Why are my 2020 taxes still saying pending?

[Critter]

Well first the 2020 taxes will not be filed until 2021  so you must be talking about the current 2019 return ...

Your e-filed return is still in pending on the server because the IRS will not begin to accept/reject/process returns until January 27.  Only a few returns were accepted early in a test batch.  Everyone else has to wait.

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-opens-2020-filing-season-for-individual-filers-on-jan-27

So watch your emails and spam folder to make sure you know after Jan. 27 if your return was accepted or rejected.

"Where's my tax refund?"

Ever wonder what happens between efiling your tax return and receiving your refund?

Here is what really happens when you press that green button and transmit your tax return.

• First, we "stamp" the return with an electronic postmark, and then we send it to the government.
• Then we both wait 24 to 48 hours for the IRS to accept your return (longer prior to the start of processing which is 1/27/20  this year)
• What are they doing? They are checking your personal information to make sure it matches their records.
• If everything looks good, the IRS accepts your return FOR PROCESSING.  The return is NOT APPROVED at this point ... that takes place later when the refund is approved for dispersal. 

Once you are accepted, you are on the IRS payment timetable. Only the IRS knows the status of processing your tax return, whether you owe taxes or are due a refund. In prior years, the IRS issued more than 9 out of 10 refunds to taxpayers in less than 21 days last year. The same results are expected for 2020.

Once you have e-filed your tax return, there are a few ways to check the status of your refund:

• You can use the IRS Where’s My Refund? tool (fastest option)
• Call the IRS at 800-829-1954

The tool will get you personalized refund information based on the processing of your tax return. They will provide an actual refund date as soon as the IRS processes your tax return and approves your refund. Most refunds will be issued in less than 21 days. You can start checking the status of your refund within 24 hours after you have e-filed your return.

Remember, the fastest way to get your refund is to e-file and choose direct deposit.

Other tools and refund delays     

You can also use the TurboTax Where's My Refund tracking guide that will show you how to check the status of your tax refund and common reasons for delays.

These articles explain in more detail what may cause a delay:

• Where's My Refund? Top 5 Reasons It's Been Delayed
• Delays Due to Claiming the Earned Income Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit
• Why is my IRS refund taking longer than 21 days? 

 

[1945beni]

I completed both Federal and State tax forms on January 20, 2021 and we have been waiting.

Why does it say both are still pending?

[VolvoGirl]

It will say Pending until the IRS either accepts or rejects your return which won't be until after they open on Feb 12, 2021, see

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/2021-tax-filing-season-begins-feb-12-irs-outlines-steps-to-speed-refund...

Even if Turbo Tax lets you submit your return they will just hold all the returns until the IRS opens filing on Feb 12.  So there is no hurry.  And a lot of people who file early find out they have to amend later like when they get their actual W2 and 1099 forms.  Or they get more forms than they were expecting.  

For the Online version check your efile status here     

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/efile-status-lookup/   

Then after the IRS accepts your return they pay most refunds within 21 days.

When you efile you get back 2 emails.  The first email only confirms the transmission.  The second email says if the IRS (or state) Accepted or Rejected your efile.

[whelanj]

Filed May 5, 2021, Accepted May 5, 2021, Expected refund date May 27, 2021Today is Tuesday, July 20 and no refund. Neither can I get IRS to respond with an estimated date.

[DoninGA]

---

@whelanj wrote:

Filed May 5, 2021, Accepted May 5, 2021, Expected refund date May 27, 2021Today is Tuesday, July 20 and no refund. Neither can I get IRS to respond with an estimated date.

---

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.

The IRS is seriously behind in processing 2020 tax returns.  This is due to many factors, such as the pandemic, completing processing of millions of 2019 tax returns, stimulus payments, unemployment compensation exclusion tax refunds., changes in the tax code by Congress in the middle of the 2020 tax season and the like.

Millions of taxpayers have not yet received there federal tax refunds.

Go to this IRS website for operational status - https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations-during-covid-19-mission-critical-functions-continue

As of July 9, 2021, we had 16.4 million unprocessed individual returns. Unprocessed individual returns include tax year 2020 returns such as 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 and in some cases this work could take 90 to 120 days. 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.

What you should do: If you filed electronically and received an acknowledgement, you do not need to take any further action other than promptly responding to any requests for information. If you filed on paper, check Where’s my refund? If it tells you we have received your return or are processing or reviewing it, we are processing your return, but it may be under review. We’re working hard to get through the backlog. Please don’t file a second tax return or contact the IRS about the status of your return.