Called the irs they said its in error department and don't know why. What does it mean??

[DawnC]

Your tax return is in the error department?   Although I have never heard of an 'error' department, the IRS may review your return if they find an error when processing.   If you e-filed, you should receive your refund in 21 days.   Some tax returns take longer to process than others for many reasons, including when a return:

• Includes errors
• Is incomplete
• Is affected by identity theft or fraud
• Includes a claim filed for an Earned Income Tax Credit or an Additional Child Tax Credit. See Q&A below.
• Includes a Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation, which could take up to 14 weeks to process
• Needs further review in general

They will contact you by mail when we need more information to process your return.  They will notify you by mail if they correct any errors on your tax return as well.   

[Fink44]

I am in the same boat.  I filed and my return was accepted on 2/19/21.  I called because I had still not received my refund after almost five weeks.  Apparently my return is in the "Error Dept." as well.  This is especially frustrating because I haven't gotten a refund in years, and Turbo Tax ran the "Error Check".

[JotikaT2]

The error does not necessarily refer to the electronic filing error you had in TurboTax.  It's possible the amounts reported on your return do not match the information provided to the IRS.  Or you may have claimed the Recovery Rebate credit but the information on file with the IRS differs from what is reported on the tax return as filed.

Correcting Recovery Rebate Credits on returns already filed

Once the IRS reviews your return, they will process your tax return and notify you of any changes, if any.  

You can use the following link to track your refund.

IRS processing time and refund status 

The online link is your best option to track your refund.  I have attached a link with more answers from the IRS as to why your refund may be taking longer to process.

Federal refund questions

@Fink44

[Fink44]

Yeah, checking the status of my refund through the IRS site was not working which is why I had to make the call.  According to the human being that I spoke to on the phone, there is literally nothing that can be done other than wait up to 10 weeks.  At that point I either get a letter telling me what to correct.  Or it's a simple fix, they do it themselves and I get my refund some day.  

Once you've filed and end up in the "error department" you're on your own until they respond.  This is straight from the woman that I spoke to who works for the IRS.

This is all after being on hold for literally an hour.  And yes, I know that they are very busy right now.

[Christinau77]

The IRS accepted my electronic return Feb 27th, 2021. It’s now May 12th. I called and the IRS said it’s in the error department and they work on them as they are received. I also got an email from Turbo Tax stating they are gonna take $200 out of my checking because the IRS hasn’t given me a refund yet. My question to turbo tax is I should get a refund on the fee when I chose to have you take it directly out of my refund. And why did I spend all this money in tax fees & live advice to have errors in my returns? 

[CatinaT1]

When you choose to pay your TurboTax fees from your Federal refund & there is a delay in the processing of your return/refund, then per the Refund Processing Agreement, TurboTax can deduct the fees from your bank account. 

Why was my bank account auto-debited for TurboTax fees? 

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/charges-and-fees/help/why-was-my-bank-account-auto-debited-for- 

According to this IRS update as of May 7th:     

The IRS is now opening mail within normal timeframes. The IRS has also made significant progress in processing prior year returns. As of April 30, 2021, we had 1 million individual tax returns received prior to 2021 in the processing pipeline. Including current year returns, as of April 30, 2021, we had 17.1 million unprocessed individual returns in the pipeline. Unprocessed returns include those requiring correction to the Recovery Rebate Credit amount or validation of 2019 income used to figure the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). This work does not require us to correspond with taxpayers but does require special handling by an IRS employee so, in these instances, it is taking the IRS more than 21 days to issue any related refund. If, as a result, a correction is made to any RRC, EITC or ACTC claimed on the return, the IRS will send taxpayers an explanation. Taxpayers are encouraged to continue to check Where’s My Refund? for their personalized refund status and can review Tax Season Refund Frequently Asked Questions.  

How long you may have to wait: The IRS understands the importance of timely processing of tax returns and refund issuance. We are processing returns received over the summer and fall in 2020 due to the extended July 15, 2020 tax filing due date. While the majority of 2019 refund returns have been processed, in some cases, we are processing tax returns that were mailed with a payment even though payment associated with these returns have been processed by the IRS. However, we are rerouting tax returns and taxpayer correspondence from locations that are behind to locations where more staff is available, and we are taking other actions to minimize any delays. Tax returns are opened in the order received. As the return is processed, it may be delayed because it has a mistake including errors concerning the Recovery Rebate Credit, is missing information, or there is suspected identity theft or fraud. If we can fix it without contacting you, we will. If we need more information or need you to verify that it was you who sent the tax return, we will write you a letter. The resolution of these issues depends on how quickly and accurately you respond, and the ability of IRS staff trained and working under social distancing requirements to complete the processing of your return.  

