I mailed in my tax return but it has been 9 weeks and I have gotten nothing. Then went I went to check the status on the IRS website and turbotax they are saying nothing is on file. So where is my tax return?
People who filed their tax returns by mail are facing a long wait.
MAILED RETURNS
Per the IRS website IRS Operations During COVID-19: Mission-critical functions continue: The IRS is not currently able to process individual paper tax returns. If you already have filed via paper but it has not yet been processed, do not file a second tax return or write to the IRS to inquire about the status of your return or your economic impact payment. Paper returns will be processed once processing centers are able to reopen.
If you mail a tax return (or a payment) to the IRS, it is a good idea to use a mailing service that will track it like UPS or certified mail so you will know it was received.
When you mail a tax return, you need to attach any documents showing tax withheld, such as your W-2’s or any 1099’s.
TurboTax will not know anything about your mailed return, and will continue to show “Ready to Mail” on your account. TurboTax will not know that you put your tax return in an envelope and took it to a mailbox. TurboTax does not get updates on mailed (or e-filed) returns.
When the IRS finally opens its mail and begins to process mailed returns you can check the status on the IRS site. https://www.irs.gov/refunds
State returns have to be mailed to the state.
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899433-how-do-i-track-my-state-refund
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/20/politics/irs-mail-trailers-covid/index.html
The IRS tracking web site will say nothing on file until the IRS opens your mailed return and starts processing it. The IRS went several weeks without processing any mailed returns and there are stacks of them unopened in trailers at the operation centers.
Waiting and not knowing the status of your tax return and refund can be frustrating.
Unfortunately TurboTax gets no information about the status of your refund.
In normal times, the IRS says that most filers get their refunds within 21 days from the time their tax return is accepted.
Many returns are taking longer now since the IRS did not process returns for a while and there is now a big backlog of unprocessed returns.
To protect the public and employees, and in compliance with orders of local health authorities around the country, certain IRS services
such as live assistance on telephones, processing paper tax returns and responding to correspondence are extremely limited or suspended until further notice.
They are now taking phone calls with a limited staff but it's hard to get through.
If you efiled your return, have you confirmed that the return was submitted by TurboTax and accepted by the IRS?
https://shop.turbotax.intuit.com/efile/efile_status_lookup.jsp
If accepted, what does the IRS tracking web site say about the status of your refund?
https://www.irs.gov/refunds
If you mailed your return, you must print and mail it yourself. TurboTax does not mail it for you. You will not be able to start tracking your return until the IRS starts processing it.
Here is an IRS Q&A with information about refunds:
https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions
See this info about the current status of IRS operations:
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations-during-covid-19-mission-critical-functions-continue
This doesn't surprise me if you mailed your return. It is likely to be many more weeks with the backlog of mail the IRS has. There is a delay in processing the returns as the IRS is not processing anything paper at the moment due to Covid-19 and social distancing policies in effect.
The online link is your best option to track your refund. I have attached a link with more answers from the IRS as to why your refund may be taking longer to process.
Due to the COVID-19 shutdown the IRS has not processed or even opened incoming mail for the last 10 weeks so not that they are getting back to work they have a huge backlog and storage trailers full of mail to process so it will take a while.
See this IRS article for the latest status.
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations-during-covid-19-mission-critical-functions-continue