I did not receive my federal tax refund

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
March 31, 2020
7 replies
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mesquitebean

Level 15

@camillesumilalao wrote: "I did not receive my Federal tax refund."

We can tell you how to check on it, and how to speak to the IRS, if necessary. I'll assume you are asking about a 2019 return.

The IRS says 9 out of 10 filers who efile and choose direct deposit will get their Federal refunds within 21 days after being accepted. Some returns are processed fairly quickly, while others require additional processing due to specific items in the return. Some are pulled at random for more thorough investigation.

Did you efile, or did you choose to print and mail the return? If you filed by mail, it can take about 6 weeks to get a Federal refund.

If you efiled, double-check to be sure the return was efiled successfully and accepted.
If you used Online TurboTax, you can sign into your Online Account and check the efile status at the Tax Home.

If that showed it was accepted, you can use the "Where's My Refund" tool at the IRS website below to monitor the status of your Federal refund.
https://www.irs.gov/Refunds

NOTE: When using that tool, use only the Federal refund amount, and not any total refund amount that includes a state refund.
The amount to use is on your Federal Form 1040, Line 21a.

If the IRS tool says it is still being processed, and if it's been longer than 21 days since an efiled return was accepted, we can tell you how to speak to a live agent at the IRS to see if they can tell you anything about the delay.

tcpz

Level 2

My e-File for my 2021 Federal Tax return was accepted on 4/3/2022 but I haven't received my refund as of 4/27/2022. I also got the Audit Defense using the Turbo Tax software. Can Audit Defense help me or do I need to call the IRS and what do I say?

Thanks,

Tomy

mesquitebean

Level 15

@ tcpz wrote:
My e-File for my 2021 Federal Tax return was accepted on 4/3/2022 but I haven't received my refund as of 4/27/2022. I also got the Audit Defense using the Turbo Tax software. Can Audit Defense help me or do I need to call the IRS and what do I say?

Audit Defense is not for that purpose. Audit Defense is used if you need to have someone defend your tax return if it's audited by the IRS. The Audit Defense people cannot speed up the IRS processing your return. The return processing is a routine function of the IRS, but sometimes it takes longer than 21 days.

You say you have been waiting 24 days. While the IRS says that most people who efile and choose direct deposit will get their refunds "within 21 days", that's not always the case. Anything that requires any manual review will take longer. If you want to phone the IRS to see if they can tell you anything about the reason for the delay, you can do so, but it's not easy. I'll give you some tips below.

First, if you are sure your efile was accepted, what do you see when you use the IRS "Where's My Refund" tool? Sometimes there is a message there, or it may say your return is "being processed", or it might say it is "still being processed." Or it may say that your refund has been approved and sent.

https://www.irs.gov/Refunds

If the IRS WMR tool says it is still being processed, then since it's been longer than 21 days, you could try to phone the IRS and ask them what might be causing the delay. They are not each to reach.

I have found that for me it was best to call just before closing time--about 6:55 PM and quickly go through the steps below. I figured a lot of folks would not call that close to closing, and that if I was one of the last to get into the queue, they would finish off all the people who were in the queue at closing time. I still had to wait about 25 minutes.

IRS: 800-829-1040 (7AM-7 PM local time) Monday-Friday

When calling the IRS do not choose the first choice re: "Refund", or it will send you to an automated phone line.

First choose your language. Then listen to each menu before making the selection.
Then press 2 for "personal income tax".
Then press 1 for "form, tax history, or payment".
Then press 3 "for all other questions."
Then press 2 "for all other questions."
It may then ask for your SSN, but do not enter it. Just wait. If it asks for SSN a second time, still do not enter it.
Then it will get "tired", and you'll get another menu. Choose 2 for "personal".
Then in the next menu choose 4 for "all other inquiries", and it should transfer you to an agent but expect a long wait.
I usually use a speakerphone so I can work on something else while waiting.