Where's my refund?

[gfizer]

I have a client who is driving me bananas!  His return was filed and accepted on February 19th and his refund still has not been direct deposited.  Where's My Refund tool shows that the return is still being processed.  Refund hotline says that the return is still being processed.  He is convinced he is being audited and wants to speak to a real live person and not an automated system.  I have told him to call 1-800-829-1040 but that's not good enough.  Is anyone aware of any other numbers that he could call to speak to someone to find out what the holdup is? 

[Possi]

Does he have a large refund? The IRS is holding my 5-digit refunds, it seems. Eventually, they will come. I just tell them that questioning it makes the IRS more suspicious, and they leave me alone...

 

[RitaB]

4 minutes ago, Possi said:

Does he have a large refund? The IRS is holding my 5-digit refunds, it seems. Eventually, they will come. I just tell them that questioning it makes the IRS more suspicious, and they leave me alone...

 

Oh, that's a good one.  Stop checking; it makes IRS suspicious. 

Mine who's return is being processed, and terrified he's being audited, also making me miserable, has nothing to audit.  He had an obscene amount withheld from SS benefits, and I'd say IRS is checking with SSA:  "Seriously?"  I'm being facetious, of course.  His was accepted Feb 29.  What is wrong with people? 

gfizer, I know of no other phone number, but I've not tried to find one, either. 

[RitaB]

*whose

[Pacun]

We check where is my refund every other day and we noticed about 3 returns being put aside. Eventually the IRS release their refunds and clients never called us.

We tell people this while we hand them their copies: "if everything goes well, you could have your refund deposited in your bank in two weeks. If you nothing is deposited in 30 days from today, give us a call".

[Pacun]

Another detail. Next year the IRS will put aside returns with EIC, AOC, and large refunds, so it might be a good idea to start telling people, call me in two months if your money is not deposited.

I used to work with a guy who would promised something like "This is a simple issue, I will fix your computer soon. Come back in 2 hours" I always told him, why did you promise that computer in two hours? He said, "because it will be ready" Clients would come back in two hours and guess what computer was not ready.

[RitaB]

4 minutes ago, Pacun said:

We check where is my refund every other day and we noticed about 3 returns being put aside. Eventually the IRS release their refunds and clients never called us.

We tell people this while we hand them their copies: "if everything goes well, you could have your refund deposited in your bank in two weeks. If you nothing is deposited in 30 days from today, give us a call".

Well, you are a better man than me.  I can barely get the return submitted and hand them a letter telling them how to check all by themselves.  Kudos to you.

 

[gfizer]

1 hour ago, Possi said:

Does he have a large refund? The IRS is holding my 5-digit refunds, it seems. Eventually, they will come. I just tell them that questioning it makes the IRS more suspicious, and they leave me alone...

 

Thanks. Refund is around 4k.  His live-in girlfriend gave birth to their son in 2015 so he filed head of household and claimed the child and the girlfriend whereas he has always filed single with no dependents in the past.  I'm guessing the holdup has something to do with these changes.

[MAMalody]

The IRS has been saying the average time for a refund for an e-file is 21 days.  It looks like he is just in those time frames.

[Jack from Ohio]

Here is what I/we tell clients right up front...

*** THE IRS DOES NOT GUARANTEE A SPECIFIC DATE THAT A REFUND WILL BE DEPOSITED INTO A TAXPAYER’S FINANCIAL INSTITUTION ACCOUNT OR MAILED.***

 

Here is the official word from the IRS concerning the time frame for refunds:

 

Most taxpayers should receive their refunds in 21 days or less after receipt by the IRS.  Some may take longer.  You may check the status of your refund starting 24 hours after the IRS receives your return at https://sa2.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp

 

Please do not call our office about the status of your refund until at least 21 days after you have received your return.

