My federal return was accepted a few days ago. But my California return still says Pending for the last several days. Why is California still pending? HOW DOES IT WORK: Who submits my California return to the state of California ? Does the IRS submit it to California? Or does Turbotax submit it to California ? (This delay in California has never happened to me before).
In the past, states can take 3-5 business days or longer than the IRS to process your e-filed return. However, there are many states that are attempting to mitigate the spread of Covid-19. Doing so extremely limits staff and may delay the timeframe to process your return.
If you e-filed your California return in TurboTax, then your state return is sent to them electronically. The IRS does not send your state return to California.
Let me try to understand your answer. I did e-file BOTH Federal AND State (Calif) with Turbotax (both on the same day). But are you saying that Turbotax DID ALREADY e-file it electronically to California ? And that California has received it, but they have not yet "Accepted" it ? I'm trying to understand the e-filing process. (I thought with all of today's sophisticated technology that there is little that an actual employee working for California tax board has to do with electronic filings). If you could just quickly explain the Turbotax e-filing process, that would really help put my mind at ease. Thank you and blessings !!!
Yes. Your return has already been e-filed if you got confirmation from TurboTax that you submitted your returns. You could also sign-in to your TurboTax account and see the status of your returns.
When you submit your return, it starts in the processing stage. Then, the IRS and the state(s) have to either accept or reject the return you submitted.
If it your state says pending, then California has received your return, but they are still working on either accepting or rejecting it.
I have also attached the time frame from California in order to get your refund, if applicable:
Thank you for taking the time to explain the Turbotax e-filing process to me ! I really appreciate it. I'll just wait for Calif to accept it and not worry about it. I know that Covid has caused so much upset...... I pray that you and your family are healthy... God bless and have a wonderful week !!!
One more quick question please for clarification.
Yes, I did e-file BOTH Federal and California through Turbotax and yes I did get a confirmation email from Turbotax stating that BOTH my returns have been e-filed. A few days later I got another email from Turbotax stating that the Federal was “Accepted”. But as of today, my California says it’s still “Pending”. Does the Pending mean that the State of California has actually “Received” my return, but they have not yet accepted it? I guess I want to know if my state return was actually “RECEIVED” by California. Thank you !!
It means it is still being processed. The California return is not officially filed until you receive the Accepted status.
Why is my return still pending?
See the following link for more details on how to check the status of your return.
I guess what I'm asking, if I got the email from TurboTax that both my returns were successfully e-filed, did Turbotax electronically send it to California ?? I just want to know if the Pending status means that TurboTax sent it to California and California RECEIVED it, but California hasn't officially "accepted" it yet. (Thanks for helping me understand). Blessings.....
Yes. If you got the e-mail from TurboTax that your return was electronically sent to California, but it is still in pending status, then California did receive it, but has not been accepted yet.
OK, thanks so much for your clarification. I understand it now. You're so sweet to have so much patience !! Have a blessed day !!!
She is not the only one still pending on California accepting. Our tax return was accepted by the IRS on Thursday Feb 11, 2021 but California is still pending today. I hope there is not a problem going on. In the past both IRS and State of California accepted the transaction within one day...
The last comment made by someone else in California is absolutely correct. Same circumstances with me. Federal was accepted on Feb 11, 2021 and California today is STILL pending. Last several years using Turbotax, the Federal was accepted and within a couple of hours, California was accepted. This is the ONLY year that California is still saying PENDING after nearly a week ! Can't Turbotax check this out and ensure that there's NOT a problem going on??? Thank you so much.
TO TURBOTAX: Can TurboTax PLEASE find out if California is pulling California state returns from Turbotax servers yet? Some other customer posts are stating that a Turbotax representative said that California is not yet pulling returns from Turbotax servers. So many of us here in California are going crazy trying to figure out why our California returns are still PENDING for many days now. So many of us have had our Federal returns Accepted, but our California returns have been PENDING for a long time. TURBOTAX - PLEASE CHECK TO SEE IF CALIFORNIA IS PULLING OUR RETURNS FROM TURBOTAX SERVERS. PLEASE EASE OUR MINDS. And if California is NOT pulling them yet, once they do, will our returns be dated the date that we efiled with Turbotax ?? HELP US PLEASE ...
