What does "Your tax return is still being processed. A refund date will be provided when available." Exactly mean?

[Nyroska]

Filed and accepted 1/27/20. No letters at all. Called and spoke to IRS agent 3/15/20. He stated NOTHING wrong, no red flags, no additional information required. Must be patient. ETA ballpark he said would be last week of April to the first week of May. Still nothing. It has been saying this since first week of Feb. "We have received your tax return and it is being processed." So there is something wrong and the agent lied to me?

[nathanasailors]

I was accepted on the 22nd of January but then I got it I did get a letter saying it would be 60 day review they did a whole bunch of those like random pics I guess and I didn't need any extra information in in the covid-19 it is what it is and I got a hold of somebody just in early June. A week ago two weeks ago probably now and she said she looked into it and she said nope is nothing probably just give me a couple weeks of processing once it comes through afterwards but I think it's just taking that long cuz I'm glad it's accepted January 22nd and it's been this long night and it was 60. letter I got in there like a random beloved verify your identity as well as I guess but she said just give it a couple of weeks just be at 19th and stop doing that time there

[nathanasailors]

what does it say when you check the status of for check tax topic 152? it has 152 on their you're all good it's going to be good at just dance just processing 151 I think it's a problem and maybe another number but 152 should be all good

[mesquitebean]

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@Nyroska wrote:

Filed and accepted 1/27/20. No letters at all. Called and spoke to IRS agent 3/15/20. He stated NOTHING wrong, no red flags, no additional information required. Must be patient. ETA ballpark he said would be last week of April to the first week of May. Still nothing. It has been saying this since first week of Feb. "We have received your tax return and it is being processed." So there is something wrong and the agent lied to me?

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How would it benefit the IRS agent to lie to you?   They might have been wrong or had incorrect info, but purposely lying is not likely.    Since that has been 3 months since you talked to them, I'll tell you how to talk to the IRS again, and if unsuccessful in getting info, how to contact the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service.

Due to the Coronavirus, some of the IRS call centers are closed, some are operating with reduced personnel, some are gradually opening back up. Some users have been reporting that they have finally reached someone. Here is the normal method to reach an IRS live agent when they are operating smoothly.

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 have no luck reaching the IRS, or if you can't get good info, you can try contacting the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service for your area.   They are still taking phone calls in most states.  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.

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

[Nyroska]

"How would it benefit the IRS agent to lie to you?   They might have been wrong or had incorrect info, but purposely lying is not likely."

Absolutely nothing. I was merely stating a question to a previous post. In this previous post they stated that if it was taking this long to get the return then there is a problem most definitely and should have received a letter in order to fix this problem. I never received a letter and the IRS agent said NOTHING was wrong with my return. So I reiterate, if it is taking this long because of a problem then why didn't the agent tell me? That simple, I was not trying to start an argument. I have been filing my own taxes since 1998 and filing jointly with EIC and CTC since 2010 and I have NEVER waited this long. So yes I am curious why now.

[mesquitebean]

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@Nyroska wrote:

I have been filing my own taxes since 1998 and filing jointly with EIC and CTC since 2010 and I have NEVER waited this long. So yes I am curious why now.

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Only the IRS or IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service can answer that.   I left instructions for reaching both departments above.    You said you spoke to the IRS on 3/15/20.   If you haven't spoken to them since them, you should do so again.   Phone as many times as you need to get different opinions.    You are most unlikely to get the same IRS agent you spoke to previously.    Since it's been 3 months, the next IRS agent you get might have more information available by now.   There may be notes on your account by now if it is under review.   If you can't get info from the IRS, try the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service.  If they see what the holdup is, they can sometimes tweak things.

[terry-kimball]

I already tried that.  The last time I called I talked to a so called Tax Advocate.  She was rude and after listening to my pleas for help, she just said let me connect you with customer service! Then she was gone!  I had to wait an additional 45 minutes and then that agent was rude too.  She kept telling me to calm down when I wasn't angry!  It was pissing me off!  I still haven't gotten anything and I turned mine in the beginning of Feb.  I don't think anyone knows what's going on!!  During a pandemic it seems like they would want people to have their money but they don't care!!

[dfg5133]

Tax advocates are stating they can’t reach anyone the IRS work from home agents answering the phones act like they can’t contact certain ppl. At this point might as well just wait. It’s obvious we’re not going to be able to do anything until the IRS goes back into the office, which was supposed to be June 1st l then, June 8th, and now no one knows. They got majority of payments out for economic impact payments and I think that’s why it’s not being made a big deal about the small portion still waiting for payments 

[dewilson2023]

I had posted months back when I was first informed they were shutting down quietly but no one wanted to believe me at time. 

Well, I just spoke with Tax Advacate yesterday who said they are going to re try and start back up again on June 29th. The only problem is if these people come in faking sick again so they can go home to collect the extra $600 weekly unemployment they get there is nothing no one can do if you are on a review or filed by paper. 

And she said since Trump/White House is not enforcing there return to work there is nothing no one can do. I filled in January approved in January and was told all they had to do was read the email and flip the switch and I would have mine. I'm homeless and could really use it. 

[Crystalrae]

Sounds like my best friend got the same person on the phone as you did... Super rude and kept telling her to speak up because she couldn't hear her then getting mad because she was apparently yelling and then told her she didn't have to take this from anyone and hung up.on her...

I still have not heard a SINGLE word about my stimulis... So I.D.K. ..who or what to believe anymore...I am sorry you are going through it just like the rest of us..

[EXOTICINDIAN]

Well we need our money too dammit. Especially for those who aren't getting unemployment

[LW7]

Right cause why I read yesterday in my news feed about the irs trying to gear up too get us our refund and one of the agents done said well we know everybody want they refund but we don't wanna die getting it too them B is you serious my job never shut down Cause we work for the government making food packets for the millitary etc we didn't wanna die either so with that been said again irs shouldn't had shut down get the F outta here and send us our money ASAP

[DawnC]

Stimulus payments will be based on information from your most recent tax filings, either 2019, or 2018 if you haven't filed this season yet. But, the amount paid to you now will be reconciled on next year’s tax return based on your current 2020 situation.

You can check on the status of your stimulus payment at the IRS Get My Payment site.

To check on the status of your tax refund, use  Where's My Refund?

IRS.gov remains the best source for questions about tax law, checks on refund status,  tax payments and Economic Impact Payments. All IRS updates on the Economic Impact Payments and other Covid-19 related issues continue to  be posted immediately on IRS.gov/coronavirus. Taxpayers can check the status of their Economic Impact Payment at Get My Payment, their refund status at Where’s My Refund? or obtain a tax transcript at Get Transcript Online. Tax transcripts are only available online at this time.

[Kerguelen]

I guess no matter how many people here complain about their refunds not being processed, we still get this cookie-cutter professional advice from the "Tax Experts" on this forum:

• "Taxpayers can check the status of their Economic Impact Payment at Get My Payment, their refund status at Where’s My Refund?"

No, we can't! Their is no information be provided and nobody is receiving their refunds. "Your return is being processed" appearing for 4 months on the status page, and no one answering the IRS phone lines is NOT USEFUL INFORMATION. 

Hello?? Is anyone there? Hello TurboTax??? What a joke this year has become.

[EXOTICINDIAN]

Amen!!! It's called protect your dumbass. SMH common Sense