Deceased relative's final tax return taking 7+ months to process by IRS - any ideas?

I've helped several clients with deceased taxpayer returns, and unfortunately, the IRS has been painfully slow with these lately. The problem is that deceased taxpayer returns get routed to a special processing department, which has been severely backlogged since the pandemic. In my experience, final returns are taking 6-9 months to process right now, so you're actually nearing the end of that window. The Form 911 was a good move, but the Taxpayer Advocate Service is also dealing with unprecedented backlogs. Have you tried contacting your congressional representative's office? They often have taxpayer advocate liaisons who can help push things along. Their constituent services department can sometimes get better answers than you can as an individual. When you call the IRS, are you using the executor/personal representative dedicated line? If not, call 866-699-4083 (the special number for estate administrators) instead of the main IRS number. They sometimes have more details.

I was in a similar situation with my mom's final tax return last year. After months of waiting, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which really helped me understand what was going on. Their AI can analyze tax transcripts and look for specific hold codes that might be causing the delay. In my case, they identified that her return had been flagged for identity verification (which obviously couldn't be completed since she was deceased). I uploaded all my documentation to their system and got a detailed explanation of why the return was stuck, along with specific steps to take. Calling the special executor phone number with the information they provided got me much better results than my previous calls.

I have to share my experience after trying taxr.ai from my previous comment. I was initially skeptical, but it turned out to be incredibly helpful. After uploading my dad's death certificate and tax information, I received a detailed analysis showing his return had been placed in the "Examination" queue due to some unreported income (a small pension distribution that wasn't included). With that specific information, I called the executor hotline mentioned above, referenced the exact hold code, and was able to get substantive answers for the first time. They verified the issue and told me exactly what documentation to fax to resolve it. The refund was processed three weeks later. After six months of getting nowhere, having the precise information about what was wrong made all the difference. I wish I'd known about this service months ago.

After dealing with my aunt's estate tax nightmare last year, I discovered a service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that completely changed my experience with the IRS. They basically call the IRS for you and navigate the phone tree, then when an agent is actually available, they connect you directly. I was skeptical but desperate after waiting on hold for 2+ hours multiple times. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The service got me through to an actual IRS estate tax specialist in about 30 minutes instead of the usual 2-3 hour wait. The specialist was able to see notes on the account that the regular customer service reps couldn't access. Turns out the return was flagged for manual review because of a mismatch between reported income and what was on record. Once I explained the situation with documentation, they expedited the processing.

I need to publicly eat my words about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I figured I had nothing to lose and tried it. Holy crap, it actually works exactly as described. I've been trying to reach the IRS for WEEKS about my father's estate return, spending hours on hold only to get disconnected. I used the service yesterday, and within 40 minutes I got a call back connecting me directly to an IRS estate tax specialist. The specialist immediately saw that my father's return had been flagged due to a discrepancy with a 1099-R distribution. She put notes in the system to expedite processing once I faxed the corrected information. For the first time in months, I feel like I'm making actual progress. If you're dealing with an estate tax situation that's dragging on, the combination of knowing exactly what's wrong (from taxr.ai in my case) and being able to actually speak to a specialist without the hold time hell made all the difference.

Something else to consider - sometimes these delays happen because the IRS needs additional documentation but the notice gets lost in the mail. In my uncle's case, his final return was held up for 8 months because they needed a copy of the death certificate and the letters of administration, but the request was sent to his house (where no one was living anymore). You might want to check if there are any outstanding document requests by requesting an "Account Transcript" for your brother. You can do this online through the IRS website if you create an account, or use Form 4506-T to request it by mail.

Not sure if this helps, but when my husband passed, I found out the IRS has a specific "deceased taxpayer" department that handles these returns. Regular IRS reps sometimes don't even know about this department! When you call, specifically ask for your case to be transferred to the "Deceased Taxpayer Unit" or sometimes they call it the "Decedent Unit." Also, if you filed Form 1310 (Statement of Person Claiming Refund Due a Deceased Taxpayer) with the return, double check that all parts were completed correctly. My husband's refund was delayed because I checked the wrong box on that form.

I went through this exact situation with my grandmother's estate two years ago. After 8 months of waiting, I finally got results by doing three things simultaneously: First, I called the executor line (866-699-4083) mentioned above and specifically asked to speak with the "Deceased Taxpayer Unit." Regular customer service reps often can't see the same account details that the specialized deceased taxpayer agents can access. Second, I contacted my congressman's office for constituent services. They have a direct line to the IRS that bypasses the normal phone system. Within a week of contacting them, I got a call from an IRS manager who could actually explain what was happening with the return. Third, I discovered that my grandmother's return was flagged because the IRS had received a 1099-MISC that wasn't reported on her final return (it was issued after she passed). Once I provided documentation showing the income was received posthumously and needed to be reported on the estate return instead, they processed her refund within 3 weeks. The key was getting specific information about WHY the return was held up, not just being told to wait another 30 days. Push for details when you call - ask for transaction codes, hold reasons, or any notices that may have been sent. Don't accept vague responses. At 200+ days, your brother's return should definitely be processed soon. The combination of the congressional inquiry and the specialized IRS line should give you real answers.