If you check the logs you will find almost all of the customers of Turbo Tax were accepted by the IRS but the State of California says pending. I talked to an agent last night. Her supervisor stated to her that California has accepted my state tax forms. Yet on Turbo Tax it still says pending. I checked this morning on California's web site on checking the status of the return. State of California states they have received the tax return and are now processing it. Here is what the problem is. The current Turbo Tax filing status says pending. It should be saying accepted just like the IRS states. So there is some kind of glitch in the program for Turbo Tax and California. You might want to let "IT" know there is a glitch on Turbo Tax Side....
Same problem. What was the California site you checked which stated it was accepted. Every year prior they were accepted the same time usually. This is the first year it is not and if this is a TurboTax problem they need to check on their end if there is a problem. Clearly there is a lot of us having this issue.
So i went on the California Tax website, and confirmed they have not actually received anything. So Turbotax showing Pending is really pending and California has not received anything contrary to the response they have received it but they are processing it. https://webapp.ftb.ca.gov/Refund/Result ------------------------------------------ Your Refund Results We do not have a record of your 2020 California Income Tax return in our files. Contact us if it has been more than: 2 weeks since you e-filed your return. 3 months since you mailed your return. Call during business hours for further assistance. Phone [phone number removed] [phone number removed] (outside the U.S.) Wait until prompted. Press 1 for personal income tax. Press 6 for other information. Press 2 for general tax questions and to speak to a representative. TTY/TDD [phone number removed] (for persons with hearing or speech impairments)
If you find out please post. I filed on January 21st and checked the FTB (California tracking) and it says NO RECORD of 2020 income taxes. Called TT and they said they did their part :( Never using TT again I will go back to H&R Block
I have yet to call TT but if you are getting that response from them, they likely are clueless and have no idea if there is a problem with their server or software. Apparently some have recently filed and it went through immediately. Complete Cluster F.
Agree. I understand folks are working remotely and that processes have been chaotic in all types of businesses, industries, institutions, etc, but how about an update from TurboTax on their webpage. Some sort of email or banner that runs across the page stating the reason for such delays. They are not a hole in the wall business with zero customer service training. This is a mega business and they ought to know better. It is beyond disappointing to see the absolute disregard TT has for the customers who are concerned that their CA state taxes were not filed or are lost.
Agree, but all they do is have bots and "Experts" say it takes weeks to file or some other nonsense, when we know from others they are accepting returns filed recently likely after turbotax fixed the error in their software update but those of us who filed early will likely get it rejected and have to refile b/c of the incompetence from Turbotax to address the issue and admit they screwed up.
I have Turbo Tax Deluxe. I finished my taxes on Feb 01, 2021. The IRS would accept after Feb 12, 2021. The IRS actually Accepted the Federal tax forms on February 11, 2021. The State of California shows Pending since that date. When I talked with an agent that I had to wait for 62 minutes she said her Supervisor told her they have information stating that the State of California did accept my particular tax for for California. Yet on my software status it keeps saying Pending. This morning I went on the State of California Tax Refund Status entered all of the data they wanted and it shows they received it and are now processing it. Yet on Turbo Tax Deluxe Status of E-File shows Pending. I think Turbo Tax will probably update their software soon. Here is the link for the State of California Tax Status... https://www.ftb.ca.gov/refund/index.asp
You may be in the minority. I checked the FTB website and is still shows as not received like many others who also checked. Turbotax needs to come clean if this is a result of error on their part with the software not having the latest update
A MESSAGE FOR TURBOTAX ---- You MUST fix this issue for those of us in California who filed early (Feb 1, 2, 3) and whose Federal was ACCEPTED on Feb 11. Our California shows PENDING everytime we check our status in the TurboTax software. If you don't fix this for us, you will lose lots of $$$$$ next year when we all go to H&R Block software !! Gather your IT professionals and check your software and locate ALL of us Californians who filed early in California and FIX THIS FOR US. We can't keep waiting, waiting, waiting and then come April we are accused by California of NOT FILING !!