I filled injured spouse since March 2024 and it's been over 8 months. Called the IRS and they told me they are backed up and my file have not been touched and to give them 30 days. It's been 30 days and still nothing. Why does injured spouse take so long? Is there anyone else I can call, this is ridiculous.
TurboTax gets no information at all after you file your tax return, nor can TT speed up the IRS for you. And.....it does take much longer for the IRS to process an injured spouse return, so you can expect a delay when you file with injured spouse.
Call the IRS: 1-800-829-1040 hours 7 AM - 7 PM local time Monday-Friday
When calling the IRS do NOT choose the first option re: "Refund", or it will send you to an automated phone line.
So after first choosing your language, then do NOT choose Option 1 (refund info). Choose option 2 for "personal income tax" instead.
Then press 1 for "form, tax history, or payment".
Then press 3 "for all other questions."
Then press 2 "for all other questions."
- When it asks you to enter your SSN or EIN to access your account information, don't enter anything.
- After it asks twice, you will get another menu.
Press 2 for personal or individual tax questions.
Then press 3 for all other inquiries
It should then transfer you to an agent.
TAX ADVOCATE
At the following IRS website, find the USA map and click on your state, and it will give you the number of your area's IRS Taxpayer Advocate.
http://www.irs.gov/uac/Contact-a-Local-Taxpayer-Advocate
Also see this article for more info on how the Taxpayer Advocate Service works::
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc104.html
https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/TAS_CaseCriteria_061120.pdf
https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/can-tas-help-me-with-my-tax-issue/
The injured spouse allocation is not automated, it has to be reviewed by a human being. The IRS is never efficient in the best of times, and I suspect that if you asked them, they would still blame the pandemic shutdown as the reason for long backlogs. (But that's probably BS.)
To avoid the delays, you could file next year as married filing separately, but that has other disadvantages.
Or, get your spouse to pay their debts, so your joint refund is no longer held for offset.