E-Filed Jan 25th - WMR Shows 'Still Processing' But Transcript Has No Data - Should I Mail a Paper Return?

I would... probably not recommend sending a paper return at this point. It might actually cause more delays since the IRS systems could flag it as a potential duplicate filing, which could trigger a manual review. From what I understand, the "still being processed" message usually means they've received your return but it's in a queue waiting to be processed. You might want to give it a bit more time, especially since we're still in the middle of tax season when everything tends to move slower.

I'm curious - did you check your transcript using the exact account type that matches your return? I had a similar issue where my transcript showed nothing for exactly 24 days, then suddenly appeared with all processing dates. My "as of" date changed 3 times before that happened. Have you tried pulling both your Account Transcript and Return Transcript? Sometimes one updates before the other.

I'm literally SCREAMING at my computer right now because I went through this EXACT situation last year! Three weeks of nothing on transcripts, WMR stuck on first bar, and getting increasingly desperate. I finally broke down and used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) to reach an actual IRS agent instead of waiting on hold for 3+ hours. The agent confirmed my return was actually in processing despite the transcript showing nothing, and gave me the exact date it would complete. They explained it was a database sync issue, not a processing problem. Saved me from doing exactly what you're considering with the paper return!

Don't mail a paper return. That's the worst thing you could do right now. Instead, call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040. Press 1 for English, then 2 for tax questions, then 1 for questions about a form, then 3 for all other questions, then 2 for all other questions again. When it asks for your SSN, don't enter anything. It will transfer you to an agent after 2-3 attempts. Be prepared to wait, but it's better than filing a duplicate return that will absolutely cause problems.

Has your WMAR (Where's My Amended Return) status changed at all? I'm wondering if your return somehow got flagged as an amended return in the system. I've seen cases where a TC 971 was applied incorrectly and caused the transcript to appear empty even though processing was happening in the background. Did you receive any CP05 notices or other IRS correspondence?

Think of your tax return like a package in the mail system. Right now, your package has been accepted at the post office (the acceptance confirmation), but it hasn't been scanned at the regional distribution center yet (transcript update). Sending a second package (paper return) won't make the first one arrive faster - it just creates confusion about which package to deliver. The transcript database and the processing system are separate, like how the USPS tracking system is separate from the actual delivery trucks. Sometimes your package is already on the truck even when the tracking hasn't updated. January filers are starting to see mass updates now as the IRS works through the backlog. The system often updates in batches, so you might go from nothing to a complete transcript overnight.

I might be able to provide some insight based on my experience from last year. I filed on January 23rd, 2023, and had essentially the same situation - accepted but no transcript data and WMR showing only the first bar. I possibly made a mistake by sending a paper return on February 20th, thinking it would help. What actually happened was that the e-filed return processed normally on March 2nd, but then my paper return created a duplicate filing issue that took until July to resolve. The IRS had to manually review both returns, verify they were identical, and then suppress the paper return from processing. It definitely, definitely delayed my refund by several months.