My tax refund is last and it’s been over 3 months since I filed my taxes

[mesquitebean]

@ norefundstill 

This is mainly a user community forum.   Sorry you're having trouble.   I can tell you how to reach the IRS to check on your delay or if necessary, the Taxpayer Advocate Service for assistance.

If the IRS "Where's My Refund" tool says your refund is still being processed, here's how to reach the IRS, but it may not be easy.  Part of it is luck.  Due to the Coronavirus, some of the IRS call centers are closed, some are operating with reduced personnel, some are gradually opening back up.  Some users have reported last week that they have finally reached someone.   Here is the normal method to reach an IRS live agent when they are operating smoothly, and I'll also tell you how to reach the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service.

IRS:  800-829-1040 (7AM-7 PM local time) Monday-Friday

When calling the IRS do not choose the first choice re: "Refund", or it will send you to an automated phone line.

• First choose your language.  Then listen to each menu before making the selection.
• Then press 2 for "personal income tax".
• Then press 1 for "form, tax history, or payment".  
• Then press 3 "for all other questions."
• Then press 2 "for all other questions." 
• It may then ask for your SSN, but do not enter it.  Just wait.    If it asks for SSN a second time, still do not enter it.
• Then it will get "tired", and you'll get another menu.  Choose 2 for "personal".
• Then in the next menu choose 4 for "all other inquiries", and it should transfer you to an agent but expect a long wait.
• I usually use a speakerphone so I can work on something else while waiting.

If you continue to have no luck reaching the IRS, you can try contacting the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service for your area.   They are still taking phone calls in most states.  They are especially prone to help if you have an economic hardship, or if there have been continued delays with lack of info from the IRS.    At the following IRS website, find the USA map and click on your state, and it will give you the number of your IRS Taxpayer Advocate.  If the Advocate Service cannot help, ask the Advocate Service agent to transfer you to an IRS agent; some users have reported that is a backdoor to reach the IRS.

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Contact-a-Local-Taxpayer-Advocate

Also see this article for more info on how the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service works::
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc104.html

[jdodson]

@mesquitebean Thank you so much for this information - I was finally able to speak to an IRS agent and find out why my federal return was hung up! It was a simple fix too. 

[hmg1991]

@mesquitebean what was the hang up? Did they give you an estimated time that you would receive your refund?  How did you get a hold of someone?

[jdodson]

@hmg1991  I think you replied to the wrong person haha - I followed the instructions that mesquitebean posted above my response. Had to wait about 30min until I got someone. I had to do an amendment for my state taxes and when I paid it it went to the IRS instead of my state which caused it to just stop in the process. Who knows how long it would have sat there if I hadn't  finally gotten a hold of someone. She released my return and refunded the $11 back so I can send it to the state. Insane to think my return has been held up for 13 weeks because of a measly $11.

[stevemusic63]

I filed march 17 2020 turbo tax never acknowledged me until march 28th that they were both excepted I still have not seen or anything about my federal tax what the hell it's what June 23rdits bin 3 months they have had my money for over a year now weres my interest why cant I penalize the IRS for tieing up my money its bad enough that they will penalize you interest fees all kinds of **bleep** if you dont give them  a chunk of your hard earned money as it is but I cant penalize them for using my money for this long and I still cant get it 

[JotikaT2]

It depends. 

The IRS issues a lot of refunds within 21 days, but it has been taking longer with the stimulus payment being issued in addition to the tax refunds. 

IRS processing time and refund status 

The online link is your best option to track your refund.  I have attached a link with more answers from the IRS as to why your refund may be taking longer to process.

Federal refund questions

Also, be aware, the IRS operations are limited during the Covid-19 pandemic.  Attached is a link with more information as to what departments are available to contact at the moment.

IRS operations

[Fednoreturn20]

I filed 2019 returns and accepted on Mar. 20th, 2020 by turbotax.  I got state refunds on March 26th, but No Fed.  Today is the last day of June, I still do not receive the 2019 Fed refund.  Amazingly, I got Stimulus check on Apr. 15th.  I wonder whether they use regular tax refund money to give out Stimulus check which is much less than 2019 return.

[xmasbaby0]

@Fednoreturn20 Your income tax refund has nothing to do with your stimulus check.  They did not send you a stimulus check "instead" of your 2019  tax refund.  

The IRS can use your 2018 or 2019 return for information from which to issue your stimulus check.  Since they have not finished processing your 2019 return, they evidently used your 2018 return.

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

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.  Many refunds are taking longer during the pandemic. 

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 20 of your 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...

IRS phone lines supported by customer service representatives for both taxpayers and tax professionals are not staffed at this time. To check on regular tax refund status via automated phone, call 800-829-1954. (This line has no information on Economic Impact Payments.)

[bb3605]

I don’t think blaming TurboTax is worthwhile.  I’ve used H&R TaxCut for the last 20 plus years, never had an issue until this year.  I filed on 4.10.2020 and the IRS is still sayings “being processed” .

