If you're here looking for answers about the 2020 tax season (filed this year), it might help you to know my current, puzzling situation. I filed with TurboTax on February 5th, received the message that my federal return was accepted on February 11th with an estimated date of the refund being March 4th. The IRS Where's My Refund tool showed that my refund was accepted and was showing the orange bars up until about March 3rd or so when the bars went away and I got the "We are STILL processing your refund, a date will be posted when one is available". My transcripts showed that no refund had been received. I started attempting to call the IRS on Friday, March 5th but couldn't get through. Finally today on Tuesday, March 9th, I was able to get through the phone lines after a 2-hour wait. After a short 5 minute wait (in comparison) the IRS worker told me that they had just received my federal return on March 5th. I was floored. She explained that I would have to wait 21 days from March 5th. Furious, I got off the phone and called TurboTax. After fighting with their automated system for a bit, I got through to someone who explained that because TurboTax showed it had been accepted on the 11th of February, it couldn't be an error on their part. She said that they don't get those messages unless the IRS itself accepts or rejects the return. So, here I am, waiting 40 days instead of 21 because somewhere between TurboTax and the IRS, my return sat unnoticed for almost a month. Anyways, if you've heard nothing and more than 21 days have passed, just a note that it could absolutely not be because of an error on your return or anything else that you did wrong...
