The IRS never received my federal return. After 8 weeks of waiting, my transcripts are still blank. THE USPS tracker still shows it "running late for delivery"

[carolynkisler]

I needed the money 2 months ago. I don't know what to do. Turbo Tax claims I'm not eligible to efile. How do I handle the post office losing my return?

[mesquitebean · Accepted solution]

See if it shows up in the IRS tool:

If you are due a Federal refund, you can use the IRS "Where's My Refund" tool.    Is there any message there?

https://www.irs.gov/wheres-my-refund

Since you said "need the money", I assume that means you are getting a refund.    But even if you had taxes owed, then you can still try the IRS WMR tool by entering $1 (without the dollar sign) as the "refund" amount.   It  works for me each year when I owe taxes due to at least let me know they received it.   It's a little trick I learned a few years ago.   It may not work for everyone, but easy to try.

If you still can't find any evidence of it, I'd phone the IRS to see if they can tell if they received it, or if they can at least suggest what you should do in that circumstance.

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.

[carolynkisler]

I've been trying "wheres my refund" since February 15th and it says no records found.  If I log in online to see my transcripts it still shows no records for 2024 so they haven't even received it. I have the USPS tracking that shows not delivered and running late so I really think they've never received it. 

I wish turbo tax wouldn't let me efiled then I wouldn't have this problem. How can the Postal service lose this? And I paid for certified delivery , uGH!

[mesquitebean]

Out of curiosity, what was the reason TurboTax said you couldn't efile?

Have you put in a complaint at the USPS to investigate?

[carolynkisler]

There was no reason other than, not eligible to efile, please mail your return to the address listed. 

I noticed some other posts in the forum that they had the same problem and they logged out before finalizing and retried and it let them efile. I had already hit finalize and download return so it wouldn't let me efile when I tried again 

[carolynkisler]

I've put in a complaint with the postal service who said they are investigating it and I also filed with the attorney general. I'm concerned that if they lost it, someone has mine and my children's social security numbers 

[mesquitebean]

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@carolynkisler wrote:

There was no reason other than, not eligible to efile, please mail your return to the address listed. 

I noticed some other posts in the forum that they had the same problem and they logged out before finalizing and retried and it let them efile. I had already hit finalize and download return so it wouldn't let me efile when I tried again 

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Aw, shucks.   This won't be good news, but it's too bad you didn't ask in the forum at the time of that efile error.  We might have been able to help you efile.  That's not uncommon early in filing season.  A common reason is a form not yet been finalized, or if someone had a zero-income return, or a problem with the state return, that might can be worked around.

 "I had already hit finalize and download return so it wouldn't let me efile when I tried again."

I'm not sure what you ran into.  Normally one can go back in and change the filing method from mail to efile even after downloading/printing a return.  That doesn't lock you into a method.   A lot of people change their minds.  It's likely we could have told you how to get back into your return interview to change the filing option from mail to efile to keep trying, and helped to figure out the cause.   I realize that's frustrating to know now at this point.

Have you actually mailed 2 returns to the IRS??   I found a previous post from you in this forum that sounds like you have sent 2 mailed returns.   There's no way to know exactly what's going on, but I would wonder if they are sitting in a mailbag somewhere waiting to be entered into their system.   I would guess the IRS gets so much mail that they sign for it several bags at a time rather than sorting through each piece until some time later.   But I have no way of knowing what their mail processing routine is.   If both mailed returns were indeed lost, however, that would be some odds.

[carolynkisler]

Yes I mailed a second one since I didn't pay for certified first time. 

I did the Turbo tax chat and asked it could efile and it said once select mail return they can't change it. I'd feel much safer with e file 

[taxlady28]

You did the right thing by mailing it again.   Hope it gets delivered this time.