I filed 3 weeks ago and still have not received my federal. I checked the status and it was unable to show me them. What do I do ?

[Critter]

DID I FILE MY RETURN?

 Some clarification is needed here. Only you can e-file your tax return. Nobody else can do it for you. You are the one who has to click that "TRANSMIT MY RETURNS NOW" button. When you have transmitted your return to the IRS, you will receive two e-mails. You will receive physically separate e-mails for a state return, if a state return is filed, for a total of four e-mails. Two from federal, and two from the state.

The first e-mail informs you that you have successfully TRANSMITTED your return to the IRS. This e-mail usually arrives in 10-15 minutes. If you don't have that e-mail, then you did not finish the process.

 The second email informs you if your transmitted return was accepted, or rejected by the IRS. If rejected, follow the link in the e-mail to deal with the rejection issue. This second e-mail can take as long as 48 hours before you receive it. Once your return is accepted, DO NOT lose that e-mail. It's the only solid proof you have, that the IRS accepted your e-filed return. Without it, should the IRS claim you did not file a return, you lose the argument. If it's not in writing, it did not occur.

Once you have that e-mail indicated the IRS has ACCEPTED your return, TurboTax has fulfilled the obligation you paid them for, and TurboTax is no longer in this equation anymore.

Just because the IRS has accepted your e-filed return, does not mean they agree with it. It can take 4 weeks or longer for them to process it. To follow the processing, you can do that at https://www.irs.gov/refunds  It will take 48-72 hours after the IRS has accepted your e-filed return, before it will show up on that IRS website.

REASONS YOU MAY NOT GET THE CONFIRMATION E-MAILS

-          You did not click the TRANSMIT MY RETURNS NOW button and/or did not *F*I*N*I*S*H* working through the program after you did click it.

-          The e-mail address you provided is wrong

-          The email was moved to your junk, trash or spam folder by your email program, or depending on how things are set up on your end, the email was deleted entirely.

-          Your e-mail provider marked the e-mail as spam and moved it to your *ONLINE* junk, trash or spam folder, or just deleted the email entirely with no notification to you. That’s your provider’s fault. Not yours or TurboTax’s fault.

-          You deleted the email without reading it, mistaking it for spam from TurboTax.

[Critter]

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**NOTE*** Due to the Corona virus the IRS is operating short staffed. All field offices are closed and some processing centers are all but closed. Any tax return that requires hand processing will probably have long delays. Mailed returns are not being processed at all at this time. Most phone service has been curtailed.
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations-during-covid-19-mission-critical-functions-continue
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TurboTax only gives the general IRS (most returns are processed within 21 days) date. The actual date is known only by the IRS. TurboTax also does not adjust the general date for anything on the tax return. TurboTax receives no feedback from the IRS after filing.

The IRS says most refunds will be issued within 21 days - some faster, some longer.

Each tax return is evaluated on it's own merits. There is no first-in-first-out. Two similar tax return submitted at the same time can have totally different processing times based on IRS criteria for examining tax returns that the IRS does not divulge.

Some returns will be held for ID verification or other verification. The IRS will send a letter if they require more information to process your tax return.

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/refund-timing

Check your refund status here:
https://www.irs.gov/refunds

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