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June 2, 2021
Question

unable to find status of return

  • June 2, 2021
  • 2 replies
  • 0 views

I filed my federal tax return & it was approved. I filed my state returns (I don't live in the state I worked) and the return of the state I live in was approved, but the other state was rejected. I amended the return & had to mail it. I went onto the IRS website to tract my return and it said they were unable to find it. I also went onto the state that I had to amend tract my return page and they were unable to find it as well. I am not sure what to do at this point. 

    2 replies

    Employee
    June 2, 2021

    @alyssamadsen10 You are confusing the words "accepted" and "approved"----when it comes to tax returns those words do not mean the same thing.    "Accepted" only means enough data was on the tax return for the IRS to take it for processing.   "Approval" of a refund comes later in the process.

     

     

    https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2840013-does-accepted-mean-my-refund-is-approved

     

    Sadly, the IRS refund site has been behaving erratically and has not always been reliable this year.   TurboTax has no control over this and cannot find out anything about your refund for you.

     

    https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/personalfinance/where-is-my-damn-irs-tax-refund-new-answers-emerge-as-delays-frustrate-millions/ar-BB1g54Ks?ocid=BingNewsSearch

     

    TurboTax gives you an estimated date for receiving your refund based on a 21 day average from your date of acceptance, but it can take longer.  “21 days”  is not a promise from TurboTax or the IRS.   Many refunds are taking longer during the pandemic.  The IRS is backlogged —-they are still trying to process millions of 2019 returns; they received millions of e-filed on the day they opened for 2020 returns, and now they are burdened with sending out another round of stimulus checks.   

     

     

    Some delays are resulting from incorrect amounts that folks entered for stimulus checks they received.   Many people have been confused by the recovery rebate credit and completed it incorrectly.  The IRS may delay your refund while they cross-check to see what you received.  Some refunds are delayed because of the tax law changes that went into effect recently.   If your return has unemployment or the premium tax credit on it, that may be delaying it.

     

     

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

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

     

    Once your federal return has been accepted by the IRS, only the IRS has any control.  TurboTax does not receive any updates from the IRS. Your ONLY source of information about your refund now is the IRS.

    You need your filing status, your Social Security number and the exact amount  (line 34of your 2020 Form 1040) of your federal refund to track your Federal refund:   

    https://www.irs.gov/refunds

    To track your state refund:    

    https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899433-how-do-i-track-my-state-refund

     

    https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901548-why-do-some-refunds-take-longer-than-others

    If you chose to have your TurboTax fees deducted from your federal refund, that will take some extra time, while the third party bank handles the refund processing.

    https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions

    https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2840013-does-accepted-mean-my-refund-is-approved

    https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2724106-my-return-is-accepted-but-still-not-approved-is-there-a-problem-should-i-be-worried

     

     

     

     

     

     

    From this IRS website - https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations-during-covid-19-mission-critical-functions-continue

     

    As of May 15, 2021, we had 300,000 individual tax returns received prior to 2021 in the processing pipeline. Including current year returns, as of May 15, 2021, we had 16.4 million unprocessed individual returns in the pipeline. Unprocessed returns include those requiring correction to the Recovery Rebate Credit amount or validation of 2019 income used to figure the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). This work does not require us to correspond with taxpayers but does require special handling by an IRS employee so, in these instances, it is taking the IRS more than 21 days to issue any related refund. If, as a result, a correction is made to any RRC, EITC or ACTC claimed on the return, the IRS will send taxpayers an explanation. Taxpayers are encouraged to continue to check Where’s My Refund? for their personalized refund status and can review Tax Season Refund Frequently Asked Questions.

     

    **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.**
    June 2, 2021

    Okay, it was "accepted" and I did go to those sites already and typed in my SS and exact amount and it said it was unable to find it. So am I supposed to sit and wait to see what happens or is there something else I can do?

    Employee
    June 2, 2021

    You can call the IRS---expect plenty of frustration trying to get through.

     

    To call the IRS:IRS:  800-829-1040  hours 7 AM - 7 PM local time Mon-Fri

    Listen to each menu before making the selection.

    First choose your language. Press 1 for English.

    Then do NOT choose the first choice re: "Refund", or it will send you to an automated phone line.

    Instead, press 2 for "personal income tax".

    Then press 1 for "form, tax history, or payment".  

    Then press 3 "for all other questions."

    Then press 2 "for all other questions."  It should then transfer you to an agent.

     

    https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/state-taxes/help/how-do-i-contact-my-state-department-of-revenue/00/25573

     

    **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.**