Over 50 days and no return yet, but family got theirs

[djevansfamily]

I have been through all the helps and read the IRS website. Two of my children filed their taxes at the end of January....more than 50 days ago....and the status of both is just 'received.' Calling does not help it's the same as online. However, two family members filed their returns just 10 days ago and 22 days ago, and both have received their return already. This doesn't make sense. Why are our returns that were filed back in January still not being processed and yet returns filed in the last 2 weeks have already been processed? My children NEED their returns for school and payments. How do we get through to the IRS to resolve this? Please don't say....be patient and wait. We purchased Turbo Tax to help them get these done and efiled quickly so they could get processed quickly, and yet now they are stuck somewhere in the system while others and filing late and getting their returns.

[xmasbaby0]

You are always going to find someone else whose refund arrived faster, and someone who waited even longer than you.  That is the way it goes. Returns are not processed “first in — first out.”

Were the returns filed early in the tax season?

The IRS is getting more and more vigilant to prevent identity theft and fraud.   Last year in 2023 they flagged over a million returns for fraud by early March.   People who file very early in the season are sometimes scrutinized more.  Do not take it personally.   TurboTax does not get any information from the IRS after they accept your return, so no one at TT knows that your refund is delayed or why.  All you can do is wait for the IRS to finish processing your return.  Watch the refund site.  If the IRS wants more information from you they will request it.If they want you to verify your identity, you must follow the IRS’s instructions in order to do that.   In many cases they will send you a letter—and you will have to wait for that letter.

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. 

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 35a of your 2023 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://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2580357-who-provides-the-refund-processing-service

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

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

[fanfare]

The new IRS Commissioner was just on C-SPAN praising how wonderful the IRS is becoming.

I guess you would not agree with him.

@djevansfamily