Santa Barbara Tax Products Group- Holding Tax Refund and Will not respond

[xmasbaby0]

@Rdanowski2002 If the IRS site says there is a delay for your refund then only the IRS can tell you what the delay is for and when it will be resolved.  Call the IRS or contact a Tax Advocate.

To call the IRS:IRS:  800-829-1040  hours 7 AM - 7 PM local time Mon-Fri

Listen to each menu before making the selection.

First choose your language. Press 1 for English.

Then do NOT choose the first choice re: "Refund", or it will send you to an automated phone line.

Instead, 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 should then transfer you to an agent.

TAX ADVOCATE

At the following IRS website, find the USA map and click on your state, and it will give you the number of your area's IRS Taxpayer Advocate.

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

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

https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/TAS_CaseCriteria_061120.pdf 

https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/can-tas-help-me-with-my-tax-issue/

[xmasbaby0]

@Rdanowski2002 And....your post is confusing.... you say the IRS shows a delay, then you say the refund that is missing is the state refund.   If the state did not send your refund you have to contact the state.

To track your state refund:    

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899433-how-do-i-track-my-state-refund

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/state-taxes/help/how-do-i-contact-my-state-department-of-revenue/0...

[Rdanowski2002]

Wow! That is Really Very Helpful!! Thank you for that!! Ill call tomorrow!!

[SForrestLO]

@Rdanowski2002

You're welcome!

[sweetay32]

Supposedly my refund check was sent back to its on 12/15/2022 and yet the IRS has not received it, they’ve issued a fraud alert tracer on my check & have up to 90 days to trace it… this is ridiculous.. Now I’ve filed for 2023 and now waiting on TWO TAX REFUNDS!!!

[sweetay32]

That’s a bunch of BS, even when you contact them via phone or website they can’t give any correct information.. your still stuck… your best bet is calling the IRS TO PUT A FRAUD TRACE ON YOUR REFUND CHECK AND WAIT IT OUT…

[dixkel]

I have the same experience. The IRS sent my refund to Santa Barbara Bank on March 2nd; the same as they did for you. My preparer this year was e-file not Turbo Tax, but they are doing the same crooked thing. They use this dishonest bank so they can get their fees upfront, while holding peoples refunds. I have contacted the Santa Barbara bank 3 times in the last 30 days. Each time they told me my refund would post to my bank account in 2 days. Obviously an intentional lie because they still have not released my money. This should be illegal if it is not already. We need to organize a class action law suit to compensate for our damages as well as the highest allowable interest payment for the time our funds were held. Are they any attorneys out there that would take this slam dunk case on a contingency. If so, please contact me.

[sweetay32]

I finally got through and got my check a year later… Yall are right it’s best to go straight through the IRS… thanks for the feedback..

[NCperson]

@dixkel - you might also (and everyone else) submit a complaint to CFPB.  The government agency is very aggressive in changing these outrageous methods. 

Note that you are probaly paying a good $40 so that the fees are netted out of your refund.  That is quite expenssive.  if you simply put the fees on a credit card, it would be a heckuva lot cheaper. 

Even if the tax preparation fees were $200 and you had to wait two months for your refund directly from the IRS, that would increase your interest charges on your credit card by just $8.00! (that is 2 months at $200 per month and a 24% APR, or 2% per month). 

https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/

[jsrueckner]

@arival1011 have you started this class action lawsuit? I'd like to join if so. 

[jsrueckner]

@Shayboog 

I had the exactly situation as you however they are holding onto $30k of my refund.  What steps did you take to get your money? Did you receive it back? Thanks so much. 

[arival1011]

It was actually the IRS rivo Department contact them I had a group of ladies that was going to join in on a class action lawsuit and then someone told me about this and almost every lady on that group went through the same channel and got their check. It was the IRS that had it

[arival1011]

It was actually the IRS rivo Department contact them I had a group of ladies that was going to join in on a class action lawsuit and then someone told me about this and almost every lady on that group went through the same channel and got their check. It was the IRS that had it

[megabeacon]

I’m in the same boat, been over two years. March 2021.

[jsrueckner]

@arival1011 Thank you for the input! Do you have the number to reach this department? I'm not able to find their contact info online anywhere. Thanks so much!!