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

[Mariosgreen]

I still haven't received my text return yet y?

[DoninGA]

---

@Kerguelen wrote:

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.

---

Only the IRS determines when and if a stimulus payment is distributed.  No one from TurboTax nor any other tax preparation company has any specific information on a taxpayer's stimulus payment.

Once a tax return has been Accepted by the IRS or a State, TurboTax receives no further information concerning the tax return or the status of any tax refund.  Only the taxpayer listed on the tax return can obtain the status of a tax refund or a tax return.

For a federal tax refund status the only information available is by using the IRS website for tax refunds - https://www.irs.gov/refunds

Or try contacting the IRS and speaking with an IRS agent -

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.

[DoninGA]

---

@Mariosgreen wrote:

I still haven't received my text return yet y?

---

Did you e-file your tax return and was it accepted?
Only the IRS and your State control when and if a Federal or State tax refund is Approved and Issued.

You complete your tax return by finishing all 3 Steps in the File section. In Step 3, to e-file your tax return, you must click on the large Orange button labeled "Transmit my returns now".

After completing the File section and e-filing your tax return you will receive two emails from TurboTax. The first email when your tax return was transmitted and the second email when the tax return has either been accepted or rejected.

Note - Once a tax return has been Accepted by the IRS or a State, TurboTax receives no further information concerning the tax return or the status of any tax refund.  Only the taxpayer listed on the tax return can obtain the status of a tax refund or a tax return.

To check the status of an e-filed return, open up your desktop product or log into your TurboTax Online Account. You can find your status within the TurboTax product.
If accepted by the IRS use the federal tax refund website to check the refund status - https://www.irs.gov/refunds
If accepted by the state use this TurboTax support FAQ to check the state tax refund status - https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899433-how-do-i-track-my-state-refund

After the tax return has been Accepted by the IRS (meaning only that they received the return) it will be in the Processing mode until the tax refund has been Approved and then an Issue Date will be available on the IRS website.
See this IRS website for federal tax refund FAQ's - https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions
If over 21 days since being Accepted by the IRS and the tax refund is still Processing you can call the IRS and speak with an IRS agent concerning your 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.

[DawnC]

Once your tax return is ACCEPTED, only the IRS can give you any status updates.  If you return says 'still being processed', they are reviewing it (for a reason only the IRS knows) and it needs manual processing which is on hold right now due to the pandemic situation.

Unfortunately, no one here in this forum, expert or otherwise can give you any information about your tax return once it has been accepted.  ;(  

[bbolton2011]

I filed electronically on April 30th and received the response the tax return was accepted. It was a very simple return but it continues to show being processed. How can I find out what they they are having an issue with that is delaying them issuing the refund?

[Kerguelen]

I think that there loads of people having the exact same issue.

From what it seems, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the IRS to take a long break from processing returns and are just now getting back to business. The stimulus checks took a lot of time away from tax return processing too. My tax return was filed electronically and accepted by the IRS the next day, March 18. And it has continued to say "being processed" ever since that day.

I don't know when I will ever get my refund because the page does not provide any more information.

It's really disheartening to be waiting 3+ months (and counting) for a refund when my tax refund for 2018 only took two weeks to arrive in my bank account. 😕

[lori_bain]

For those of you following this thread, you're going to LOVE this: I've periodically checked my tax refund status, and like most of you, mine said that my return was still being processed - going on 4 months now! Based on all of the info I put into TurboTax, I was supposed to be receiving a $4,000 refund, roughly. I've used TT for many years and never had a problem with the software; however, last night when I checked my refund status, it says that my refund is now $0.00, not $4,000. I don't know why yet, as they're mailing me a letter with an explanation, but it will be the first time EVER that my return has been wrong in some way and resulted in no refund whatsoever. I'll keep you posted.

[EXOTICINDIAN]

Omg!!!! I hope that is a mistake

[Nyroska]

I have a friend that recently told me his return was all of the sudden $0. Glitch in the matrix. Checked mine and so far still good. I have been using TT for 8 years now and have never been dissatisfied. TT has no control over the IRS. But if your account on TT states $0 all of the sudden, then I would have to wager that is on their end, not yours or the IRS.

[Kerguelen]

OMG! I hope it really is not $0 and just a mistake. I will keep my fingers crossed for you. 

I'm supposed to get around $2000 and I'm getting nervous the longer I have to wait to hear something. 

[JotikaT2]

It depends. 

The IRS issues a lot of refunds within 21 days, but it has been taking longer with the stimulus payment being issued in addition to the tax refunds. 

IRS processing time and refund status 

The online link is your best option to track your refund.  I have attached a link with more answers from the IRS as to why your refund may be taking longer to process.

Federal refund questions

Also, be aware, the IRS operations are limited during the Covid-19 pandemic.  Attached is a link with more information as to what departments are available to contact at the moment.

IRS operations

[dfg5133]

This may help some people. Today marks 121 days since I received a notice that my return was under review. 

[ftris]

When you first filed were your taxes initially accepted and then changed to being review?

[dfg5133]

@ftris my return said accepted and then after like 3 weeks it said your return is still being processed and says the same til this very day. I got one notice that I was selected for review which was dated 2/19 of this year. Have not revived any other kind of correspondence whatsoever 

[xmasbaby0]

@dfg5133 If your tax return was put under review a few months ago the reason it has been delayed for so long is that many IRS employees were sent home for a couple of months, during the pandemic and the clock "stopped ticking" on reviews that would have been done by humans in the office.  Some returns are pulled for review randomly; some are pulled for various reasons such as a W-2 not matching, etc., but a human has to conduct the review and sort it out.  If they have never contacted you for more information, you just have to wait it out. They are back now, and should now have your review underway.  Keep watching the IRS refund site for information.  No information is given to TurboTax after you file.