The IRS is making progress on its backlog of unprocessed tax returns, but millions remain, the agency said Tuesday. As of June 10, there were 11 million pending individual returns, including filings received before 2022 and new 2021 returns, according to the IRS.
The report expresses concern about continuing delays in the processing of paper-filed tax returns and the consequent impact on taxpayer refunds. At the end of May, the agency had a backlog of 21.3 million unprocessed paper tax returns, an increase of 1.3 million over the same time last year.
But the IRS is still processing paper returns and has an "unprecedented" backlog of over 21 million returns, as well as returns with suspected errors or identity theft to get through, reports Erin Collins, the national taxpayer advocate.
They noted that “because the I.R.S. entered this filing season with a significant backlog, millions of paper returns received in 2022 have not yet been processed.”
While the agency is behind compared with years prior to the pandemic, it is ahead of last year by about 1 million returns. The IRS has been able to keep pace with electronically filed returns -- processing them on average within eight to 21 days -- but it takes longer to process the returns filed on paper.
As the IRS continues to work through the backlog, the agency is also dealing with this year's tax filing season. To date, the IRS has processed more than 143 million returns with nearly 98 million refunds worth more than $298 billion being issued.
Your return could have been flagged as fraudulent because of identity theft or fraud. Some returns are taking longer because of corrections needed that are related to the earned-income tax credit and the pandemic-related stimulus payments (officially termed a “Recovery Rebate Credit”).
Things that can delay a refund:
The return has errors, is incomplete or is affected by identity theft or fraud. The return needs a correction to the child tax credit or recovery rebate credit amount.
What's Taking So Long? If you don't receive your refund in 21 days, your tax return might need further review. This may happen if your return was incomplete or incorrect. The IRS may send you instructions through the mail if it needs additional information in order to process your return.
Reasons Your Tax Refund Can Be Delayed
Missing information. A need for additional review. Possible identity theft or tax fraud. A claim for an earned income tax credit or an additional child tax credit.
The IRS is making progress on its backlog of unprocessed tax returns, but millions remain, the agency said Tuesday. As of June 10, there were 11 million pending individual returns, including filings received before 2022 and new 2021 returns, according to the IRS.
It is also taking the IRS more than 21 days to issue refunds for some tax returns that require review including incorrect Recovery Rebate Credit amounts, or that used 2019 income to figure the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC).
Undelivered Federal Tax Refund Checks
If you were expecting a federal tax refund and did not receive it, check the IRS' Where's My Refund page. You'll need to enter your Social Security number, filing status, and the exact whole dollar amount of your refund. You may be prompted to change your address online.
Taxpayers face "unprecedented" delays getting their refunds, IRS watchdog says. The Internal Revenue Service is facing an even bigger backlog for this tax season than it did a year ago, with delays creating "unprecedented financial difficulties" for taxpayers, according to a report released Wednesday.
The IRS said it's taking longer to process tax returns for the 2020 tax year, and up to a month longer to process amended returns. "It's taking us more than 20 weeks (instead of up to 16 weeks) to process amended returns," the agency said on its site.
Some of the reasons are: you claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit and/or an Additional Child Tax Credit (if you claim either of these credits, the PATH Act requires processing to be delayed), you filed Form 8379 (Injured Spouse Allocation), you have a refund offset, the IRS found errors, inconsistencies, or missing ...
The following are some of the reasons why tax returns take longer than others to process: Your tax return includes errors, such as incorrect Recovery Rebate Credit. Your tax return Is incomplete. Your tax return needs further review in general.
If you haven't received your tax refund after at least 21 days of filing online or six weeks of mailing your paper return, go to a local IRS office or call the federal agency (check out our list of IRS phone numbers that could get you help faster).
What does it mean if my e-file status is “Pending”? This simply means your e-filed tax return was sent, but hasn't been accepted or rejected yet. It should generally get accepted or rejected within 24-48 hours of submitting.
People are still waiting for their 2020 tax refunds even though many of them have already received their 2021 refunds. FOX43 Finds Outs gets answers from the IRS.
If you file a complete and accurate paper tax return, your refund should be issued in about six to eight weeks from the date IRS receives your return. If you file your return electronically, your refund should be issued in less than three weeks, even faster when you choose direct deposit.
If it has been over 21 days since your return was being accepted by the IRS (or 6 weeks if you filed a paper return) and the tax refund status has not changed or WMR has no updated message for delays, you can call the IRS and speak with an agent concerning your tax refund.
The Internal Revenue Service has essentially been unable to process the paper 1040 returns that individuals filed in 2022 until it's finished processing the pile up of paperwork filed in 2021.
Many taxpayers who filed paper returns in 2021 got caught in the backlog and reported waiting six months and longer to receive their refunds. The IRS acknowledged Tuesday: "To date, more than twice as many returns await processing compared to a typical year at this point in the calendar year."