next step starts here.
13 resources to exploreU.S. programs & resources
Identity protection
Refund held by identity theft
IRS IDENTITY THEFT CENTRAL
Get help if your refund is delayed because someone misused your SSN or ITIN.
Refund security
Identity Protection PIN
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
Get a free six-digit PIN that prevents others from filing a return or claiming a refund with your SSN.
Money owed to you
Unclaimed money search
USA.GOV
Search official databases for money owed to you, like old refunds, deposits, or uncashed checks.
SSN application
Apply for a Social Security number
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Request a new or replacement Social Security card using Form SS-5, free from Social Security.
EIN application
Apply for an EIN
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
Get an Employer Identification Number for your business online with the IRS, free and issued immediately.
ITIN application
Apply for an ITIN
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
For people who must file U.S. taxes but are not eligible for an SSN, using Form W-7.
Monthly assistance
Supplemental Security Income
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Monthly support for eligible people with disabilities and adults 65 or older with limited income and resources.
Rental support
Housing assistance
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Explore rental assistance and housing vouchers through your local public housing agency.
Food assistance
Food & nutrition benefits
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Find SNAP information and your state application for help with everyday grocery costs.
Health & wellbeing
Health coverage
HEALTHCARE.GOV
Explore health insurance options, potential savings, and Medicaid or CHIP coverage.
Education support
Student financial aid
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Explore federal grants, work-study, and student loans that can help with college or career school.
Access & inclusion
Disability accommodations
ADA.GOV · U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Learn about disability rights and access to public services, businesses, and reasonable accommodations.
Programs determine eligibility. An identification number does not create an investment, income, or entitlement to benefits.
Getting paid
Gross pay vs. net pay.
Your pay stub shows two numbers, and they are not the same thing. Gross is what you earned. Net is what you keep. Here is how the first one becomes the second.
Gross pay
Everything you earned, before anything is taken out.
Your wages, salary, overtime, tips, commissions, and bonuses added together for the pay period. It is the number your offer letter or employment agreement quotes.
- Hours worked multiplied by your pay rate
- Includes overtime, bonuses, tips, and commissions
- Not the amount that reaches your bank account
Net pay
What you keep, after deductions come out.
Gross pay minus taxes and other deductions. This is your take-home pay — the amount deposited to your bank or paid to you as a check each period.
- Taxes and other deductions have already been removed
- The amount that actually hits your bank account
- Also called take-home pay
Deductions — like federal and state taxes, Social Security, Medicare, and health premiums — come out between these two numbers. Your pay stub shows both; the smaller one is your take-home pay. For a personalized figure, use the official IRS Tax Withholding Estimator.
Identity essentials
Understand your identification.
Different IDs serve different purposes. Learn what they’re used for—and keep your real numbers private.
Your identity is yours to protect.
This site never asks for your SSN, passport, or other identification numbers. Apply only through official program websites.