This Tool Shows How Far You Can Go With Tax Refunds

As of the week leading up to tax day, the IRS had paid out nearly 76 million refunds, with an average refund of $2,840 . While it may be wiser to invest this extra money in a loan (if you have it), an emergency or pension fund, or a savings vehicle for large expenses you expect in the short term, you can also use it right now for your planned expenses. . or spontaneous summer holidays. If you don’t already have a trip on the books, the Kayak tax refund tool will show you which destinations you can afford to fly with your refund amount.

Planning Caveat: The IRS expects to issue the vast majority of refunds within three weeks of filing returns. If you haven’t received yours yet, you can use the Where’s My Return tool to check the status.

How to choose a tax refund trip

To use the Kayak tool, simply enter the refund amount (or the amount you’d like to spend on the ride) and click View Options. By default, Kayak will show you a map with airfares from your local airport to domestic and international regions without any restrictions, but you can also narrow down your search if you have a specific destination or date.

The map view is especially useful if you just want to see options. For example, I can get from Salt Lake City to San Francisco for $123, Nashville for $175, or Honolulu for $451, although those prices are simply the cheapest. When you select a destination, you are taken to the standard Kayak search results, where you can view routes and narrow down your options even further.

If you have the flexibility, it’s best to select a month and duration and see what fits within your budget, then use the advanced search options for the type of trip (beach, city, skiing, etc.). And obviously you don’t need to have a tax refund to use this tool effectively.