Still no federal refund after over 6 months - options?

Question

We still have not received our refund on our 2020 federal return that was e-filed and accepted on Sept 27, 2021 (after a timely-filed extension). Our tax transcript is still showing the credit (for us) balance on our account. We have not received any documents from the IRS at all saying why they are holding the refund. All our past returns (which were all refund returns) were timely filed, accepted, and have be paid out.

Is there any "secret" numbers on can call about this sort of thing, or is the main IRS phone number the only option? In any event, I assume waiting until *at least* a week or two after April 18 would be wise? ? And yes, I know I'm likely to be on hold forever.

(after this, for 2021 I'm going to just have them apply any refund to 2022, I think.)

honda.... · Accepted Answer

I know one person who filed an amended return (for tax year 2020) in April 2021, adding pay from jury duty that changes his refund by about $200. I know a second person who filed an amended return (for tax year 2020) in late May, 2021. All they can get from the IRS site is that the IRS is still working on their returns (meaning the IRS has not gotten to the returns, AFAIC).

I saw anecdotal reports a few months ago that the logjam is starting to break up.

But if I were you, I would be prepared to wait another year. I think it could easily take this long.

I agree the best option may be (1) to just apply any refund to future tax years; and (2) make sure one always owes some small amount (under $1000) to the IRS for each tax year.

April 4, 2022 article on the IRS's hiring effort:

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Note the effort to hire blue collar, non college degreed folks to help with the IRS back log.

Granted, and short of putting Pete Buttigieg or Bill Gates in charge of the IRS, I am not sure I have any better solutions.

I expect things will get worse before they get better.

Rich · Answer

The thing is that according to my tax transcript, the return was accepted on Sep 27, 2021 and was "processed" on Oct 18, 2021. The transcript shows all the return info, including the correct refund balance. I could understand if the return wasn't processed at all. But it was processed and got into the computers to the point where it fully shows up in the 2020 transcript. But they haven't sent the refund or told me why they are not sending it.

In fact, up until the point where "Where's My Refund" flipped over to showing 2021 return info I could go to "Where's My Refund" and enter my SSN and refund amount and it would show that I had a refund coming, though it never got around to showing an estimated date that it would be sent.

Retired · Answer

Some folks in this situation have had good luck contacting their local Congressional representative office to get such resolved. Worth a try anyway.

ira smilovitz · Answer

Processed only means that the data is in the computer. Something in the return required additional review which means a person needs to look at it. That's where all the backlog is.

Ira Smilovitz, EA Leonia, NJ

Adam H. Kerman · Answer

You want the Blue Screen of Death to fall upon IRS tax returnprocessing?

Still no federal refund after over 6 months - options?

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