I was waiting on my refund for almost 3months and wondering why I can't see any updates on my money!!!!!!

[Carolinahayz791]

All you all keep saying is check the irs website, and, it's not helping people that needs their money!!!!

[Critter-3]

The IRS is seriously backlogged due to all the new tax laws and extra stimulus filings, as well as unprocessed 2019 returns left over from the COVID shutdown.  Lots of other folks are still waiting (some since mid-February), so please continue to be patient.  Also see:

At least 8 million tax returns are in limbo at the IRS because of the pandemic, delaying refunds (ms...

Have you checked your status here: TurboTax and IRS ?

Although the IRS has processed and issued most refunds from e-filed returns around 21 days, because of the pileup caused by Covid, CARES Act, stimulus and the American Rescue Plan Act, some of the returns will require more time to review. 

 Several items can  delay the processing of the 2020 return ... some of which are :   

> unemployment

> repayment of the PTC

> stimulus credit  on line 30 of the 2020 form 1040

> if you used the 2019 earned income for the 2020 EIC &/or  CTC/ACTC

> if you have prior year balance dues or unfiled returns

> the info on the W-2 doesn't match what the employer sent in and/or the employer's W-2 is not yet on file

> a variety of other items that require humans to look at

Due to understaffing and over tasking at the IRS again this year many returns will be delayed for as much as months.  The aging computer system is being over taxed trying to process millions of  2019 returns and 2020 returns (some of which will need extra processing this year due to the late tax law changes)  AND putting out the third stimulus payments.  If you want to vent to someone then contact your  local congress person and demand they fund the IRS sufficiently so that they can hire enough people and update their computer systems to handle all of the demands made upon this agency.  The IRS  can only do so much with the continued reductions to their budget. 

See these  recent news articles for some sad truths:

The IRS is behind in processing nearly 7 million tax returns, slowing refunds as it implements new s...

Where is my damn IRS tax refund? New answers emerge as delays frustrate millions (msn.com)

https://money.yahoo.com/taxpayers-waiting-to-get-last-years-tax-refund-190333088.html

https://money.yahoo.com/irs-employees-say-out-of-ink-printers-are-delaying-tax-returns-171522801.htm...

Called the IRS lately? Agency struggles to hire customer service reps despite pandemic unemployment ...

[Carolinahayz791]

I think it's rather ludacris people cant get their money and have Bill's to pay just because irs wants to take their time, just because they can, I'm getting a lawyer to file a suit about my money!!!

[xmasbaby0]

TurboTax does not get any information from the IRS or state after you file your tax return, so no one at TT can tell you what is happening with your refund.   Your only source of information is the IRS or state.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/personalfinance/where-is-my-damn-irs-tax-refund-new-answers-emerge-a...

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.   Many refunds are taking longer during the pandemic.  The IRS is backlogged —-they are still trying to process millions of 2019 returns; they received millions of e-filed on the day they opened for 2020 returns, and now they are burdened with sending out another round of stimulus checks.   

Some delays are resulting from incorrect amounts that folks entered for stimulus checks they received.   Many people have been confused by the recovery rebate credit and completed it incorrectly.  The IRS may delay your refund while they cross-check to see what you received.  Some refunds are delayed because of the tax law changes that went into effect recently.   If your return has unemployment or the premium tax credit on it, that may be delaying it.

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 34of your 2020 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...

From this IRS website - https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations-during-covid-19-mission-critical-functions-continue

As of May 15, 2021, we had 300,000 individual tax returns received prior to 2021 in the processing pipeline. Including current year returns, as of May 15, 2021, we had 16.4 million unprocessed individual returns in the pipeline. Unprocessed returns include 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. 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.

[Carolinahayz791]

It's obvious they wants to keep using that excuse, when, people every since February waiting is losing their things!!!, it's not any excuse, understaffing hell, give people their money!!!!

[Carolinahayz791 · Accepted solution]

Get those stimulus out the way, that's just blocking people's money from their refunds!! I'm getting a lawyer, enough is enough!!!

[Carolinahayz791]

Afterwhile, President Biden is gonna have a problem with the nation if he doesn't push irs to do their job and get people their money!!!!!

[Critter-3]

You want to know WHY the IRS is taking so long to process returns? 

It is because congress has reduced the IRS budget every year for at least a decade so they have to do more with less which now means it takes much much longer than a normal tax year... here are some of the things the IRS is having to deal with this year which are  not normal:

1) continuing covid restrictions causing  staffing/logistical  issues including how to handle all these situations..

2) 2019 ( and earlier) returns that have still not been processed from last year + the new ones  that have been added this tax season

3) Late 2020 tax law changes which required form/programming changes in January  + a second stimulus payment be issued  which also needs to be double checked against the stimulus credit taken on the return

4) Mid 2021  tax law changes some of which were retroactive to the 2020 return which required redoing the forms/programming yet again  which prompted the IRS to have to process more than 16 million returns a second time 

5)while also issuing a third stimulus payment AND recalculating a PLUS UP if needed on those returns that are filed after the third payment went out

6) all while using aging  computer systems that are 5 years or older (ancient in computer time) 

7) and while not having the ability to hire  and train  temporary staff fast enough   (they hire thousands of temps every year which were laid off last year due to covid and have not returned because they make more sitting at home collecting unemployment ) and more returns than normal have been filed this year to date  which in and of itself is enough to bogged down the system.