THIS POST IS INTENDED FOR U.S. CITIZENS AND GREEN CARD HOLDERS (RESIDENT ALIENS) WHO FILED THEIR 2018-2021 TAX RETURNS AND ARE STILL WAITING TO RECEIVE PART OR ALL OF THEIR STIMULUS PAYMENTS/TAX REFUND

Several people are asking why they still have not received their:

– Stimulus Payment (or received only a portion) claimed on their 2020 and 2021 tax returns

– Tax Refund for Tax Years 2018-2021

The simple answer is that the IRS is still heavily backlogged. Please see the IRS article below for all the details. You do not need to do anything except be (very) patient until your tax return is processed.

Please click here for more information.

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We are opening mail within normal time frames, and we’ve processed all paper and electronic individual returns in the order received if they were received prior to March 2022 and the return had no errors or did not require further review.

As of October 21, 2022, we had 5.1 million unprocessed individual returns received this year. These include tax year 2021 returns and late filed prior year returns. Of these, 2.1 million returns require error correction or other special handling, and 3.0 million are paper returns waiting to be reviewed and processed. This work does not typically require us to correspond with taxpayers, but it 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.

How long you may have to wait: We continue to process tax returns that need to be manually reviewed due to errors. For returns received in the current year, we process individual tax returns for which refunds are due first. Tax returns reflecting tax owed are processed last, but if a payment is mailed with the tax return, the payment is separated upon receipt and deposited to ensure the taxpayer account is credited for the payment.

As the return is processed, whether it was filed electronically or on paper, it may be delayed because it has a mistake, is missing information, or there is suspected identity theft or fraud. If we can fix it without contacting you, we will. If we need more information or need you to verify you sent the tax return, we will send you a letter. The resolution of these issues could take more than 120 days depending on how quickly and accurately you respond, and how quickly we can complete the processing of your return. Taxpayers are encouraged to check Tax Season Refund Frequently Asked Questions.

What you should do: In most instances, no further action is needed. Whether you filed electronically or by paper, we will contact you by mail if we need more information or if we made a change to your return. If you filed electronically and received an acknowledgement, you do not need to take any further action other than promptly responding to any requests for information. If you are due a refund, filed on paper more than six months ago, and Where’s My Refund? does not indicate we received your return, you should resubmit your tax return, electronically if possible.

Make sure it includes an original signature, and include all documents submitted with the original return. Otherwise, please do not file your tax return again.  Check Where’s My Refund?, or view your account for possible updates.

Status of Processing Form 1040-X, Amended Individual Tax Return: As of October 15, 2022, we had 1.2 million unprocessed Forms 1040-X. We are processing these returns in the order received and the current timeframe can be more than 20 weeks. Please don’t file the same return more than once.  Taxpayers should continue to check ​Where’s My Amended Return? for the most up to date processing status available.

Status of Unemployment Compensation Exclusion Corrections: The IRS continues to review tax year 2020 returns and process corrections for taxpayers who paid taxes on unemployment compensation, to exclude the compensation from income if eligible. To date, the IRS has issued over 11.9 million refunds totaling $14.6 billion. Some taxpayers will receive refunds, while others will have the overpayment applied to taxes due or other debts. The IRS will mail a letter to affected taxpayers to inform them of the corrections, generally within 30 days from when the corrections were completed. See the 2020 Unemployment Compensation Exclusion FAQs for more information, including details on whether filing an amended return is needed.

Status of Processing Form 941, Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return: As of October 26, 2022, we had 2.5 million unprocessed Forms 941.  If you filed electronically and received an acknowledgement, you do not need to take any further action other than promptly responding to any requests for information. These tax returns are processed in the order received. Please don’t file a second tax return.

As of October 26, 2022, our total inventory of unprocessed Forms 941-X was approximately 257,000, some of which cannot be processed until the related 941s are processed.  While not all of these returns involve a COVID credit, the inventory is being worked at two sites (Cincinnati and Ogden) that have trained staff to work possible COVID credits.