Filed February 11, still in processing. How long can IRS legally hold refund?

[KathrynG3]

I'm sorry for the frustration. The Internal Revenue Service (RS) is the agency that issues refunds and stimulus payments. TurboTax cannot issue money. 

To reach the IRS, see: IRS Let Us Help You.

To see your account at the IRS, go to: IRS View Your Tax Account.

To get a Taxpayer Advocate to be your voice at the IRS. However, many local offices have staff working remotely right now. For more information, see: Topic No. 104 Taxpayer Advocate Service – Your Voice at the IRS.

If you have outstanding debts, the refund may have gone to pay the debts. 

Even though the stimulus can only go to pay back child support, once it is converted to a credit on the tax return and would have gone into your account, then it is not protected, and could go to pay government debts. See: Who Can Garnish an Income Tax Refund? - TurboTax Tax Tips & Videos

@Mike2596

@sleazyone666

[addisyn2015]

i filed feb 4th 2021, i still havent got my refund got my stemi. stupid irs. iv been trying to call for weeks, i got someone on the phone one time, and all the could tell me was that im not being audited, and it could take 10 weeks to get my refund. now every time i call, the lines are busy. all day long!!!

[DaveF1006]

It depends.  Unfortunately, you are at the mercy of the IRS. COVID issues have delayed the refunds. 

[Gerry brevig]

Mine is the same ....i think it's turbo taxes fault I have not filed with them since 2015 I have been using a accounting service this year I decide to use turbo tax so now my refund is on hold an everyone I know that used turbo tax this year there's is the same way on hold an now they want to take money out of my bank account for services to do my taxes an get a fast refund with no problems an I don't have no money in there nor do I have a refund an I just received my 4th letter since March that my refund is on hold for 60 days 

[mesquitebean]

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@Gerry brevig wrote:

Mine is the same ....i think it's turbo taxes fault I have not filed with them since 2015 I have been using a accounting service this year I decide to use turbo tax so now my refund is on hold an everyone I know that used turbo tax this year there's is the same way on hold an now they want to take money out of my bank account for services to do my taxes an get a fast refund with no problems an I don't have no money in there nor do I have a refund an I just received my 4th letter since March that my refund is on hold for 60 days 

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There is no way to pay to "get a fast refund".  TurboTax has no way of knowing what all the IRS might do with someone's return or how long it will be processing, and TurboTax cannot speed up the IRS.   If you paid an extra service fee of $40 ($45 in California), that is not for a fast refund.  That's the service fee for paying the product fees out of your Federal refund.  It does not affect the speed of any Federal refund.

If your refund has been delayed at the IRS an unusual amount of time, TurboTax may have started emailing you to either pay your TurboTax product fees or else they will eventually debit your bank account.    If you have a hardship and can't pay right now, you can ask TurboTax for a deferment.    You have to contact them by the Tuesday prior to your scheduled debit date.    There is a special phone number to use as explained in this FAQ that explains that auto-debit process.  The phone number is in the first paragraph.

FAQ:  Why was my bank account auto-debited for the TurboTax fees?

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/charges-and-fees/help/why-was-my-bank-account-auto-debited-for-tur...

[sleazyone666]

I have used turbo tax and my 2019 tax was held for over I kept getting letters from the irs saying it was being processed i just got it at the end of march I wasnt gonna file my 2020 taxes after all that nonsense but i did i went thru the irs efile which allows you to file free thru turbo tax i filed march 14th electronically and i am waiting again also when i check the where's my refund it says they have no record yet turbo tax says its still on its way so good luck

[DaveF1006]

This year, because of the pandemic, it is taking much longer than usual. Just be patient. Meanwhile, Log in here to periodically check your refund status.  If the status of your return is accepted, it means it is not in our server any longer but with the IRS. It is not unusual for a return to be in the server but not yet processed by the IRS. If it is not being processed, then the IRS will have no record of it.

[Leonardrandy2019]

We've been waiting since June 2020 for our taxes

[DoninGA]

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@Leonardrandy2019 wrote:

We've been waiting since June 2020 for our taxes

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Contact the IRS concerning the 2019 federal 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.
Or you can contact your local IRS office. See this IRS website for local IRS offices - http://www.irs.gov/uac/Contact-Your-Local-IRS-Office-1 or call 1-844-545-5640 to set up an appointment
Or you may want to contact a Taxpayer Advocate in your area. See this IRS website for Taxpayer Advocate in your area and a toll free number - http://www.irs.gov/Advocate/Local-Taxpayer-Advocate

[sleazyone666]

I had filed on February 5th 2020 and after i had got a tax advocate after getting no where with thebirs because they dont answer and finally got my refund april of this year only for my 2020 tax refund to now be held up i think the irs needs to hire more people

[unicornlover44]

My  name is Kimberly Alexander I been waiting for my refund since I filed March 2nd 2021 I would like to know when is I am getting my refund 

[unicornlover44]

So far it's been 3 months 

[xmasbaby0]

@unicornlover44 If you have read any of the nearly 100 posts in this thread then you must already know that you are among millions of people waiting for the backlogged IRS to process your tax return and send your refund, and that TurboTax cannot speed up the IRS for you.

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

[sleazyone666]

Did you file electronically and did you claim children if so they say it could take 21days or if you claimed the earned income tax credit it could take longer you could try calling them but they dont always answer the phone did they send you a letter

[sleazyone666]

While turbo tax has no control over the irs ever since the irs did an update to there system back in December the wheres my refund may not work i put my social and the amount it says that isnt right yet i double checked the amount with turbo tax and the same thing and since it took a year to get my 2019 tax return i can tell that my 2020 tax return being delayed makes me want to quit my job and never file taxes again you would think the irs would hire extra people since they were backlogged but no and i think the last time i called they were still working from home