Tax Year Prior to 2020: Tried calling the IRS. No answer on any number or selection. Gov at its finest. I swear I should have stayed working for them. Do nothing all day and get a pension.

[Cooperm7718]

Thanks for your response. I haven't received a letter at this point. My sister and I filed at the same time and she received a letter in about 2 weeks with an issue on hers. So I'm not sure. Guess I'll just continue to wait!

[Samoan29]

No one answers at the IRS when you try to do those options. The only ones that answered was the US treasury. 

[michelleharper1226]

I got through this way prior to Covid. Now - however - it appears that you can’t actually talk to anyone there.  I need to speak to someone bc my taxes were messed up and I need to know the status...NOTHING ONLINE is useful/helpful in my case. At this rate I’ll be lucky to get my tax refund and stimulus by Christmas. How are we supposed to get through to someone for assistance with either issue if no one is taking calls there? It’s absurd. 

[mpalmer]

The IRS is processing returns, but that's it. All phone lines are closed until further notice. Incoming mail is being stored in trailers because they aren't touching it until after the covid-panic is over. This is where we are. I have issues to deal with, too. I won't be seeing my stimulus or tax refund until it's over. I suspect it'll be tax time next year by time that happens. 

[JotikaT2]

The IRS operations are limited during the Covid-19 pandemic and phone agents are not available at the moment to change your refund method.  Attached is a link with more information as to what departments are available to contact at the moment.

IRS operations

[Conner531]

Your last comment which states “The online is up, fully operational and the best source for all your questions.” I’m afraid is not true I’m what I can see as many, many cases. Your asking a computer to resolve your issues. I filed, the IRS kept my refund and applied it to a past years liability, that I already paid. Their computer did not know this, even though I can actually access the records myself on their own site. Now this would be OK if I were able to speak to someone. No one is home at the IRS. I get one piece of information from the A.I. “We kept your refund and applied it towards your liability.” I go to access my transcript and I see that the computer agrees with all my entries. I continue on to find where the refund went and all I get are strange conflicting pieces of a puzzle, like “we have no record of your return.” Remember, I just told you I can access my return through on line IRS site transcripts. The only reason I even know the status of my refund is from a message, which I just quoted you above, on the “where’s my refund” page that’s on their site. I have no avenue for a resolution because an algorithm from a computer, is all the IRS has given me and it can’t give me what I need a human for, By the way. I’m not sure to you people out there who believe the government when they tell you that you’ll get a stimulus check even if you owe. Because even though my owing is a mistake, (if you want to use my situation as any indication) I haven’t gotten a check and all I get is a message that says “Information is unavailable.” Which has an entire dictionary of possible meanings behind it. One of which could possibly be “ You owe us, therefore, “no soup for you!” Time to get out the old stamps I guess 
Conner 

[Critter]

Until the IRS is fully operational your issue will remain unsolved ... when possible I suggest you seek assistance from a taxpayer advocate ...  

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

[Giant100]

Ive called over 20 times and go through the whole process only to say call at a later time!!  Ive called diffferent hours and days to no avail.

[fanfare]

Don't bother the Advocate.

If you haven't got a check yet, IRS has already stated they have sent out all the checks they're going to.

If you qualify for stimulus, you'll have to apply on your 2020 tax return.

[Pfly]

Has anyone who has posted here received their refund yet? It's almost time to file again and I haven't even gotten my 2019 refund. What gives?!?! I eFiled and should be direct deposit (from February). usually I get my check within 2 weeks, and this was at least a couple weeks before the world stopped due to Covid-19. There is no reason this should be delayed and if it is, they should have addressed it much faster than they have.

The kind of job they have, they can work remotely so I see no reason why this is taking this long. Every time I call I get "it's still processing, call back in 4-5 weeks". I'm sorry, that's not acceptable any longer. Now that I'm calling back after another 4 weeks I can't seem to get a hold of a human being on the other end no matter how I navigate the automated system.

Someone needs to hold them accountable for this. They don't deserve my money if they aren't going to pay it back. Funny though, friends who owed money last year certainly get plenty of phone calls from the IRS to collect it... As far as I'm concerned this is robbery. I should get my refund plus the interest I would have earned had this been in my bank account (or pay off the interest on debt I would have paid off with this money). I think it's time to revisit the money I pay to taxes each year. I'd rather them hound me than deal with this garbage...

[xmasbaby0]

@Pfly 

You posted to a an old thread that no one else has posted to in months--look at the dates.  

Waiting is frustrating—refunds are taking longer in many cases.  These are not normal times.  It is not possible for TurboTax to speed up the IRS for you.   The IRS is short staffed; and they are processing millions of tax returns at the same time that they have been burdened with the task of processing millions of stimulus checks. 

To check on regular tax refund status via automated phone, call 800-829-1954. (This line has no information on Economic Impact Payments.)

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/efile-status-lookup/

TurboTax gives you an estimated date for receiving your refund based on a 21 day average from your date of acceptance, but it can take longer.  Many refunds are taking longer during the pandemic. 

Once your federal return has been accepted by the IRS, only the IRS has any control. TurboTax does not receive any updates from the IRS. Your ONLY source of information about your refund now is the IRS.

You need your filing status, your Social Security number and the exact amount  (line 20 of your Form 1040) of your federal refund to track your Federal refund:   

https://www.irs.gov/refunds

To track your state refund:    

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899433-how-do-i-track-my-state-refund

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901548-why-do-some-refunds-take-longer-than-others

If you chose to have your TurboTax fees deducted from your federal refund, that will take some extra time, while the third party bank handles the refund processing.

https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2840013-does-accepted-mean-my-refund-is-approved

At the following IRS website, find the USA map and click on your state, and it will give you the number of your area's 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

To call the IRS:IRS:  800-829-1040  hours 7 AM - 7 PM local time Mon-Fri

Listen to each menu before making the selection.

First choose your language. Press 1 for English.

Then do NOT choose the first choice re: "Refund", or it will send you to an automated phone line.

Instead, 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 should then transfer you to an agent.

[Samoan29]

I received my refund and stimulus on Monday. Its best for you to call the irs tax advocate to see whats is going on your taxes. they will help you and see whats going on

[Pfly]

Glad to hear someone is getting their tax refund at least @Samoan29 . I tried calling the advocate and the recording said that they can't help with refund related questions. Navigating all these robo menus is a skill unto itself. They certainly don't make it easy to talk to an actual person...

[Pfly]

Thanks for the info @xmasbaby0 . I'm not inferring that TurboTax is to blame here at all. It's ALL THE IRS and I know that. I'm mainly venting and asking if anyone else has gotten their refunds and how long it took for them to get it (and if they went through any other channels to speed up the process. Considering I filed in early February, one would think I'm at the top of the pile to work on...

[tgrugle]

nope - just get the same "due to extremely high call volume...."