Second, the role of state tax departments has shifted from collecting money to paying our refunds, thanks to the growth in tax credits. Taxpayers want those refunds as quickly as possible, and states have worked to process returns and submit refunds within 30 days. But processing lots of returns so quickly raises the risk that fraudulent returns will go undetected. "Once a state lets a refund go out, the chances of recovery are slim," says John Feldmann, compliance manager at the Federation of Tax Administrators.