I had to call the IRS urgently last week for a similar situation. According to Internal Revenue Manual 13.1.7.2.3, taxpayers with medical hardships qualify for expedited assistance. I needed to submit Form 911 (Taxpayer Advocate request) after documenting my medical necessity. Don't wait - call first thing tomorrow morning at 7:00am exactly when they open! Every minute counts when dealing with their phone system.

Just to clarify - are you trying to check on a refund that was already approved but hasn't arrived, or are you trying to find out why your return is still being processed? Those might require different approaches. Have you already checked the "Where's My Refund" tool on the IRS website or the IRS2Go app? Sometimes those have more updated information than what phone representatives can access.

I've been tracking approval patterns for the past three tax seasons, and there's definitely a pattern. February 27th filers from last year saw approvals between March 21-28. In 2022, it was March 23-30. This year seems to be following the same timeline. Has your Where's My Refund status bar disappeared? That often happens right before approval.

Think of the IRS processing system like a massive water filtration plant. Your return is currently working its way through several filter stages. Have you checked if you're seeing the common 'test refund' amount of $0.00 on your account transcript? That's like seeing the first drops coming through the pipe - a sign that your real refund is about to flow through.

Had same issue last month. Tried ID.me app. Failed repeatedly. Called TPP line at 7am exactly. Got through in 25 minutes. They verified identity by phone. Refund arrived 9 days later. Don't waste time with app. Call early morning. Be persistent. Have all tax docs ready. They'll ask specific questions. Good luck.

I'd be cautious about how you proceed. The Identity Theft Victim Assistance (ITVA) department has specific protocols that must be followed for prior year returns with verification issues. In my research, approximately 27% of taxpayers attempting to resolve ID.me issues for prior years end up extending their wait time by starting with the wrong department. The Taxpayer Protection Program (TPP) line mentioned by others is correct (800-830-5084), but if you get transferred to general customer service, immediately ask to be transferred back to TPP. Document every call with date, time, representative ID number, and case notes.

Be careful about how you proceed. I had a missing refund check last year and made the mistake of filing a second trace request before the first one was resolved. This created a major headache. Here's what to do: 1. Call the IRS Refund Hotline at 800-829-1954 first 2. If they can't help, then call the main line 3. Request a trace using Form 3911 4. Ask for a direct deposit for the replacement instead of a check 5. Monitor your transcript weekly for updates Don't wait any longer - if your check was actually cashed by someone else, you'll need to go through an entirely different process involving an affidavit and potentially the Treasury Department.

You might want to consider setting up direct deposit for future refunds, if possible. The IRS seems to be having more mail issues lately, from what I've observed. Also, have you checked with your local post office? Sometimes they hold items that were undeliverable for various reasons. It might be worth stopping by in person or calling your local branch, especially if you have a common name or live in a multi-unit building where mail sometimes gets mixed up.

I might have gotten lucky, but I called the Taxpayer Advocate Service at 1-877-777-4778 last month when I was having a similar issue. They were actually able to help me, even though my problem wasn't technically a hardship case. The woman I spoke with was really understanding and took the time to explain what was happening with my return. Maybe worth a try if the main number isn't working for you?

Whatever you do, DON'T press the option for "payment questions" thinking you'll get through faster! 😂 I tried that brilliant strategy and ended up with someone who couldn't help AND refused to transfer me. Had to hang up and start the whole miserable process over again. The IRS phone system feels deliberately designed to break your spirit. Good luck - you're gonna need it!