A review of refund letter from the IRS is not the same thing as an audit. There are many reasons that the IRS may review or hold a refund, such as:
It is hard to say how the long the IRS review process will take. Here are some general guidelines that are posted on the IRS taxpayer advocate website:
If you provide the information the IRS requested, the IRS should correct your account and resolve the refund issue (generally within 60 days).
If you file a missing or late return, the IRS will process your returns and issue your refunds (generally within 90 days).
If you don’t provide the information or file the missing returns, your refund will be delayed longer.
If you file an amended tax return (IRS Form 1040X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return), the IRS should make any necessary adjustments and issue the refund (generally within 120 days).
If you’re facing serious financial difficulties and need your refund immediately, contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service. It may be able to expedite your refund.
For more information, see this website: https://taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/get-help/held-or-stopped-refunds
My tax return was accepted feb 1. I got a letter telling me they dont need anything! Then i get another letter stating an additional 60 days as of March 17th...again needing nothing additional!!! When i check the irs website...no bars with the message still processing! Called twice...same thing as the letters! How long can they hold my refund hostage? This seems to be the case!
I e-filed Feb 3, I have called 8 times no info needed from me. IRS said it might be released July 20th but maybe longer. The IRS is a joke they give deadlines on when we have to give there money but can hold working peoples money as long as they want. That’s just not right
Rzrryder28:
You can contact the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service. They are especially prone to help if you have a hardship, or if you can't get good info from the IRS, or if the IRS doesn't meet dates it tells you and keeps delaying.
At the following IRS website, find the USA map and click on your state, and it will give you the phone 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 Taxpayer Advocate Service works::
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc104.html
I’m going through the exact same thing. I was also told they need nothing. How can we provide any info if they telling us they don’t need anything. I mean if it’s a problem I’d lime to know so I can fix it and get my money if not just release my funds.
Please see the comment right above yours on how to contact and seek help from the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service. When you phone them, stress that you have been unable to get info from the IRS (if that's the case), or that they have failed to meet any promised deadlines, etc.
I see I’m not the only one. Keep getting these 60 additional days later. Refund accepted 2/4/19. I was told it’s pretty much a stall tactic & 2 impatiently wait on them 2 release the funds or another letter 🤷🏽♀️
I have a client in the same boat - filed return in Feb - received a letter for 60 days - the 60 days was up July 1st - I called again the IRS stated they are not requesting any additional information and I can call back in another 60 days - I am at a total loss of how to help my client - but thankful he is not the only one.
I have found the advocate service to be even more inept than the irs- after a two hour review of my return, the advocate insisted that i file an amended return because i allegedly messed up and failed to carry information from one schedule to form 1040 when the instructions clearly state to put the info on another schedule (as originally done). Had i followed his directions, i would have guaranteed myself at least another 16 weeks of waiting for amended processing. Two cpas and a tax lawyer have both confirmed my forms are perfectly completed and the advocate was completely mistaken. The advocate, by the way, not only refused to answer any of my questions, but also hung up on me intentionally when i asked to speak to someone whom was willing to read the complete sentence containing the instructions he was ignoring.
Can a class action lawsuit be filed against the IRS? Still waiting on my returns, would be nice if I could charge late fees and interest on my money.
Both IRS.gov and the taxpayer Advocacy website both detail that the IRS does indeed pay interest when they take longer than 45 days to process your tax return- do not remember if it was 4% or 8% but it’s one of the two and it is guaranteed by law.
I have been waiting since the very beginning and I still have no refund. I tried to call a tax advocate and they just had me on hold for over an hour before the phone disconnects. I am beginning to give up on ever seeing my refund and I am in desperate need of one.
@meagan1 wrote:I have been waiting since the very beginning and I still have no refund. I tried to call a tax advocate and they just had me on hold for over an hour before the phone disconnects. I am beginning to give up on ever seeing my refund and I am in desperate need of one.
If you know for sure that the IRS received your return and it's under review, have you talked to the IRS?
I'll tell you the steps to reach a live IRS agent below.
As for the Taxpayer Advocate Service, there are a couple of ways to reach them. If you only tried one way then try the other way, and keep trying until you reach them. They are especially prone to help if you have an economic hardship, so stress that when you talk to them.
Here's how to reach the local office of the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service in your state.
