Haven't received my tax refund has been 4 months now

[dfg5133]

Still haven’t received return or stimulus. Return accepted 2/4. Information entered on Get My Payment 4/16.

[shelleycarver]

I too (haven't received my tas return has been 4 months now)!

My e-filed return was accepted on 4/30/2020. It is now 8/20/2020 and the return is still "in progress" (according to "where's my refund" feature on irs.gov).

I have received no correspondence from IRS.

I cannot find a phone number that gets me to an actual person. Every phone number I try just repeats that my return is in progress, whereas I need to know why it is still in progress, or a rough estimate (months? years?) of how long it will take. 

So important questions

1. What if they sent correspondence that I never received and can't process my return until I provide information (which I don't know about since I never got letter)?

2. What is a phone number I can call to reach an actual person?

Thank you

[DoninGA]

---

@shelleycarver wrote:

I too (haven't received my tas return has been 4 months now)!

My e-filed return was accepted on 4/30/2020. It is now 8/20/2020 and the return is still "in progress" (according to "where's my refund" feature on irs.gov).

I have received no correspondence from IRS.

I cannot find a phone number that gets me to an actual person. Every phone number I try just repeats that my return is in progress, whereas I need to know why it is still in progress, or a rough estimate (months? years?) of how long it will take. 

So important questions

1. What if they sent correspondence that I never received and can't process my return until I provide information (which I don't know about since I never got letter)?

2. What is a phone number I can call to reach an actual person?

Thank you

---

After the tax return has been Accepted by the IRS (meaning only that they received the return) it will be in the Processing mode until the tax refund has been Approved and then an Issue Date will be available on the IRS website.
See this IRS website for federal tax refund FAQ's - https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions
If over 21 days since being Accepted by the IRS and the tax refund is still Processing you can call the IRS and speak with an IRS agent concerning your tax refund.
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 4 for all other inquiries
It should then transfer you to an agent.

[dfg5133]

As of yesterday, I now have a 424 Examination Request code on my transcript. What does this mean?

[xmasbaby0]

@dfg5133 

This web reference shows the meaning of every IRS transaction code:  https://www.auditdetective.com/Transaction_Code_Definitions.html

According to this website, 424 means your return is going to be examined to see if an actual audit should begin: https://www.astps.org/wp-content/uploads/Detect-an-Audit-Slides.pdf

[realists89]

I already paid from May and I still haven't gotten my refund 

[mesquitebean]

---

@ realists89 wrote:

I already paid from May and I still haven't gotten my refund 

---

 Paid "what" in May--the TurboTax product fees? 

That's not much info to go on, so we don't know what all you have already done.  But we can tell you how to check on a delayed Federal refund, and how to speak to someone at the IRS, and, if necessay, the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service.

Here are some things to do first, some of which you may have already done.  If you efiled, you should double-check to be sure the return was efiled successfully and accepted.  If you used Online TurboTax, you can sign into your Online Account and check the efile status at the Tax Home.

If the info at the Tax Home confirms it was accepted, you can use the "Where's My Refund" tool at the IRS website below to check on the status of your Federal refund.  
https://www.irs.gov/Refunds

NOTE: When using that tool, be sure to enter the correct SSN and filing status.  Use only the Federal refund amount, and not any total refund amount that includes a state refund.  The amount to use is on your Federal Form 1040, Line 21a.

If the IRS 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 the last few weeks, some are now 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, or can't find out anything about your refund delay, 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

[mesquitebean]

Here are some things to do first, some of which you may have already done.  If you efiled, you should double-check to be sure the return was efiled successfully and accepted.  If you used Online TurboTax, you can sign into your Online Account and check the efile status at the Tax Home.

If the info at the Tax Home confirms it was accepted, you can use the "Where's My Refund" tool at the IRS website below to check on the status of your Federal refund.  
https://www.irs.gov/Refunds

NOTE: When using that tool, be sure to enter the correct SSN and filing status.  Use only the Federal refund amount, and not any total refund amount that includes a state refund.  The amount to use is on your Federal Form 1040, Line 21a.

If the IRS 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 the last few weeks, some are now 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, or can't find out anything about your refund delay, 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

[acm1223]

i am dealing with the same thing and same problems! Its ridiculous! And if we owed the goverment money they would be breathing down our necks or taking everything we had!

