Can IRS keep your refund for no reason? need advice.I filed my 2021 taxes I diled my taxes a year ago,had a federal refund of 2500 coming back,didn't get it yet.

[raulis71]

I can never get anyone to help me and I get stuck on hold for hours just to be shoved off to someone else who won't. Tell me anything.

[xmasbaby0]

If the IRS reduced your refund it was for a reason, and they would have sent you a letter to explain.  

TurboTax does not get any information from the IRS after you file your tax return, so no one at TT knows why your refund was less.

  Sometimes we can make an educated guess as to the reason for your reduced refund if you mention specific amounts--for example if your refund was short by $1400 per person---it is likely to be a mix up regarding the 3rd EIP payment.    If you received the 3rd stimulus check of $1400 per person in 2021 then you got letter 6475 from the IRS about it.   You needed to enter the amount you received.   If you already received that money then line 30 on your Form 1040 should have been blank.

  If it is short by $1800 or  $1500 or  a multiple of that amount  ---   maybe a mixup regarding the advance child tax credit payments. If you received monthly child tax credit payments of $250 or $300 per month between July and December of 2021, then you got letter 6419 from the IRS, and you were required to enter the amount of the advance payments.   Only the remaining amount of the CTC should have been on line 28 of your Form 1040.

The IRS knows how much they sent to you for the 3rd stimulus check and they know how much they sent for advance child tax credit payments.   If you answered something incorrectly on your tax return then the IRS made a correction that resulted in a reduced refund for you. 

  Meanwhile it might help you to check your online IRS account.

https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account

https://blog.turbotax.intuit.com/tax-refunds/why-is-my-tax-refund-not-what-i-expected-49240/

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/questions-and-answers-about-the-third-round-economic-impact-payment-top...

If you need to trace a payment that the IRS says has been issued to you, mail or fax a completed IRS Form 3911, Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund.

Updated IRS FAQ about recovery rebate credit

https://www.irs.gov/pub/taxpros/fs-2022-27.pdf

[Cynthiad66]

No.  IRS cannot keep your refund for nothing.  However, if you have not received your refund it is not for nothing.  There is some issue that may have not been resolved yet.  As xmasbaby0 pointed out, there could be numerous reasons why you have not received your refund.

I agree that it is very difficult to reach the IRS these days, but, all is not lost.

I suggest using the Taxpayer Advocate Service.  The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent organization within the IRS whose employees assist taxpayers who are experiencing economic harm, who are seeking help in resolving tax problems that have not been resolved through normal channels, or who believe that an IRS system or procedure is not working as it should.

This link will provide additional information and a link.