Question

Filed February 11, still in processing. How long can IRS legally hold refund?

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
June 5, 2019
25 replies
0 views

How do we know where in the process we are

Employee

There is no statutory limit. However, after 45 days from the filing deadline they must pay interest on the refund, and after six months you can sue them in the Court of Claims.

K

Kgagnon8

6 months after the deadline or 6 months after filing? And where can I find out this information?

X

xmasbaby0

Employee

@Kgagnon8 This is a very old post that migrated over from the Answer Xchange with a 2019 date. Check to see if your return was accepted:

When you e-file your federal return you will receive two emails from TurboTax. The first one will say that your return was submitted. The second email will tell you if your federal return was accepted or rejected. If you e-filed a state return, there will be a third email to tell you if the state accepted or rejected your state return.

First, check your e-file status to see if your return was accepted:

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/efile-status-lookup/

If the IRS accepted it, what does it say here?

https://www.irs.gov/refunds Or does your account say “Ready to Mail?”

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

J

julie012717

December 18 2019 I recieved another letter informing me that the IRS nedded another 60 days to process my 2018 return. It will be over a year since I filed my taxes on February 2 2019 before I can even speak to the IRS about last years return. What is going on?

M

mesquitebean

Employee

@ julie012717

No one in a user community forum can know what all the IRS is doing with your 2018 return. Have you tried to talk to them using the steps provided above or by a phone number in your IRS letter?

Have you talked to the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service for assistance? If so, you didn't mention it.

At the following IRS website, find the USA map and click on your state, and it will give you the number of your IRS Taxpayer Advocate.

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Contact-a-Local-Taxpayer-Advocate

Also see this article for more info on how the Taxpayer Advocate Service works::
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc104.html

If you don't get good assistance/results re: your 2018 return from the IRS and IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service, you could notify your Congressman's local district office to see if they can help you.

A

Asilva

I still have not received my either. The last letter I received from the IRS was at tge beginning of April to verify my identity. I did that passed, and have not heard a single thing from the IRS since. Everytime I have called was told nothing else was needed from me. Here it is February 15, 2020 and still havent received my refund that was filed and accepted on March 6, 2019.

M

mesquitebean

Employee

@ Asilva wrote:

I still have not received my either. The last letter I received from the IRS was at tge beginning of April to verify my identity. I did that passed, and have not heard a single thing from the IRS since. Everytime I have called was told nothing else was needed from me. Here it is February 15, 2020 and still havent received my refund that was filed and accepted on March 6, 2019.

See the answer right above your posting, which tells how to contact the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service. Hopefully, they can help you with your 2018 return. If they can't produce results, then you may wish to contact your Congressman's local district office to see if they can help you,.

G

Gloram

Same thing happened to me and I’m still currently waiting in my 2018 tax return. When I went to file for my 2019 tax return I told them what was happening and they gave me a number I could call. I live in Arizona and they gave me Senator number and I got help.

K

KennethS68

I submitted my taxes in February. I got a letter stating they were holding my refund because I didn’t properly submit my 2017 taxes (which I did electronically through TurboTax). I printed the 2017 taxes and sent it to them. A couple of weeks later I got another letter saying the return I sent wasn’t signed by both tax payers, my wife and I. My wife passed away from cancer in 2018 so I can’t get her signature. I sent them a copy of the death certificate and signed it with only my name. A couple of weeks later the IRS sent me a letter saying the tax amount I paid was incorrect in 2017 and they had to recalculate it and they would deduct the difference from my 2019 refund. Then they closed all their offices because of the CoronaVirus and I haven’t heard anything from them in over a month.

K

KennethS68

But now because they have my 2019 tax return on hold, it has also held up my getting the stimulus check that they promised everyone with direct deposit would receive the week of April 17. So I can’t get my tax refund or my stimulus check.

