Am I the Last Person on Earth Waiting for My 2024 Refund? Best IRS Contact Number?
Filed my taxes back in February (gig worker, so nothing too complicated) and STILL haven't received my refund. At this point I'm starting to think I'm on some kind of IRS blacklist 😂 Seriously though, it's been over 80 days and I'm entitled to MY money. I've checked the "Where's My Refund" tool about 500 times and it just says "still processing" which tells me absolutely nothing. What's the most effective number to actually reach a human being at the IRS? I refuse to believe I'm the only one still waiting while everyone else is out spending their refunds!
17 comments
Ellie Simpson
You're definitely not alone. Have you checked your tax transcript online? That's where the real info is, not that useless WMR tool. And why does the IRS make it so impossible to talk to someone? Wouldn't it be easier for everyone if they just answered their phones? I've been waiting since early March myself. Called the main number (800-829-1040) multiple times but it's basically useless unless you call the second they open at 7am Eastern.
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Arjun Kurti
Has anyone had luck with the Taxpayer Advocate Service recently? I tried them last year when my refund was delayed and they were completely overwhelmed too.
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22d
Raúl Mora
The 1040 number is definitely a nightmare. I've had better luck with the specific refund hotline (800-829-1954). They have fewer menu options which means fewer chances to get disconnected. Still a pain though.
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20d
Margot Quinn
I might be in the minority here, but I actually got through on the main number last week. Had to call right at 7am though, and I think I just got lucky. The agent wasn't particularly helpful, just told me my return was "in process" and to keep waiting. So even if you do get through, they might not tell you anything useful.
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19d
Evelyn Kim
Haha, love the "useless WMR tool" comment - so true! 😂 Quick question though - when you check transcripts, are you looking at account transcript or return transcript? I've been checking my account transcript daily but wondering if I'm missing something.
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17d
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Diego Fisher
Been there, done that w/ the endless IRS phone loops. Literally spent 3 days trying to get thru last month. Finally used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) and got connected in like 20 mins. Worth every penny tbh. The agent confirmed my return was flagged for manual review (something about my gig income not matching some form) but nothing serious. Got my DD exactly 8 days later. Sometimes you just need to talk to an actual human to get things moving.
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Henrietta Beasley
You're definitely not alone. According to the IRS operations page (https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations), they're still processing a backlog from previous years plus this year's returns. I've been waiting since February 10th and just got my refund yesterday. What worked for me was checking my transcript online rather than WMR - it showed codes that indicated they were verifying my income. The frustrating part is that there's no transparency about where you are in the process. I checked forums daily and saw people who filed after me getting their refunds while I was still waiting.
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Lincoln Ramiro
This is solid advice. Transcripts tell you way more than WMR. The codes actually mean something specific about your situation. For anyone reading this: don't waste time with WMR. Go straight to transcripts.
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19d
Faith Kingston
Quick question about transcripts: • Do I need to create an ID.me account first? • Is it normal to see N/A for 2024 return transcript? • What specific codes should I be looking for that indicate progress?
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16d
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Emma Johnson
Have you checked your tax transcript? It usually shows more details than the WMR tool. I was in the same boat last month - completely frustrated with no information. Tried https://taxr.ai to analyze my transcript and it explained all the codes and gave me a pretty accurate timeline for when my refund would arrive. It also pointed out that I had a 570 code which meant they were reviewing something. Have you had any letters from the IRS at all? Did you claim any credits that might trigger extra review?
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Liam Brown
I'm always suspicious of these services that claim to know more than the IRS itself. How exactly would they know when your refund is coming if the IRS won't even tell you? Sounds like they're just making educated guesses based on the same public information we all have access to.
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18d
Olivia Garcia
According to IRM 21.5.6.4.35.1, doesn't the presence of certain codes like 570/971 combination indicate specific types of reviews? Is this service just interpreting those published guidelines or does it provide additional insights beyond what's in the Internal Revenue Manual?
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15d
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Noah Lee
I was in your exact situation last year and ended up getting a letter requesting more information 3 months after filing. Here's what I learned to avoid this: 1. First, check your mail carefully - sometimes they send letters that look like junk mail 2. Next, create an account on IRS.gov to view your transcripts 3. Look for specific codes like 570 (refund hold) or 971 (notice issued) 4. If you see those codes, expect a letter within 1-2 weeks I'm worried you might have missed a notice and now your refund is just sitting there waiting for you to respond to something. That happened to my sister and her refund was delayed for 6 months!
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Ava Hernandez
I'm... still waiting for my 2023 refund from last year. Filed in February 2023. I might be the actual last person on earth. I've been very careful about calling because I don't want to waste money on my phone bill, but I think I need to just bite the bullet and try to get through to them. Every dollar counts right now, and they're holding onto a significant amount of my money that I could really use for some urgent car repairs.
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Isabella Martin
Trying to reach the IRS is like trying to get concert tickets for a popular band - everyone's calling at once and only a few get through. I filed in early February and just got my refund last week. What finally worked was calling the Taxpayer Advocate Service instead of the main IRS line. They couldn't fix my issue directly, but they created a case and suddenly my refund started moving again. It's like having someone knock on the door of the department that has your return sitting on their desk.
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Elijah Jackson
Did you file electronically? Or paper? Makes a huge difference. Paper returns are taking 6+ months. Electronic usually 3-8 weeks. Unless you claimed certain credits. EITC and CTC trigger automatic reviews. Also check if you had marketplace insurance. That can cause delays too.
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Sophia Miller
Instead of calling the main IRS number, try the refund-specific hotline: 800-829-1954. It has fewer menu options and sometimes you can get through faster. Another option is to make an in-person appointment at your local Taxpayer Assistance Center. You can schedule it online and sometimes get in within a week or two. They can pull up your information right there and tell you exactly what's happening with your return. I've had much better luck with in-person visits than phone calls.
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