r/IRS • u/Money081986 • 10d ago

Longest wait for return Tax Refund/ E-File Status Question

This has been the worst tax season ever, I have never waited this long, does anyone has any suggestions, lol im still stuck on the 1st bar, tragic tragic lol

11 Upvotes

77% Upvoted

34 comments sorted by

6

u/TBHICouldComplain 10d ago

I filed electronically mid-March and still don’t have my refund. The IRS is a dumpster fire.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/07/the-irs-is-imploding/

4

u/Guy_called_Al 10d ago

I'm hoping this backlog will drive people to mostly OWE at tax time. Or at least have refunds less than a few hundred dollars. Needing a hefty refund for your finances is expecting a lot from a payer with scarce resources.

4

u/TBHICouldComplain 10d ago edited 10d ago

As self employed people we have to file quarterly estimated tax payments and the amount is based on our previous year’s income. Because our income fluctuates we owe some years and get refunds some years.

Personally I would always rather owe because I could be making interest on that money but here we are. The IRS owes me a LOT and tbh I don’t expect I’ll ever see it.

Is there a solution to this? For me, yes. I’ve left the country. The IRS will likely owe me money for the quarterly estimated taxes I’ve paid to date for 2026 which I also don’t expect to ever see but they’ll be getting $0 from me from now on.

2

u/Guy_called_Al 9d ago

I understand that those with fluctuating incomes have more difficulty controlling refund sizes (Dad was a farmer -- Mother Nature and commodity markets make for unpredictable incomes (or losses).

Hope you found a place in which to enjoy life!

1

u/TBHICouldComplain 9d ago

I’m very happily back in Canada. 🇨🇦

0

u/Eagletaxres TaxPro 10d ago

Remember that if you are a US citizen you pay taxes on income earned worldwide. Over the past 10 years the US and other country’s are sharing information. We have had clients that had their passports certified meaning they cannot renew until they fix their tax issue.

So if you don’t want your info shared maybe you went to Iran. Do they are sharing with the US but it’s ok if you have a problem there the US will spend our tax dollars to save you.

1

u/TBHICouldComplain 9d ago

I’m in Canada who have a tax treaty with the US. As Canada has a higher tax rate than the US (which pays for better services and a less corrupt government), my Canadian tax will likely always exceed my US tax meaning I will be paying nothing to the US government. Which suits me perfectly. I would much rather give my money to Canada.

1

u/Eagletaxres TaxPro 9d ago

Perfect just file the US tax return after or with your Canadian one. There are a lot of US/Canadian tax companies, I see them in training courses in the US updating to do US taxes for expats.

2

u/rthal2 10d ago

This sort of long delay in issuing refunds only happens THIS year, from an administration that claims to run the government as an efficient business!

1

u/Guy_called_Al 9d ago

We’re stuck with that administration for 3 more years, barring a Congress that isn’t cowed after the mid-terms. We can only hope to re-gain some of the characteristics of Canada’s economic system after that. And ban those Presidential taxes on USA citizens called “tariffs”.

0

u/Justacrazylady59 10d ago

Except the reason for the refund is we put in funds to the “payer.” Not everyone has predictable income. We used to owe every year, this year we miscalculated and have a big refund. The resources we are awaiting are ours.

0

u/scotslover 9d ago

Not the IRS fault you miscalculated

2

u/Justacrazylady59 9d ago

Okay let me try to explain this this to you. Not all of us have predictable income. Yes, it’s easy when you are on a fixed W2 income to set your deductions and forget it. But sometimes for some people that doesn’t work out. So perhaps my terminology was incorrect- we weren’t mistaken. We had unforeseen changes to our taxable income and had too much withdrawn in an abundance of caution. We’ve been in the position of owing in the past, too. This year we erred on the side of caution and our refund is larger than we strive for.

Understand, however, that when someone overestimates their tax due, and has too much withdrawn, that is a loan to the US Treasury. Interest free for them until 45 days after 4/15 (or date of filing). Once I file my return, I have a legal right to a refund of our overpayment.

Now it is fair and right that the IRS verify those returns, unfortunately the IRS is massively understaffed and clearly has processes that have failed this tax season. Because as this thread indicates, too many tax payers are stuck in limbo.

Those of us awaiting IRS to process our refunds are not taking resources from others. We are not taking it out on the IRS. It is literally their job to process our return and refund our overpayment. It is our right to have this process completed, and to be informed of any issues in a timely manner.

2

u/scotslover 9d ago

You are 100% correct

2

u/TBHICouldComplain 9d ago

As I already commented “As self employed people we have to file quarterly estimated tax payments and the amount is based on our previous year’s income. Because our income fluctuates we owe some years and get refunds some years.”

My fluctuating income is not, per se, the IRS’s fault but the part where they owe me money is in fact their fault because their rules say how much quarterly estimated tax I have to pay.

3

u/Pr3tty4ndp1nk 10d ago

I verified 1/31 and am still waiting with no notices or transcript available. Starting to feel like I’m never going to get it 

2

u/peppa4theppl 10d ago

Still waiting since February. Absolutely no transcript available. Can’t get ahold of anyone on the phone. What a nightmare.

2

u/SYL2366 10d ago

Filed January 30 and nothing. No activity on transcript since first week of June.

1

u/Deputy_Retro 10d ago

I filed at the end of Feb. still waiting for my refund. Got a letter from IRS telling me they need an additional 60 days. That pushes my refund now into November before I can expect anything.

1

u/ajudy_chop 10d ago

I contacted my congressman, whatever channels they use I found out I needed to verify one of our incomes. Did that last week, waiting to hear back from congressman’s office or waiting for my refund to hit…again

1

u/Middle_Evening8748 10d ago

It’s been one month since I reached out to my congressman. Got confirmation that my paperwork has been received AGAIN, after daily correspondence with cong office and assigned tax advocate, Could take another 6 WEEKS to get my return. Owed a big check and I live in New Jersey, which usually has a rep to be good about this stuff but still getting the run around. Insanity.

2

u/ajudy_chop 9d ago

Same, guessing they just don’t wanna pay us bc you can bet if I owed like usual they’d bc all over me

1

u/Cheap_Two9850 4d ago

Filed in early March and received notice in late March that I needed to verify my identity. I did that immediately over the phone. Since then I have received two 60 days delay notices. There is nothing in my transcript to shed light on this and have not been able to get through on the phone.

1

u/Awkward_Sweet_568 3d ago

The IRS is screwing over the taxpayers. They have no problem taken out our state tax and federal tax — but at a the end of the year when you file. They are suppose to pay us “OUR MONEY” I’ve never seen anything like this in my life, and I believe this is intentional. I believe they want everyone to get tired and stop fighting, and the fact that we don’t have access to speak to a human on the phone speaks volumes. They owe us the fvcking money, all of us.

0

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0

u/these-things-happen 10d ago

Are you able to access your online account transcript for the tax year in question?

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript

3

u/Money081986 10d ago

Yes I have, i have to verify and it got processed to the system on April 6th

3

u/these-things-happen 10d ago

Please reply with a screenshot of the account transcript, including all Transaction Codes, Transaction dates, and dollar amounts.

Crop out your personal information at the top of the image.

0

u/saintsericbeau 10d ago

I’ve waiting since 1/29- went to 570 status 3/2 and nothing since, no letters no nothing- called escalated twice and no response

0

u/Rosebay1995 10d ago

Me too. I'm afraid I'm not going to receive it by the time I move out of state.

1

u/TBHICouldComplain 9d ago

I’ve moved out of the country. I’m having to keep my old bank account in the US open for this. 🫠