My return was accepted by the IRS on 3/17/20, but is still being processed as of 4/28. Is Covid 19 delaying my refund?

[bluedeb · Accepted solution]

Yes, the IRS is very short staffed & they are trying to catch up with all e-filed returns.  Keep checking the IRS website Where's My Refund, the website updates only once a day.

[Mark in Texas]

Thank you for your response.  I just called my Congressman's office and was told - for the first time anywhere - that the IRS processing center is not just short staffed, they are closed.  This information is not available on Google, on the IRS webpage, or anywhere, but I assume it's correct since it's coming from a Rep's office.  Tentative plan is to open up in mid May with proper social distancing, masks, etc.  I want to keep everyone safe, but it sure would be nice for the IRS to post that information so that we are not sitting here wondering if we did something wrong.

[DoninGA]

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@Mark in Texas wrote:

Thank you for your response.  I just called my Congressman's office and was told - for the first time anywhere - that the IRS processing center is not just short staffed, they are closed.  This information is not available on Google, on the IRS webpage, or anywhere, but I assume it's correct since it's coming from a Rep's office.  Tentative plan is to open up in mid May with proper social distancing, masks, etc.  I want to keep everyone safe, but it sure would be nice for the IRS to post that information so that we are not sitting here wondering if we did something wrong.

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The IRS posted their operational status on this IRS website - https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations-during-covid-19-mission-critical-functions-continue

[bluedeb · Accepted solution]

@Mark in Texas  Yes, the IRS is  basically closed, but they are still processing e-filed returns.  The following is from the IRS website.

The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers and tax professionals to use electronic options to support social distancing and speed the processing of tax returns, refunds and payments.

To protect the public and employees, and in compliance with orders of local health authorities around the country, certain IRS services such as live assistance on telephones, processing paper tax returns and responding to correspondence are extremely limited or suspended until further notice. All Taxpayer Assistance Centers remain temporarily closed as are many volunteer tax preparation sites until further notice. This will not affect the IRS’s ability to deliver Economic Impact Payments, which taxpayers will begin receiving next week. 

Although the tax filing deadline has been extended to July 15, 2020, from April 15, the IRS continues to process electronic tax returns, issue direct deposit refunds and accept electronic payments. As of April 3, the IRS received over 97.4 million tax returns and issued over $213 billion in refunds.

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

[brian5445]

their status says they are processing returns as normal..... but I also filed 3/19 and its "still being processed"

[bluedeb]

@brian5445  The IRS is processing e-filed returns, they are not processing mailed in returns (original or amended) at this time.

[brian5445]

it was submitted online with turbotax and was the original filing. not ammended

[bluedeb · Accepted solution]

@brian5445  As long as your e-filed return was accepted, the IRS has it, it will take longer to process returns.

[Mark in Texas]

Yes. Congressman McCaul's (TX- 10th) office indicated today (4/28/20) that the IRS processing centers are closed and will not reopen til mid May and the earliest.  That reopening is tentative.  I asked them to please forward to the IRS that they need to post something on their Website if Covid 19 is delaying returns since there is nothing there right now.  Obviously if they are closed, then the returns are delayed.