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
Or if that's unsuccessful, here's how to contact the national office of the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service:
877-777-4778
Also see this article for more info on how the Taxpayer Advocate Service works::
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc104.html
To speak to someone at the IRS, here's how to reach a live IRS agent:
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.
I usually use a speakerphone so I can work on something else while waiting.
I have reached out to them several times and they tell me I am still under a 60 day review and they need nothing from me and not to contact them until the 60 days are up. I have not made it to the end of any of my reviews because a week before, they send another letter stating that they need more time to review my account and there is nothing they need me to do and it continues like this. As far as the TA, When I spoke to someone they asked why i needed my refund and that there was no point in me talking to a TA since I do not qualify for a hardship and my account is under review. Nobody will say why I am under review. I have reviewed 4 letters for 60 day reviews and it seems like every time I call, I get a new letter for an additional 60 day review. I filed 1/24 and it is now 7/30
meagan1:
If you've already spoken to the IRS and Taxpayer Advocate Service, then you'll just need to wait. Or contact your Congressman's local office in your district to see if they can assist you.
It is the case, I'm still waiting on mine... The give me a new reason and a new waiting period of 60 days every time the 60 day period expires. I'm honestly starting to think I'll never see that money.
There has to be come way to fight this. They require we pay them IMMEDIATELY when taxes are owed, but they can give us an infinite number of 60 day waiting periods, during which they just extend the period longer at the end of the previous "review" period. It isn't right.
But most likely they will cite some reason that the waiting period wasn't due to their error... They pulled some crap with me about needing to verify my identity and gave me a 9 week waiting period, so I'm sure there will be some loophole to get them out of paying interest.
This is exactly what's happening to me. There has to be something we can do... It's not right,and at the very least we are owed interest that's supposed to have been accruing since April 15th.
I've been fighting this and I agree. I don't want to hear "you'll have to wait" anymore. I've been waiting for 7 months, I'm used to that. I want action. I do know that I will never file early for the remainder of my tax paying days!
meagan1 wrote: "I don't want to hear "you'll have to wait" anymore. I've been waiting for 7 months, I'm used to that. I want action."
If you have exhausted your resources at the IRS and Taxpayer Advocate Service (both the national office and the office in your state), you can try contacting your Congressman's staff at his/her local office in your district. The Congressman's website should have a contact phone number for constituents to use. Whether that will do any good, I don't know. If you do, please report back on the results.
" I do know that I will never file early for the remainder of my tax paying days! "
That is very sage advice. We see such problems every year from early filing. The bulk of these sorts of problems are from folks who filed in January or early February. This year was even worse with longer delays because of all the tax law changes, new tax forms/schedules, etc. Many of us who volunteer in the forum and see all the problems that can happen from filing in early tax season know not to file until late February or later.
I'm in the same boat with every one else.I filed in Feb/2019.. was told my job report incorrect wages and I need to do an amendment. I filed the 1040x amendment It was received 4/19/2019. I got a letter 7/8/2019 telling me I need to provide proof of residency, proof of my children that I have claimed since they were born over 13 years!!! And also a letter from my employer for my wages .I faxed and mail everything to them between 7/15-7/19 ..Got a letter saying some faxes didn't come through .I mailed everything to ,they received 8/5.. got a letter on 8/1 saying they would respond by 9/28. I called IRS talked to someone..who tells me they are just now working March/April ..and that because of the lay off at the 1st of the year this is the problem..so I said what if you dont get to me by 9/28 ..you guessed it another letter with a new date
Then I called ..another number with IRS per the website wheres my admended refund. Rep told me that I should have a letter or have this resolved on Wednesday 8/14. Well guess what no letter in the mail . I called the Tax Advocacy waited on hold for a hour and had to go to work. I need the money desperately. A co worker of mine had to the same issue with our employer reporting incorrect wages. She received her money last month..so I'm just here like the rest of your guys
All of this is so bizarre to me. I am both relieved and frustrated to see that other people around the country is experiencing the same exact issue as me and my other co-workers. I have called the IRS numerous of times trying to get an understanding on exactly why my refund is being held and all I hear is, "the wages reported by your job didn't match the wages reported on your return, so your refund is under review." and the most recent excuse, "you filed before the new tax laws were implemented and now your return is under review." I have sent the IRS copies of my W-2 along with my last check stub and nothing has changed. I was also told about the interest BUT they said that interest is only given to the tax payer IF there was a mistake on the IRS side. I don't care about the interest at all I just want what's owed to me.