Honestly, it sucks when you're waiting on what feels like forever for your $3000 IRS tax refund. I've had the same thing happen—file taxes online, double check everything, and then... nothing happens for what feels like ages! But here's the deal: the IRS usually says refunds take up to 21 days after you e-file, as long as there aren't mistakes or anything weird on your return. Sometimes, if you claimed certain credits or your info didn't match their records perfectly, it can take even longer.

I've found that delays can also happen if your return needs extra identity checks or if there's just a big backlog at the IRS (which totally happens, especially if you filed right before or after Tax Day). If you want to check what's up with your refund, use the "Where's My Refund?" tool on the IRS site—once it says “Refund Sent,” it usually gets to your bank account in like 5 days. If it's been way longer than 21 days, you could try calling them, but be ready to wait! Hang in there, it'll probably show up soon.