IRS told me that Turbo Tax is holding on to my federal refund - yet can’t get a hold of a person

What is the status on your return.

 

Once you submit your return in TurboTax Online, you'll see its status on the Tax Home screen of your account.

After you e-file your return, it's considered "pending". After the IRS processes your return, it'll either be accepted or rejected.

 

We'll also send you emails letting you know when your e-file status changes.

 

You can use the IRS tool Where's My Refund to check if your e-filed return has been received.

 

Also see the TurboTax article How do I check my e-file status?

if IRS tells you that, it means you opted for the TurboTax  pay-my-fee-out-of-refund scheme.

 

Based on forum discussions, that does not always work out well for the customer.

 

@devin-osborne319