[Gail in Virginia]

I have a student whose return was accepted 2/12/16.  He still does not have his refund.  I think that it is because he is claiming himself, and getting refundable AOC, the IRS is checking a little harder.  I have told him that.  But since he is a student and self-supporting, he could really use that money.  But as far as I am aware, there is nothing that anyone can do to cause the IRS to release a refund until they are ready. 

[RitaB]

41 minutes ago, Jack from Ohio said:

Here is what I/we tell clients right up front...

*** THE IRS DOES NOT GUARANTEE A SPECIFIC DATE THAT A REFUND WILL BE DEPOSITED INTO A TAXPAYER’S FINANCIAL INSTITUTION ACCOUNT OR MAILED.***

 

Here is the official word from the IRS concerning the time frame for refunds:

 

Most taxpayers should receive their refunds in 21 days or less after receipt by the IRS.  Some may take longer.  You may check the status of your refund starting 24 hours after the IRS receives your return at https://sa2.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp

 

Please do not call our office about the status of your refund until at least 21 days after you have received your return.

Yeah, we know.  We know how to handle it.  You've seen the letters in the software.  We also have clients who cannot read.

Why are we yelling?  Feb 19 is more than three weeks ago.  So is Feb 29.  So, if these were your clients, they'd be allowed to call you.  And you could yell at them.

[Pacun]

That's correct. That's correct.

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

4 hours ago, RitaB said:

Oh, that's a good one.  Stop checking; it makes IRS suspicious. 

Mine who's return is being processed, and terrified he's being audited, also making me miserable, has nothing to audit.  He had an obscene amount withheld from SS benefits, and I'd say IRS is checking with SSA:  "Seriously?"  I'm being facetious, of course.  His was accepted Feb 29.  What is wrong with people? 

gfizer, I know of no other phone number, but I've not tried to find one, either. 

I have one that's over $6,000 with large amounts of SS withholding. It pisses me off that I just had to fax all of their 1099's and W-2s to the IRS just now. My client's freaked out, because they got the letter from the IRS and I don't blame them. Their return was accepted on 2/25. Why didn't the IRS just check the 1099's that they should have received. It's not abnormal for people to have SS withholding. Now it will take them weeks to look at the fax to see that the return was correct and they stressed out old people that are already stressed enough. Not to mention making me an even bitchier person than I already am these days. 

[RitaB]

3 minutes ago, NECPA in NEBRASKA said:

I have one that's over $6,000 with large amounts of SS withholding. It pisses me off that I just had to fax all of their 1099's and W-2s to the IRS just now. My client's freaked out, because they got the letter from the IRS and I don't blame them. Their return was accepted on 2/25. Why didn't the IRS just check the 1099's that they should have received. It's not abnormal for people to have SS withholding. Now it will take them weeks to look at the fax to see that the return was correct and they stressed out old people that are already stressed enough. Not to mention making me an even bitchier person than I already am these days. 

I feel that.  I really do.

[Jack from Ohio]

When they do call, I tell them to call 1-800-829-1040 and ask why so long.  I will not put in the time to wait.  90% of the time, the client KNOWS why it is being delayed.

Besides, there is not one blessed thing we, or anyone else can do, to speed up the process.

I find myself very lacking in tolerance of grown adults that CHOOSE not to read...

[Possi]

3 hours ago, Jack from Ohio said:

Here is what I/we tell clients right up front...

*** THE IRS DOES NOT GUARANTEE A SPECIFIC DATE THAT A REFUND WILL BE DEPOSITED INTO A TAXPAYER’S FINANCIAL INSTITUTION ACCOUNT OR MAILED.***

 

Here is the official word from the IRS concerning the time frame for refunds:

 

Most taxpayers should receive their refunds in 21 days or less after receipt by the IRS.  Some may take longer.  You may check the status of your refund starting 24 hours after the IRS receives your return at https://sa2.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp

 

Please do not call our office about the status of your refund until at least 21 days after you have received your return.

You yell at your clients right up front?