[Chrys1]

You can blame turbo tax. Their software SUCKED this year. Created TONS of errors for tax filers. They deny it and explain it with cut copy and paste crap from the irs websites. The irs actually stated “anyone who used turbo tax will be delayed indefinitely due to their software issues” yup you heard that right. Not one, not two not three but four individuals from the irs including a supervisor stated this verbatim. I have used turbo tax for 15 plus years and will NEVER USE THEIR DEFUNCT SOFTWARE EVER AGAIN FOR MY TAXES. it was bad enough that due to their internal errors those who used turbo tax didn’t get their stimulus until 3 months after everyone else and for some, they are still waiting. Do not let TT tell you it’s the irs fault! 

[Rainy02]

im really going thru financial hardships dont know what to do i lost my income and have no money whats so ever. im a single mom and i need my income tax

[DoninGA]

---

@Rainy02 wrote:

im really going thru financial hardships dont know what to do i lost my income and have no money whats so ever. im a single mom and i need my income tax

---

Did you e-file your tax return and was it accepted?
Only the IRS and your State control when and if a Federal or State tax refund is Approved and Issued.

You complete your tax return by finishing all 3 Steps in the File section. In Step 3, to e-file your tax return, you must click on the large Orange button labeled "Transmit my returns now".

After completing the File section and e-filing your tax return you will receive two emails from TurboTax. The first email when your tax return was transmitted and the second email when the tax return has either been accepted or rejected.

Note - Once a tax return has been Accepted by the IRS or a State, TurboTax receives no further information concerning the tax return or the status of any tax refund.  Only the taxpayer listed on the tax return can obtain the status of a tax refund or a tax return.

To check the status of an e-filed return, open up your desktop product or log into your TurboTax Online Account. You can find your status within the TurboTax product.
If accepted by the IRS use the federal tax refund website to check the refund status - https://www.irs.gov/refunds
If accepted by the state use this TurboTax support FAQ to check the state tax refund status - https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899433-how-do-i-track-my-state-refund

After the tax return has been Accepted by the IRS (meaning only that they received the return) it will be in the Processing mode until the tax refund has been Approved and then an Issue Date will be available on the IRS website.

The IRS is seriously behind in processing 2020 tax returns.  This is due to many factors, such as the pandemic, completing processing of millions of 2019 tax returns, stimulus payments, unemployment compensation exclusion tax refunds., changes in the tax code by Congress in the middle of the 2020 tax season and the like.

Millions of taxpayers have not yet received there federal tax refunds.

Go to this IRS website for operational status - https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations-during-covid-19-mission-critical-functions-continue

The IRS is opening mail within normal timeframes and all paper and electronic individual returns received prior to April 2021 have been processed if the return had no errors or did not require further review.  As of August 20, 2021, we had 10.1 million unprocessed individual returns.  Unprocessed individual returns include tax year 2020 returns such as those requiring correction to the Recovery Rebate Credit amount or validation of 2019 income used to figure the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). This work does not require us to correspond with taxpayers but does require special handling by an IRS employee so, in these instances, it is taking the IRS more than 21 days to issue any related refund and in some cases this work could take 90 to 120 days. If, as a result, a correction is made to any RRC, EITC or ACTC claimed on the return, the IRS will send taxpayers an explanation. Taxpayers are encouraged to continue to check Where’s My Refund? for their personalized refund status and can review Tax Season Refund Frequently Asked Questions.

What you should do: In most instances, no further action is needed but you may check Where’s my refund or you can view your account. If you filed electronically and received an acknowledgement, you do not need to take any further action other than promptly responding to any requests for information. If you filed on paper, check Where’s my refund? If it tells you we have received your return or are processing or reviewing it, we are processing your return, but it may be under review. We’re working hard to get through the backlog. Please don’t file a second tax return or contact the IRS about the status of your return.

If you are experiencing a financial hardship then contact a Taxpayer Advocate for assistance.

See this IRS website for Taxpayer Advocate in your area and a toll free number - http://www.irs.gov/Advocate/Local-Taxpayer-Advocate

[mecom56]

So here's our story, we filed our taxes early, got a return, and then the rules changed. We amended our taxes and were told we were still owed over 2300. We waited and waited. I didn't find out about the IRS amended tax return checker until about 15 weeks in. At that point, I learned that it takes 16 weeks for an amended return to process. Then they have to mail you a paper check, which can take 3 more weeks. Now bear in mind this is in a normal year not when the IRS is backed up due to stimulus payments. So we are now at 18 weeks with no check. Also because we amended we didn't receive our first child tax credit payment in July either. I've never been so concerned about what's actually going to happen and when. We have to move in a month and this was what the money was for. We have never had issues because we always use Turbo Tax however we will never amend a tax return again if possible.