We're open and processing mail, tax returns, payments, refunds and correspondence. However, COVID-19 continues to cause delays in some of our services. Our service delays include: Live phone support.
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.
Correspondence Processing Delays
It took an average of 251 days to do so – more than eight months. That is more than triple the processing time of 74 days in fiscal year 2019, the most recent pre-pandemic year.
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.
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.
Your refund may be delayed if you made math errors or if you forgot to sign your return or include your Social Security number. It may also be delayed if your dependents' information doesn't match IRS records, or if you left out a corresponding schedule or form to support a deduction or credit, says Pickering.
Tax return backlog is still 'crushing the IRS' — and taxpayers — as pileup exceeds 21 million, agency watchdog reports. The IRS backlog of tax returns has swelled over the past year, despite efforts to clear the pileup, an agency watchdog reported.
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”).
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 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.
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."
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).
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 ...
Typically the IRS processes tax returns and issues refunds within 21 calendar days of receipt. The IRS even stated in January communicating the 21-day time frame.
Most tax processing systems have automated checks looking for common red flags and are then flagged for more further (manual) processing. The could add weeks to your tax return processing and subsequent delays to your refund payments.
There are many different reasons why your refund may have not been processed yet, but the most common include: Your tax return included errors. Your tax return is incomplete. This could mean that all of the necessary forms were not sent to the IRS for processing.
In fact the IRS had already announced that there will likely be longer than usual tax refund payment delays due to processing/validation of past year and amended returns, staffing/budget constraints and the ongoing payment and reconciliation of past stimulus payments and tax credits (like the CTC).
An incomplete return, an inaccurate return, an amended return, tax fraud, claiming tax credits, owing certain debts for which the government can take part or all of your refund, and sending your refund to the wrong bank due to an incorrect routing number are all reasons that a tax refund can be delayed.
21 days or more since it was filed electronically (or since the IRS filing season start date – whichever is later), Six weeks or more since a return was mailed, or when. Where's My Refund? tells the taxpayer to contact the IRS.
COVID-19 Processing Delays
It's taking us longer than normal to process mailed correspondence and more than 21 days to issue refunds for certain mailed and e-filed 2020 tax returns that require review. Thank you for your patience.
There are many different reasons why your refund may have not been processed yet, but the most common include: Your tax return included errors. Your tax return is incomplete. This could mean that all of the necessary forms were not sent to the IRS for processing.
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.