Any taxpayer who has used the IRS‘s “Where’s My Refund” service has likely seen the notice “Your return is being processed.” There is a possibility that you will see this message for several weeks or even months in some instances.
The message’s persistence could be frustrating, but it’s good news.
This means that the IRS received your tax return; therefore, you don’t have to stress that they had a problem getting it.
In the past, the IRS has processed and issued refunds for the vast majority of returns within 21 days. However, since the COVID-19 outbreak, the agency has encountered a large backlog due to staff shortages and increasingly complex reports, including revenue from federal stimulus payments.
The IRS has just reassigned 1,200 staff to take calls to deal with the backlog. Last month, IRS released a statement saying it anticipates processing and distributing the vast majority of tax returns within 21 days this year. Still, you shouldn’t be shocked if there’s a lag time before you see your reimbursement.
Hold tight for the next four to six weeks, at least. Call the Internal Revenue Service after that to see what’s up.
To avoid unnecessary holdups, you can take some measures. Some of these include, as stated by GOBankingRates, filing electronically, opting for direct deposit, verifying the accuracy of all data, signing the return before mailing it, and delivering it to the correct IRS processing facility.
Contact the Internal Revenue Service if you think your refund will take longer than usual. The timing of your actions is crucial. According to a survey from the Taxpayer Advocate Service, only 1 in 9 taxpayers who called the service last year for help with their tax returns received a response. Those who did reach an agent spent, on average, 23 minutes on hold before being helped.
The ideal time to reach someone is just when the IRS office opens (at 7 a.m. ET). The IRS is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (both times are Eastern), but we’ve also heard some folks have luck when they phone late in the day, approximately at 6 p.m. or 6:30 p.m.
Furthermore, remember that the IRS must pay interest on any refunds that have been delayed for an unreasonable amount of time. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is required by law to pay interest on any refunds that are not received within 45 days of the tax filing deadline (this year, April 18). This date corresponds to June 2.
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