Why does Where’s my refund status tell me my information does not match?

[rprastein]

It's not just TurboTax. 

I filed a paper return at the beginning of May.  It's August now, and my "Where's My Refund" shows nothing, and "View My Account" > "Get Transcript" on the IRS web site says there is a Verification of Non-Filing letter available for 2020.  I have tracking confirmation from the US Post Office that my return was delivered to the IRS, but I never received the green return receipt postcard.

I also filed some late returns for previous years in April (all of them due refunds, so no penalties to worry about), and I have the green return receipt postcards for all of them, but they all have Verification of Non-Filing letters, too.

Yes, everything is processed more slowly when it's filed on paper, but even allowing for that, the IRS is WAAYYYY behind.  State of California processed all of my returns within a couple of weeks of my mailing them.

[rprastein]

That's what it says normally when the return hasn't made it to a certain step in the process.   It's misleading, but if they don't have your info in the right part of their computer system yet (despite having received the return to a different part of the computer system), anything you enter into a web form is going to be compared against "null" and won't match.

[Shark Baby]

IRS has acknowledged many times by Phone they received and are 'processing my 1040 Amended return on July 29th 2021.    Now I am getting same nonsensical  'your information doesn't match our records, pls call back'  message that others are.    2 IRS employees i actually spoke to said i should have my return by Dec16 2021.    Then 10 days later a diff woman employee said they were behind and to wait another 4 wks which would be what?  24 wks since they received it?...OK...  Now can't get anyone on phone OR on line info because it says my information is wrong.    You have NO rights at all if you Over pay this government clearly.   But if you are late paying them...they will do whatever they can to ruin your life.    This is what elected officials should be fixing 

[xmasbaby0]

@Shark Baby The IRS refund site has been switched over to be ready to display information about 2021 refunds and will no longer be providing information for 2020 refunds.   So, sorry, you cannot track your 2020 refund on that site now, and that is why it is telling you there is no information.   You already know they have your return and are processing it.   You have to wait for them to finish.    

[Shark Baby]

Apprc the info but At this point I have NO IDEA  whether they will ever pay me anything i am owed.    They aren't taking calls and you can't contact them on line or get correct info.    Normally in business when you do that to customers....its termed 'against the law'  

[mesquitebean]

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@Shark Baby wrote:

Apprc the info but At this point I have NO IDEA  whether they will ever pay me anything i am owed.    They aren't taking calls and you can't contact them on line or get correct info.    Normally in business when you do that to customers....its termed 'against the law'  

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Try getting into the IRS Customer Support queue about 10 minutes before closing (i.e., around 6:50 PM.)  They will still assist those waiting in the queue after closing, which is 7:00 PM local time.   It has worked twice for me, including last week.  It also might help to try later in the week, such as a Wed, Thurs, or Fri.  I had to wait 20 minutes.   Here are the steps I used:

IRS:  800-829-1040

When calling the IRS, do not choose the first choice you hear for "Refund", or it will send you to an automated phone line.

• First choose your language.  Listen to each menu before making the selection.
• When prompted, 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 your 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 there can be a long wait.
• I usually use a speakerphone so I can work on something else while waiting.

[Shark Baby]

Thank you V much for this,  I will def give it a shot !  😁

[Earl the pearl]

Mines said it was received and being processed then it went away saying information doesn't match..been like that 6 days now !!!! Help anyone this has happen to?

[RobertB4444]

The IRS has made an announcement this year that they are more backlogged than they have ever been.  They have said that the delays in processing returns have affected over 6 million taxpayers.  Apparently, you’re one of them.

The IRS has said that most refunds will be processed within 21 days.  If you have to mail in a paper return, if you make math errors, if you claim credits that you are not entitled to – any of these can delay processing for months.

TurboTax doesn’t know anything about your refund.  Once your tax return is complete TurboTax either lets you print it in order to mail it or lets you e-file it.  Either way they don’t have anything to do with it once you’re done.  And they don’t have any way to find out what’s going on with it.

If you e-filed the return, then TurboTax sent you some emails about it.  You need to make sure that it was accepted by the IRS.  If you’ve been using the Where’s My Refund tool on the IRS website and your return has shown up as ‘processing’ then it was already accepted, you don’t have to check anything else.  

If you haven’t been then this is the tool you want to use to track your refund.  It is not updated terribly often but it’s the best option out there.

If you feel that you must contact the IRS just be aware that they are heavily understaffed and backlogged.  They’re not easy to get a hold of.  Call first thing in the morning and prepare to be on hold for a long time.  This is the link to use to get ahold of them.

[Jacgarciaramirez]

Hello I am just wondering if you ever got your tax return after it said approved ?? And how long did it take 

[MichelleLO]

The best place to find information about the status of your tax return/refund would be on the IRS  Where's My Refund? site.

@jacgarciaramirez

[Earl the pearl]

No..my wmr been saying information doesn't match for 2 weeks almost..the website originally said received and being processed

[HeatherPLO]

@Earl the pearl

Are you entering in the refund as processed by TurboTax and not without any of the fees taken out?  Please see the Tip within this Help Article for further assistance.  

[Earl the pearl]

Yes I'm entering the correct amount as listed on my return

[ChondelLO]

@Earl the pearl  If you entered the information correctly and were able to view your return before, but not now, your return is moving through the processing steps.  Please continue to use the Where's My Refund tool or use the IRS automated system for the most recent updates.