Has anyone else had a huge delay in federal refund timing?

[SweetieJean]

You are not alone.  The IRS is seriously backlogged due to all the recent new tax laws and extra stimulus filings, as well as a few million unprocessed 2019 returns left over from the COVID shutdown.  Contacting the IRS will not speed things up, and they have implored taxpayers not to call.  Lots of other folks are still waiting, so please continue to be patient. Also see:

The IRS is under serious stress — what does that mean for your refund? (msn.com)

What led to IRS backlog: ‘Thin workforce,’ new pandemic relief programs | Federal News Network

[xmasbaby0]

Lots of people are experiencing delays in receiving their federal refunds.   The IRS is severely backlogged during a pandemic when the tax laws keep changing and causing them to flit between processing tax returns and sending out stimulus checks, and now they have to recalculate millions of returns on which people paid tax on unemployment.....it's a mess.

Federal and state refunds come from completely separate entities.  There is no rule as to which one will come in first or how long it will be between their arrival in your account.

Sadly, the IRS refund site has been behaving erratically and has not always been reliable this year.   TurboTax has no control over this and cannot find out anything about your refund for you.

https://www.irs.gov/refunds

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/taxes/the-irs-is-behind-in-processing-nearly-7-million-tax-returns-s...

TurboTax gives you an estimated date for receiving your refund based on a 21 day average from your date of acceptance, but it can take longer.  “21 days”  is not a promise from TurboTax or the IRS.   Many refunds are taking longer during the pandemic.  The IRS is backlogged —-they are still trying to process millions of 2019 returns; they received millions of e-filed on the day they opened for 2020 returns, and now they are burdened with sending out another round of stimulus checks.   

Some delays are resulting from incorrect amounts that folks entered for stimulus checks they received.   Many people have been confused by the recovery rebate credit and completed it incorrectly.  The IRS may delay your refund while they cross-check to see what you received.

First, check your e-file status to see if your return was accepted: 

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/efile-status-lookup/

Once your federal return has been accepted by the IRS, only the IRS has any control.  TurboTax does not receive any updates from the IRS. Your ONLY source of information about your refund now is the IRS.

You need your filing status, your Social Security number and the exact amount  (line 34of your 2020 Form 1040) of your federal refund to track your Federal refund:   

https://www.irs.gov/refunds

To track your state refund:    

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899433-how-do-i-track-my-state-refund

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901548-why-do-some-refunds-take-longer-than-others

If you chose to have your TurboTax fees deducted from your federal refund, that will take some extra time, while the third party bank handles the refund processing.

https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2840013-does-accepted-mean-my-refund-is-approved

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2724106-my-return-is-accepted-but-still-not-approved-is-there-a-pr...

[ErnieS0]

Many people are reporting delays in the processing of their federal refunds.

The IRS running behind. It's sending out third stimulus checks while also processing refunds. Additionally, tax returns are being corrected for issues including incorrect reporting of stimulus payments.

You can ask the IRS to research your refund if it has been more than 21 days since your return has been accepted. Call 1-800-829-1040. Be aware. The phone lines are backed up. The IRS opens at 7 a.m. local time in every time zone. The earlier you call, the better.

Also check Where’s My Refund.

If there is an issue with a tax return that requires additional review, that can add time for some taxpayers, but it varies depending on the issue. Many factors can affect the timing of a refund. Common errors the IRS is seeing this filing season include people not reporting their Economic Impact Payments accurately on the Recovery Rebate Credit line.

If you entered an amount on line 30 but made a mistake in calculating the amount, the IRS will fix your tax return and continue processing.

Tax returns with an error, incomplete information or those affected by identity theft or fraud may take longer to process. If more information is needed to process the return, the IRS will send the taxpayer a letter with a request for information.