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation right now with my father's estate. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the special executor phone line or the Deceased Taxpayer Unit. It's frustrating that the regular IRS reps don't mention these specialized departments exist. One thing I wanted to add based on my experience: make sure you're prepared for the possibility that they might need additional documentation you haven't thought of. In my case, they needed a certified copy of the death certificate (even though I'd already sent one), plus specific language in the Letters of Administration showing I have authority to receive tax refunds on behalf of the estate. Also, keep detailed records of every call you make - date, time, representative name if they give it, and exactly what they tell you. I started doing this after my third "wait another 30 days" response, and it's been helpful when speaking to supervisors to show the pattern of delays. The congressional representative route seems like it might be the game-changer here. I'm planning to contact mine tomorrow. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - it's given me hope that there's actually a path forward after months of feeling completely stuck.

I'm going through this exact nightmare right now with my late mother's estate. After reading through all these responses, I realize I've been making this harder on myself by not knowing about the specialized departments and resources available. The most valuable takeaways for me are: 1) Use the executor hotline (866-699-4083) instead of the general IRS number, 2) Specifically ask for the "Deceased Taxpayer Unit" when calling, 3) Contact your congressional representative's constituent services, and 4) Request account transcripts to see if there are specific hold codes causing the delay. What really strikes me is how many people have had success once they got the RIGHT information about what was actually wrong with their return - whether it was missing documentation, unreported income, or processing errors. The generic "wait 30 more days" responses seem to be what you get when you're stuck in the regular customer service queue. I'm planning to try the congressional representative route first thing Monday morning, along with calling the specialized executor line with all my documentation ready. After 6 months of getting nowhere, having this roadmap gives me hope that there's actually a way to get real answers and move forward. Thank you to everyone who shared their detailed experiences - this thread should be required reading for anyone dealing with deceased taxpayer returns!

I'm dealing with my father's estate right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful. After 5 months of getting nowhere with regular IRS customer service, I had no idea there were specialized departments and resources specifically for deceased taxpayer issues. The key insights I'm taking away are: the executor hotline (866-699-4083), requesting the "Deceased Taxpayer Unit" specifically, and the congressional representative route for constituent services. It's frustrating that you have to become an expert in IRS bureaucracy just to get basic information, but having these specific tactics gives me hope. One question for those who've been through this - when you contacted your congressional representative, did you call their local district office or submit something online? I want to make sure I'm reaching out through the right channel to get the best response. Thank you to everyone who shared their detailed experiences. This is exactly the kind of practical roadmap that can save months of frustration for people navigating these estate tax nightmares.

I'm going through something very similar with my late spouse's final return - it's been 8 months now and I'm at my wit's end. This thread has been incredibly eye-opening about resources I didn't know existed. One thing I wanted to add that might help others: when I finally got through to someone knowledgeable at the IRS, they mentioned that deceased taxpayer returns often get additional scrutiny if there are any discrepancies with third-party reporting (W-2s, 1099s, etc.). In my case, my spouse's former employer issued a corrected W-2 after the original filing, which apparently flagged the return for manual review. The specialist told me that these manual reviews are taking 8-12 months right now due to staffing shortages in their deceased taxpayer department. She also mentioned that many delays happen because required forms like the 1310 (claiming refund for deceased taxpayer) have small errors that cause the entire return to be rejected back to manual processing. I'm definitely going to try the congressional representative route based on all the success stories here. It's maddening that you have to become a detective just to figure out why your return is stuck, but having this roadmap gives me hope after months of feeling completely helpless. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this is invaluable information that should honestly be provided by the IRS upfront instead of making people suffer through months of generic responses.

I'm really sorry you're going through this frustrating situation. After reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm dealing with something similar with my uncle's estate - it's been 6 months now and I feel like I've been banging my head against a wall. What strikes me most about this thread is how many people found success once they got connected to the right departments and had specific information about what was actually wrong. The pattern seems to be: regular IRS customer service gives you generic "wait longer" responses, but the specialized Deceased Taxpayer Unit can actually tell you what's causing the delay. I'm definitely going to try calling the executor hotline (866-699-4083) tomorrow and specifically ask for the Deceased Taxpayer Unit. I had no idea this existed - I've been calling the regular number and getting nowhere for months. The congressional representative approach also sounds promising based on all the success stories here. It's frustrating that we have to become experts in IRS bureaucracy just to get basic service, but at least now there's a clear roadmap thanks to everyone sharing their experiences. One thing I'm wondering - for those who got resolution through their congressional rep, how long did it typically take from your initial contact to getting actual movement on your case? I want to set realistic expectations as I go into this process. Thank you to everyone who shared detailed experiences. This thread should honestly be stickied as a resource guide for anyone dealing with deceased taxpayer returns!