[hifivepercent]

I spent 45 minutes on hold with the IRS this morning so hopefully I can save you some time. The IRS is still processing electronic and paper returns. The 21 day return is not a reality right now. Its more like 8-12 weeks.

If you owe money your return will not get processed until August or September. The IRS is processing returns first so that they don't have to pay interest. They don't care about charging you interest and fees if you underpay.

There was a cut-off date for determining your stimulus check. If you didn't qualify based on 2018 but you made less in 2019, it doesn't matter. Your return would have had to be processed already. Small loop hole they didn't think about. If you made less than 75k in 2019 but you made more in 2018 and will in 2020 you are not getting a check.

[ckburkett3]

13 weeks and still waiting. IRS Refund status shows still processing. Like many of you I too paid in advance for TurboTax to file. I have never had an issue before now (hopefully it's due to the pandemic) but I am starting  to question if I will use this software next year.

[jdodson]

**UPDATE**

TLDR; I filed early march and was told if i don't get my return by july 31st to call again and they will escalate (july 31st is the deadline to get finished all backlogged tax returns)

So I e-filed with turbotax back in the beginning of March, got my state immediately, still waiting on federal, IRS website says "still being processed."

I called a month ago and spoke to someone at the IRS using @mesquitebean 's directions above. I was told it's because I made an $11 payment in an amendment to my state taxes and for some reason it went to the IRS. I was told she was going to release that back to me so I could pay the state and release my federal return.

4 months later and still nothing. I just got off another call with the IRS with a 40min wait time and was told that yes she had been correct in what she told me, but she failed to mention that they are so back-logged that my return still has yet to be processed. She said for not having anyone in the office to work the returns for months they are trying to get through all of them now. My return is fairly simple, single, no dependents, house, 2 jobs that's it. She said if I do not get my return by July 31st because this is their deadline for backlogged returns to call again and they will escalate.

[jess101]

We e-filed w/ Turbo Tax in April. It's now September. IRS site says still processing. What in the world? 

[mesquitebean]

---

@ jess101 wrote:

We e-filed w/ Turbo Tax in April. It's now September. IRS site says still processing. What in the world? 

---

There have been a lot of delays this year if any return required any manual review or manual processing due to IRS shutdowns due to the Coronavirus situation and resulting backlog. 

If the IRS "Where's My Refund" tool says it is still being processed, here's how to reach the IRS to inquire about the delay, but it may not be easy.  Part of it is luck.    Due to the Coronavirus, some of the IRS call centers had been closed for a few weeks, some are operating with reduced personnel, and others are gradually opening back up.  Users have been reporting that they are finally now reaching someone.    Here is the normal method to reach a live IRS agent when they are operating smoothly, and I'll also tell you below how to reach the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service, if needed.

IRS:  800-829-1040 (7AM-7 PM local time) Monday-Friday

When calling the IRS do not choose the first choice re: "Refund", or it will send you to an automated phone line.

• First choose your language.  Then listen to each menu before making the selection.
• Then press 2 for "personal income tax".
• Then press 1 for "form, tax history, or payment".  
• Then press 3 "for all other questions."
• Then press 2 "for all other questions." 
• It may then ask for your SSN, but do not enter it.  Just wait.    If it asks for SSN a second time, still do not enter it.
• Then it will get "tired", and you'll get another menu.  Choose 2 for "personal".
• Then in the next menu choose 4 for "all other inquiries", and it should transfer you to an agent but expect a long wait.
• I usually use a speakerphone so I can work on something else while waiting.

If you continue to have no luck reaching the IRS, you can try contacting the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service for your area.    They are especially prone to help if you have an economic hardship, or if there have been continued delays with lack of info from the IRS.    At the following IRS website, find the USA map and click on your state, and it will give you the number of your IRS Taxpayer Advocate.    If the Taxpayer Advocate can't/won't help you, ask them to transfer you to an an IRS agent.  A couple of users reported that at least for them, that was a backdoor route to the IRS.

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Contact-a-Local-Taxpayer-Advocate

Also see this article for more info on how the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service works::
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc104.html

[MaddieAllie]

I started using TurboTax a few years ago, and it's always been a very smooth process.

This year however, it's been a nightmare!

Using TurboTax, I filed my state and federal for 2019 back in mid April 2020. It is now mid September 2020, and I still haven't received my federal refund (I received my state refund in May).

I am a single female, I rent and I have no children. My return is very basic / straightforward.

I've used the IRS check refund status tool, however as of September 15, it continues to say my refund is still being processed (it's been saying this for months).

Again, this was filed 6 months ago!

I'm currently laid off due to COVID and this refund would be a lifeline. I've heard of delays lasting up to 90 days, but 6 months?!?

I cannot reach an actual person at IRS nor TurboTax. It's all automated replies, and they simply say my refund is being processed.

Does anyone have advice or a possible solution? This cannot be right, can it?!?!