[Possi]

One of these days, the IRS will catch on, that as long as income and withholding statements are not verified BEFORE issuing refunds, there will be fraud. I don't for the life of me, understand this "pay now, ask questions later" mentality of the government. Give employers until the end of January to file W2s, give the IRS until the end of Feb to verify them, and start filing returns in March. Can you imagine the fraud that would be put to bed if they did this simple thing?

[Catherine]

I send clients the link to the "where's My Refund" from MY web site - hoping they look there first, next time.  A vain hope, I know.

[Lion EA]

My filing instructions state, "If after three weeks you have not received your refund, you may contact the IRS at 1-800-829-4477."  And, I highlight it in yellow along with the amount.  I still get calls.  But, I like to think fewer calls.

[Pacun]

36 minutes ago, Possi said:

One of these days, the IRS will catch on, that as long as income and withholding statements are not verified BEFORE issuing refunds, there will be fraud. I don't for the life of me, understand this "pay now, ask questions later" mentality of the government.

Just in case you didn't notice, after new years eve, the economy slows down and when the IRS refunds start coming the economy is injected. Almost all the billions refunded the first month are spent right away almost 100% in the United States.

Imagine that after tax season, the IRS would be given 2 more months to issue refunds. All refunds would come in the last week of June. Do you think most of the money would be spent here or in another country? A lot of people would take their kids to La Habana.

[Possi]

I don't think so. There wouldn't be NEARLY as much money to go around without fraud. The ones who can afford to go abroad will go whether they get a refund or not.

[fredazcpa]

5 hours ago, Possi said:

One of these days, the IRS will catch on, that as long as income and withholding statements are not verified BEFORE issuing refunds, there will be fraud. I don't for the life of me, understand this "pay now, ask questions later" mentality of the government. Give employers until the end of January to file W2s, give the IRS until the end of Feb to verify them, and start filing returns in March. Can you imagine the fraud that would be put to bed if they did this simple thing?

but that means that Social Security would not get the information first, then you have a big agency fight.  file with both making all W2 efile

 

[RitaB]

On ‎3‎/‎22‎/‎2016 at 10:54 AM, RitaB said:

Mine who's return is being processed, and terrified he's being audited, also making me miserable, has nothing to audit.  He had an obscene amount withheld from SS benefits, and I'd say IRS is checking with SSA:  "Seriously?"  I'm being facetious, of course.  His was accepted Feb 29.  What is wrong with people? 

 

On ‎3‎/‎22‎/‎2016 at 3:18 PM, NECPA in NEBRASKA said:

I have one that's over $6,000 with large amounts of SS withholding. It pisses me off that I just had to fax all of their 1099's and W-2s to the IRS just now. My client's freaked out, because they got the letter from the IRS and I don't blame them. Their return was accepted on 2/25. Why didn't the IRS just check the 1099's that they should have received. It's not abnormal for people to have SS withholding. Now it will take them weeks to look at the fax to see that the return was correct and they stressed out old people that are already stressed enough. Not to mention making me an even bitchier person than I already am these days. 

 

I am laughing my head off at my client's 3rd urgent message.  "IRS picked the wrong guy to mess with, I've called my Congress Person, and she is all over it.  I'm also going to drive to Knoxville or Chattanooga and speak to someone personally.  Meanwhile, I am going to make sure that I OWE THEM NEXT YEAR."

I called him back, I know many of you would not, and let him spew it all again. That's how I choose to run my business.  He said he's not mad at me but hates those bleeping bleeping %$%#$%$#$$%^&**&*  at IRS.  Bleep.  Bleep.  It was hard not to laugh.  His return was accepted 2/29.  He's such a loose cannon.  I told him I agree,  I'd back off on the unnecessary withholding, and I know it doesn't help you right now, but there is so much fraud I understand why they might need to be cautious when issuing a refund of $14,492.  I don't think he understood my point of view.  At.  All.

But he said he felt better, and he'd let me know the minute he knew what was going on.  Oh, I know you will...  I'm actually crying I'm laughing so hard.