What you should do: If you filed electronically and received an acknowledgement, you do not need to take any further action other than promptly responding to any requests for information. If you filed on paper, check Where’s my refund? If it tells you we have received your return or are processing or reviewing it, we are processing your return, but it may be under review. We’re working hard to get through the backlog. Please don’t file a second tax return or contact the IRS about the status of your return.  

[david46803]

Yea all turbo trax is carring about right now is there **bleep** fees paid how about get off yours A$$ and do what we paid you do seems like we pay you and cause you guys didnt catch no errors its no worrys on your end Huh why did some of us pay over 100 just for u guy jack but all we care about is your fees paid not our refunds now i see why u guts are getting suied from year ago i will never use u guys ever again and seems like alot other done with you guys to. Cause your not worried about customers but only your self and your **bleep** fees guess once its out if your hands and irs has it u care less about or refunds huh you guys are worthless and not worth the fees we had pay 

[david46803]

Yup and after 10 weeks guess what they say wait 30 more fing days sick of the dang irs keeping tell me wait longer

[mwoodson1995]

this is crappy and to add more fuel to those of us unemployed you want to deduct charges from what ever little money we do have.  i have been calling them for 2 months now waited all the time frames just to get more time frames. they accidentally sent me to the collections department today, and he said i'll try to help you and went in the account and said there were no errors with my refund. he transfers me to see when i will get my refund, and they say error code 100  waiting to be loaded  which changed current error code: unworked error fell out of pipeline  errors not for technician error code. So if it fell out the pipeline how does it get worked and who works it? Called the tax advocate hotline wait hours for them just to get turned away when their recording says free tax assistance if you have a tax issue or economic or hardship after 30 days call them even says this when i call the local tax advocate office, but they can't help cause their excuse is the status the tax return is in. if they can't help then what are they their for? if the IRS can't expedite the return the why falsely advertise it? Error Code 100 states it takes 3-4 days to resolve on the irs website but this has been going on for 2 weeks since the error code was mentioned. i filed about Feb 27th and been calling for 2 months.   https://www.irs.gov/irm/part21/irm_21-004-001r#idm[phone number removed]056

[mwoodson1995]

and there is kinda an errors dept, but they are pronouncing it wrong the link if you to it, it is called the ers code. maybe thats what they coined the office to be?

[david46803]

Yup same here told me wait 10 weeks i have then they tell me wait 30 more **bleep** days turbo tax dont care help either there to worried about there fees after they send it to irs it like oh well out our hands but you owe us and we want our fees after this year i never use them again irs keeps telling me irs in errors department no tine frame keep waiting 30 more days all most been 3 **bleep** months they dont care tax advocate did the same crap oh we cant help you right now cause i haven't got a letter from irs really what hell they there for.  Irs so behinde be months till see any thing but you owe them and oh hell they want there money now and take it u pay tyrbo tax do your taxs for what i paid over 100 get mine done for them not even help just oh we want our money blah blah u signed saying if there a delay we can take the money from your account. Yea. After this yeat i see them losing alot people

[Kiki121314]

I fully understand this here! I filed 3/5. Accepted 3/6. Call IRS last Friday they told me I was notified that I was in error department in March. No I was not. Not at all. My stuff has been in error department since March! It's almost June 😠😠. They lady told me since they are so backed up that they don't know when it will be fixed. Oh and TurboTax y'all not getting no fee money until I get my taxes. Sorry not sorry. Shouldn't offer services knowing things don't always run accordingly. Can try to take it out my bank account but you won't get not ONE CENT! This tax season and turbotax can go right to hell! I'll try again in 2022 

[Dragonfire78]

They dont care there worthless turbo rax dont give 2 **bleep**s where our money is once irs get it all they care about is there fees and getting it and bank will let it happen and if its checking account they just over draft it i will never ever use these guys no more u think we paid them they need force irs get out crap out errors department!!!

[TMD17]

I'm in the same boat. Filed Feb 22 and still nothing. I think it's partially because we had our first baby in 2020 so we added a dependent and since we didn't get the stimulus for her we claimed the rebate. Seems like everyone I know who did that has delayed returns. I contacted my state congressman because I couldn't get through to anyone at the IRS and within a day they told my rep that I was in error dept. The state rep office told me they would be notified as soon as it leaves error dept. but who knows how long that will be...