The feds don’t have my 2020 return filed by TurboTax!

[ShannonR]

I have not received my refund and the irs website does not show my 2020 taxes as having been received although they were filed electronically thru TurboTax

[Mike9241]

when did you e-file? did you receive an acceptance e-mail? 

[mesquitebean]

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@ShannonR wrote:
I have not received my refund and the irs website does not show my 2020 taxes as having been received although they were filed electronically thru TurboTax

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That IRS WMR tool can be quirky at times, but you do need to make sure you are using it correctly.

First, be sure you successfully efiled.  Check that your efiled return was accepted for processing. If you used Online TurboTax, log in and go to the Tax Home and check the efile status.

If that confirmed it was accepted, here are some tips when using the IRS "Where's My Refund" tool:

https://www.irs.gov/Refunds

• Be sure you have waited at least 24 hours after acceptance before using the IRS WMR tool.
• Be sure you enter the correct SSN and filing status.
• Be sure you are using only the Federal refund amount.   Do not include any state refund or any total refund or net refund (Fed and State) that TurboTax may have provided on a screen.  
• Look at your actual Federal return to get the Federal refund amount, i.e., your Form 1040, Line 35a.

• You can also try phoning the IRS refund hotline.  I've seen it work for some users when the WMR tool didn't.  800-829-1954

[ShannonR]

I have the email receipt of acceptance dated May 14th, 2021 which is why I'm so confused

[ShannonR]

I used a disc to file and have the email acceptance from TurboTax dated May 17, 2021.  I've tried the IRS website link a few times and just called the number you provided but same result.  This has never happened before and I'm becoming more concerned that I cannot get direct help from TurboTax.  

Thank you for trying!

[Critter-3 · Accepted solution]

Once the IRS has the return there is nothing TT can do to help get it processed faster so you will get no help from them.  

The IRS is seriously backlogged due to all the new tax laws and extra stimulus filings, as well as unprocessed 2019 returns left over from the COVID shutdown.  Lots of other folks are still waiting (some since mid-February), so please continue to be patient.  

Have you checked your status here: TurboTax and IRS ?

Although the IRS has processed and issued most refunds from e-filed returns around 21 days, because of the pileup caused by Covid, CARES Act, stimulus and the American Rescue Plan Act, some of the returns will require more time to review. 

Several items can  delay the processing of the 2020 return ... some of which are :   

> unemployment

> repayment of the PTC

> stimulus credit  on line 30 of the 2020 form 1040

> if you used the 2019 earned income for the 2020 EIC &/or  CTC/ACTC

> if you have prior year balance dues or unfiled returns

> the info on the W-2 doesn't match what the employer sent in and/or the employer's W-2 is not yet on file

> a variety of other items that require humans to look at

Due to understaffing and over tasking at the IRS again this year many returns will be delayed for as much as months.  The aging computer system is being over taxed trying to process millions of  2019 returns and 2020 returns (some of which will need extra processing this year due to the late tax law changes)  AND putting out the third stimulus payments.  If you want to vent to someone then contact your  local congress person and demand they fund the IRS sufficiently so that they can hire enough people and update their computer systems to handle all of the demands made upon this agency.  The IRS  can only do so much with the continued reductions to their budget. 

[ShannonR]

Thank you!   

[VolvoGirl]

FYI - For the Desktop program you have to check the filing status inside the program. Open your return and go up to menu item

File > Electronic Filing > Check Electronic Filing Status

Then save your return with the status. Go to File-Save.

[ShannonR]

Yes

[Carl]

I used a disc to file and have the email acceptance from TurboTax dated May 17, 2021.

Be aware that the e-mail is "NOT" generated by TurboTax. It's actually generated by the IRS computers and is sent back to you "through" TurboTax. I guess that's so TTX can alter it with their logo and stuff.

Also be aware that two physically separate e-mails are generated for the federal return, and two more physically separate e-mails are generated for each state return if a state is e-filed.

The first e-mail simply indicates the tax return was successfully transmitted to the IRS. That does not mean the IRS computers actually received it.  So if this is the only e-mail you have, that's not good enough.

The second email informs you if the IRS accepted or rejected your e-filed return. If accepted, that's the e-mail you need as proof that you filed, and proof that the IRS not only received it, but that they also accepted it as filed.  That's the e-mail you need as bottom line proof.

Also, if you will open your tax return and elect to save it as a PDF, then in that PDF file you'll also have a page called something like "Electronic Postmark" which is hands-down proof the IRS accepted it as filed.

Finally, understand that just because the IRS has accepted your e-filed return as filed, does not mean they agree with it. If it gets flagged and they change something that changes your refund amount, then it's perfectly possible you just flat out will not be able to see it on the irs.gov/refunds site; since you won't have any way of knowing the changed refund amount.

As back logged as the IRS is, it's really no surprise here. Heck, I personally know 2 folks who still haven't received their 2019 tax refunds. (It was 3, but one of them finally got their refund a few weeks ago for 2019 taxes.)