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The IRS is taking 6 to 9 months and longer to process paper filed tax returns. You will need to have a lot of patience and keep checking the IRS refund status website occasionally every month.
Go to this IRS website for the status of filed tax returns in 2022 - https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations-during-covid-19-mission-critical-functions-continue
As of September 30, 2022, we had 5.8 million unprocessed individual returns received this year. These include tax year 2021 returns and late filed prior year returns. Of these, 1.7 million returns require error correction or other special handling, and 4.1 million are paper returns waiting to be reviewed and processed. This work does not typically require us to correspond with taxpayers, but it 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.
How long you may have to wait: We continue to process tax returns that need to be manually reviewed due to errors. For returns received in the current year, we process individual tax returns for which refunds are due first. Tax returns reflecting tax owed are processed last, but if a payment is mailed with the tax return, the payment is separated upon receipt and deposited to ensure the taxpayer account is credited for the payment.
As the return is processed, whether it was filed electronically or on paper, it may be delayed because it has a mistake, 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 you sent the tax return, we will send you a letter. The resolution of these issues could take more than 120 days depending on how quickly and accurately you respond, and how quickly we can complete the processing of your return. Taxpayers are encouraged to check Tax Season Refund Frequently Asked Questions.
What you should do: In most instances, no further action is needed. Whether you filed electronically or by paper, we will contact you by mail if we need more information or if we made a change to your return. 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 are due a refund, filed on paper more than six months ago, and Where’s My Refund? does not indicate we received your return, you should resubmit your tax return, electronically if possible.
Make sure it includes an original signature, and include all documents submitted with the original return. Otherwise, please do not file your tax return again. Check Where’s My Refund?, or view your account for possible updates.
Thank you for the response! I am seeing the below response from the IRS refund check site. (I am checking the filing date as the date USPS delivered the mail, since its asking for approximate date.) Is this what we should expect till IRS accept my return?
If you filed a complete and accurate tax return, your refund should be issued within six weeks of the received date. However, processing may take longer under certain circumstances.
UNTIL the IRS opens your envelope and a data entry person puts it in the system it will NOT show up on the IRS site ... this could take months to happen and all you can do is check the IRS tool once a week until you see progress. There is nothing you or anyone else can do to speed this process up which is why a return should always be efiled when at all possible. https://www.irs.gov/refunds
Yes, that response is expected from the IRS on the refund status website. The 6 weeks mentioned would be only for normal tax years. Tax year 2020 and 2021 are not normal tax years.
Make sure that you are entering on the IRS refund website the exact Social Security number, the Filing Status and the whole dollar amount of the Federal tax refund as shown on the filed Form 1040.
Also, the IRS has posted on the IRS refund website a notice concerning paper returns - https://www.irs.gov/refunds
If you filed on paper, it may take 6 months or more to process your tax return. For service delay details, see Status of Operations.
Thank you for all the inputs! I will check IRS refund status regularly and see if it is getting changed.
Was my paper filed return accepted?
@DoninGA and @Critter-3 have outlined very well the processing delays that we have been experiencing with the IRS since 2020.
The IRS Where's My Amended Return is here if your paper filed entry is an amended tax return.
I had personal experience with a paper filed tax return that took nearly a year for the IRS to acknowledge through their online tools. The processing of the refund took several more months. Fortunately, even though the refund amount was a large amount, the taxpayer was not in dire need of the funds.
I understand your frustration.
[Edited 2/2/2023 | 3:34 pm PST]
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