Update for anyone whose refund is "Stuck before processing"

[crash345u]

My return was efiled and received on March 4, 2024.

It still has not been processed and my transcript shows N/A.

I called the IRS and they told me they had problems specifically with Turbotax, Tax Slayer and H&R Block where the return gets "stuck" and fails to move to the "processing" step. 

The IRS agent is sending an internal notice to the correct department to request my return be released for further processing. She said they have seen this problem a lot this year. So anybody who's return has no transcript generated and has been waiting for a refund more than 3 weeks might have this issue.

[fanfare]

Don't blame TurboTax or other tax prep software if IRS can "release the return for processing"

[crash345u]

I'm not blaming anybody I'm just reporting what the IRS told me.

Take a chill pill.

[fanfare]

It sounded like the IRS is seeing problems with tax software and trying to blame the software.

[crash345u]

I think the IRS agent was trying to offer a suggestion to explain why so many returns are failing to get processed. I agree tax software is probably not the problem. H&R Block, Turbo Tax and Tax Slayer account for a huge percentage of filed returns so it's guilt by association. The 40 year old IRS computers are likely the real problem.