2024 Return Approved Quickly Even Though My 2023 Return Is Still Missing

The IRS processing system is like two separate train tracks running parallel to each other. Your 2023 return might be stuck at a station on one track, but that doesn't mean your 2024 return can't zoom through on the other track without delays. Each tax year is processed relatively independently, which is why many people with prior year issues can still receive current year refunds promptly. Your experience is actually quite common during this filing season, especially with the backlog the IRS has been working through since the pandemic.

Have you checked your 2023 tax transcript to see what's actually happening with that return? Is it showing as processed at all? Did you receive any notices about it? Do you know if it's in errors or review? I've been using https://taxr.ai to analyze my transcripts for the past two years, and it's been incredibly helpful for understanding exactly what's happening with delayed returns. It breaks down all those confusing transcript codes and tells you what they actually mean for your specific situation. Have you considered looking into something like that while you wait to hear from your representative?

The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) could potentially assist with your 2023 return if it meets their case criteria. Generally speaking, TAS will accept cases where taxpayers are experiencing Economic Hardship or have waited more than 30 days beyond Normal Processing Time. I'm dealing with a similar situation from 2022, and while contacting your congressional representative is a valid approach, you may want to simultaneously submit Form 911 (Request for Taxpayer Advocate Service Assistance). The backlog of unprocessed returns from previous years is still creating significant delays throughout the system.

Call the IRS directly. Ask about 2023 status. They can tell you exactly what's happening. Congressional inquiries take time. Direct contact is faster. If you can't get through, try Claimyr. Used it myself last month. Got through in 15 minutes. Worth it for peace of mind. Here's their link: https://claimyr.com

Based on your situation, you might want to consider a multi-pronged approach that could potentially resolve both issues: 1. For your 2023 return: Contacting your congressional representative is definitely a good step, but you might also want to request a Tax Account Transcript for 2023 if you haven't already. This would possibly show if your return was received, processed, or if there are any holds. 2. For your 2024 return: It seems like this is proceeding normally, which is excellent news. Just be sure to keep documentation of the deposit when it arrives. 3. If you don't see movement on your 2023 return within perhaps 2-3 weeks after congressional inquiry, you might want to consider filing Form 911 for Taxpayer Advocate assistance, though they are currently quite backlogged as well. It's generally reassuring that your current year return is processing normally, as this suggests there isn't a broader account issue affecting all your tax years.

I went through almost exactly this same situation last year! My 2022 return disappeared into the void but my 2023 return was processed in about 10 days. I spent months trying to track down my 2022 refund with no luck. Eventually contacted my congressman's office like you're planning to do. Their constituent services person was amazing - had me fill out a privacy release form and within 3 weeks, I suddenly got a direct deposit for my missing refund plus interest! The congressional inquiry definitely works, but it does take some time. Don't give up on that 2023 refund - the IRS is required by law to pay interest on delayed refunds, so at least you'll get a little extra when it finally comes through.

This situation is like what happens with college applications - one acceptance doesn't affect another's processing time. Your experience with the quick 2024 processing compared to the stalled 2023 return is actually quite common in our community. Many members have reported similar situations where current year returns process normally while prior years remain in limbo. The congressional approach tends to work better than calling the IRS repeatedly, especially for returns that are more than 6 months overdue. The success rate for congressional inquiries seems to be about 70% based on posts I've seen here over the past year.

According to the National Taxpayer Advocate's 2023 Annual Report to Congress, there were exactly 3.9 million unprocessed returns from previous tax years as of October 2023. The IRS is still working through this backlog, which explains why your 2023 return might be delayed while your 2024 return was processed quickly. The current average processing time for a backlogged paper return is 193 days, while electronic returns from previous years are averaging 117 days. For comparison, current year electronic returns without issues are processing in approximately 21 days. If your 2023 return has been pending for more than 6 months, a congressional inquiry has a 76.3% success rate in resolving the issue within 45 days based on data from the Taxpayer Advocate Service.

I NEED TO WARN YOU about something important! While it's great your 2024 return is processing, be extremely careful about the congressional inquiry for 2023. My friend went that route and it triggered an automatic review of BOTH tax years! The IRS suddenly put a hold on her 2024 refund that was about to be issued while they investigated the 2023 situation. I'm not saying don't contact your representative, but be prepared that it might cause them to look at your entire tax history. Make sure you have ALL your documentation ready for both years just in case. The IRS systems are connected in ways that aren't always obvious to us as taxpayers!

Have you considered that this might actually work in your favor from an interest perspective? The IRS is required to pay interest on delayed refunds after 45 days from the filing deadline or the date you filed, whichever is later. Wouldn't it be better in some ways to have your 2023 refund delayed if you're going to receive interest on that amount? Of course, this assumes you don't urgently need those funds right now. Another approach might be checking if you qualify for assistance through the Taxpayer Advocate Service, which can sometimes move things along faster than a congressional inquiry.