A

Asilva

@KennethS68 I am so sorry to hear about your wife. After I verified my identity and passed the IRS said everything was good. I still haven't received my 2017 refund, called several times, they said everything looked great. I went to enter by banking info for the stimulus and the IRS rejected it because I didn't include some 6 digit code the prevent identity theft. A letter was supposed to have been sent to me in December, of course I never got any letter from them in December. I can't call to get the code, or request the send me another one. So I understand completely. The IRS is a **bleep** joke. No 2017 refund and no stimulus check for me either.

S

Sepro51

I filed Feb 5th and mine still says the same as yours prison the stimulus give my refund it's a he'll of a lot more I can use for things

C

Crystal83

Yeah I filed Jan 31 2019, received a letter dated March 16th stating they were reviewing my return and would an additional 60 days.. I file with TurboTax every year same bank account same job same two kids every year. Nothing has changed.. Well it's been almost 60 days and still nothing, and NO ONE TO CALL NO ONE IN THE OFFICE!!!

GiseleD

I'm sorry to hear that you are going through this. Unfortunately, the IRS is extremely understaffed due to COVID-19. This has impacted the processing of e-filed returns. If you do not receive your refund by the time the IRS resumes normal operations, please reach out to them at 800 829 1040.

@Crystal83

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L

leonsceco

Guys and Gals, it's important that you understand what's going on and what your options are. I myself have not received my refund and it's way past the deadline, but I'm not worried.

Steps to consider:

1. Call the Tax Advocate office and leave a message as indicated.

2. Understand that late payments are growing in interest "BY THE DAY!"

3. If you're surviving, you're fine for now, it can be tough, but brighter days ahead!

4. Calling the IRS will NOT speed up the process, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic.

B

BiBaltimore63

I file my 2019 income tax in why haven’t I got my first stimlus check file April or May in keep getting run around in excuses why

B

BiBaltimore63

Did mines direct deposit so what’s going on claim a lot of pepole still didn’t get there first one is that true

X

xmasbaby0

Employee

@BiBaltimore63

The IRS can look at your 2018 or 2019 return to issue a stimulus check. If they do not have a 2018 return then you may be waiting for them to finish processing 2019 before they will be able to use it to issue your stimulus check.

TurboTax has no control over your stimulus check, nor can TT track it for you or tell you when the IRS will issue it. Refer to the sites linked below:

You can call the IRS hotline at 1-800-919-9835 to get updates on your stimulus payment.

https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payment-information-center#nonfilertool

https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment-frequently-asked-questions

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-topics/help/how-will-the-stimulus-package-impact-me/00/1393859

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

E

Eronay-Trina24

It's been two years I filed call done everything I supposed to do and nothing they say I owe 500 since 2011 and never received anything since then if I owe anything they should have subtracted from you all the years I filed

X

xmasbaby0

Employee

@Eronay-Trina24

There are no other posts under your username Trina2u2

We have no context for the problem you are having. We have no details and have no way to see your account or your tax returns. If you filed a 2019 tax return then your only source of information now is the IRS. If the IRS is saying you owe, then you have to sort it out with the IRS. TurboTax cannot intercede with the IRS for you. If you think you do not owe the IRS you can seek help from a Tax Advocate:

At the following IRS website, find the USA map and click on your state, and it will give you the number of your area's IRS Taxpayer Advocate.

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Contact-a-Local-Taxpayer-Advocate

Also see this article for more info on how the Taxpayer Advocate Service works::
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc104.html

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

D

Darl1

Hi, i am Darlene Moxley

I file my taxes through Turbo taxes Intuit and i haven't received my Federal taxes since February and still waiting. I received that it was approved but i received nothing yet. So what do i do about it.

A

Anonymous

It turns out that there is no set time schedule for when refunds have to be given to people who file taxes (and who qualify). This is probably not the answer that you wanted. at the present time, the IRS does not want to be contacted about refunds and warns against filing another return. The IRS was shut down for several months and now has millions of returns to process. They will pay you interest on your delayed refund which will probably come in a separate check.