Deceased Parent's Tax Return Rejected - Paper Filed with Death Certificate - WMR Not Showing Anything

First, my condolences on your loss. What you're experiencing is completely normal for a decedent return filing. The IRS has specific protocols for processing returns of deceased taxpayers (Form 1040 with "DECEASED" notation). Paper returns typically take 6-8 weeks minimum for processing, but decedent returns undergo additional verification steps through the Decedent Processing Unit. WMR won't recognize your filing until it's been manually entered into the Master File system. I'd recommend waiting until at least the 8-week mark before taking further action, though 12 weeks is more realistic for 2024 processing timelines.

Had a similar situation with my aunt's estate last year, but it was even more complicated because she had investment income. I spent weeks trying to decipher her transcript after it finally showed up online. Then I found https://taxr.ai which analyzed her deceased taxpayer transcript and explained all the weird codes that were specific to decedent returns. Compared to my own regular return, her transcript had completely different processing codes. The tool explained exactly what each meant and when to expect the refund. Saved me so much confusion compared to just staring at those codes myself.

Been through this exact nightmare last year with my grandfather's return. After 10 weeks of silence, I tried calling the IRS regular number for DAYS. Either couldn't get through or was on hold for hours before getting disconnected. Finally used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) and got connected to an actual IRS agent in about 25 minutes. Found out they needed additional documentation they never bothered to tell me about. In my experience with deceased taxpayer returns, you absolutely need to talk to a human at the IRS, and Claimyr was the only way I could break through their phone system. Saved me months of delays.

Went thru this w/ my mom's return last yr. Paper filed w/ death cert in April, nothing showed up in WMR for 3+ months. Called IRS in July (nightmare to get thru) & they said it was "in processing" but couldn't tell me more. Refund finally hit her acct in Sept - almost 5 months later! No notices, no updates online, just $$ appearing one day. IRS is super behind on paper returns + deceased taxpayer stuff takes extra time. Hang in there, but def follow up if it hits 3 months w/ no movement.

I had a similar situation with my mother's final return on April 15, 2023. Everything seemed fine until October 3rd when I received a CP2000 notice questioning some income that wasn't reported. Turns out there was a 1099-R from January 2023 that I missed! The IRS assessed penalties and interest dating back to the original due date. Make sure you have ALL income documents before filing - check for any 1099s, SSA-1099, etc. I'd recommend requesting a wage and income transcript on May 15th (after most forms are processed) to verify nothing is missing. Better to catch issues early than face penalties later.

Have you considered requesting a transcript directly instead of using WMR? According to IRM 21.2.3.5.7 (Deceased Taxpayer Transcript Requests), you can submit Form 4506-T as the executor to request account transcripts. This might give you more information than WMR, which often doesn't work properly for deceased taxpayer returns. Also, did you include Form 1310 (Statement of Person Claiming Refund Due a Deceased Taxpayer) with your paper filing?

I successfully handled my husband's final return last year after weeks of frustration. The key was persistence and documentation. I created a dedicated folder with copies of EVERYTHING - the original return, death certificate, executor papers, and most importantly, a detailed log of all communications with the IRS including dates, times, and employee IDs when possible. After no movement for 10 weeks, I sent a follow-up letter referencing the certified mail tracking number of the original submission. Magically, the refund was processed two weeks later. Document everything and be methodical - it eventually pays off.