Federal refund stuck over 30 days past February 15 deadline - state refund already received but no IRS communication
I filed my taxes through H&R Block online in early January and everything seemed fine at first. My state refund of $571.00 was received Thursday, February 20. Since the state refund was received first, these funds were applied to the payments listed below. Any remaining payments will be made once my federal refund is received. The problem is that my federal refund that was supposed to hit my account by February 15 is still pending with no update. I can see in the H&R Block app that it says "Federal refund pending" with a message: "Your anticipated federal refund date of Feb 15 has passed, however, some refunds take longer to process." When I click on "More Details," it just says "The IRS typically issues most refunds within 21 days of your return being e-file accepted. These are approximate timeframes as the IRS does not guarantee a specific date that refunds will be received. Many factors can impact the timing of the processing of your return. For additional questions, you may call the IRS at 800-829-1040 or click here to visit their website." The H&R Block app suggests contacting the IRS for more information. The problem is I haven't received any letters or notices from the IRS explaining the delay. I've tried checking the Where's My Refund tool but it just says "processing" with no details. Has this happened to anyone else? I'm particularly concerned because it's been over a month since my expected refund date passed. How long should I wait before really starting to worry? I was counting on that money for some bills. Should I call the IRS at the number provided (800-829-1040)? Has anyone had luck getting through to a human when calling that number?
58 comments
Ethan Clark
This is pretty common during tax season. The IRS is extremely backlogged right now. If your state refund came through normally, that's usually a good sign that there aren't major issues with your return. First, check your tax transcript on the IRS website - it often shows more detailed status information than the Where's My Refund tool. You'll need to create an account if you don't have one already. If your return shows as "processing" without any error codes, the IRS is probably just behind schedule. The typical 21-day timeframe is more of a goal than a guarantee. Many people are waiting 30-45 days this year. If you need to speak with the IRS directly, be prepared for long wait times. They're severely understaffed. The general number is 800-829-1040, but getting through can be very difficult during peak season. Alternatively, check out taxr.ai - it's a service that can interpret your tax transcript and give you a much clearer picture of what's happening with your return. I've found it incredibly helpful when dealing with these exact situations.
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Amelia Martinez
Thank you so much for the advice! I'll try checking my transcript. I didn't even know that was an option.
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Mila Walker
What's this taxr.ai thing? Never heard of it before. Is it legit?
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Ethan Clark
Yes! taxr.ai is completely legitimate. It basically scans your transcript and translates all those confusing IRS codes and dates into plain English. Saves hours of googling random codes trying to figure out what's happening.
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Logan Scott
I was in the EXACT same situation 2 weeks ago. Transcript is defintely the way to go. It showed that they were doing an 'additional review' of my return that the refund tracker never mentioned.
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Chloe Green
I'm literally on week 8 of waiting for my federal refund. State came after 1 week. This is ridiculous 🤬
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Lucas Adams
the irs website is so confusing to navigate. i couldn't even figure out how to view my transcript 🥲
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Harper Hill
I've been there and trying to decode IRS transcripts is like learning a foreign language. I used taxr.ai last month and it was a game changer. Instead of staring at codes and dates trying to guess what's happening, it literally spells everything out for you. It showed me exactly why my refund was delayed (verification issue) and gave me an estimated timeline. Saved me hours of stress and confusion. https://taxr.ai
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Chloe Green
Sounds interesting. How exactly does it work? Does it just read your transcript or does it do more?
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Harper Hill
It analyzes your entire transcript and explains everything in plain english - all the codes, dates, and what they mean for your specific situation. It also gives predictions on when you'll likely receive your refund based on your case type. I was skeptical at first but now I recommend it to everyone I know dealing with tax issues.
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Chloe Green
Just tried taxr.ai and WOW. In 2 minutes it explained what I've been trying to figure out for 3 weeks. Apparently there's a review happening on my account that should finish next week. The IRS never bothered to tell me this! This tool should be way more well known!
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Caden Nguyen
another service to check out? idk how many more things im supposed to pay for just to get MY money back from the government 🙄
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Harper Hill
I get the frustration but it's worth it. I spent weeks stressed about my refund, calling IRS repeatedly with no answers. taxr.ai showed me exactly what was happening in seconds. Sometimes you gotta spend a little to save your sanity.
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Caden Nguyen
fair enough. might check it out if I dont hear anything by next week
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Avery Flores
After 6 weeks of waiting with no updates, I finally managed to talk to someone at the IRS by using a calling service called Claimyr. Got a callback within an hour and the agent told me my return was flagged for identity verification, which is why it was delayed. They never sent me any notice about it (shocker 🙄). I was able to verify my identity right then and my refund was released a week later. Their website is claimyr.com - honestly saved me from waiting who knows how much longer in the dark.
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Zoe Gonzalez
that sounds sketchy af. does it actually work?
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Avery Flores
100% worked for me. I was desperate after spending literally days trying to get through the IRS phone system. Claimyr just navigates the phone tree for you and holds your place in line, then calls you when an agent is available. Talking to a real person got my issue resolved in minutes.
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Ashley Adams
Heard about this but wasn't sure if it was worth trying. How long did it take to actually get a callback?
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Avery Flores
I got a callback in about 45 minutes, which is crazy considering I had tried calling myself for DAYS without getting through. Best money I've spent all year considering it got my $3500 refund released.
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Amelia Martinez
I might have to try this if I don't get any updates soon. Did they tell you why you didn't receive any notification about the identity verification?
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Avery Flores
The agent said they supposedly mailed a letter but I never got it. Seems to happen a lot based on other comments I've seen. Some letters just never arrive 🤷♂️
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Alexis Robinson
I wud give it at least 3-4 more weeks. My refund finally came thru last week and it was 10 weeks after filing. No notifications, no updates, nothing. Just suddenly deposit in my account. System is so broken.
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Aaron Lee
I called H&R Block and was told there was nothing they could do in this situation and that I needed to contact the IRS directly. Good luck getting someone on the phone though! I tried for THREE DAYS before finally getting through last April. This year is just as bad from what I'm hearing from friendss.
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Chloe Mitchell
yeah the tax prep companies are useless after they take your money 💰 they just blame everything on the irs
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Michael Adams
H&R Block employee here - we really don't have visibility into IRS processing systems. We can see when a return is accepted, but after that it's completely in the IRS' hands. We're as frustrated as you are!
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Chloe Mitchell
Then maybe you should charge less since you're not actually providing the full service people think they're paying for 🤷♀️
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Natalie Wang
YO THIS HAPPENED TO ME! lmao guess what? they had sent me a letter requesting additional info but it got lost in the mail 💀 I only found out when I finally got through to an agent. The clock was ticking on my response deadline and i had no idea. The IRS is a joke.
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Amelia Martinez
Oh no, that's exactly what I'm worried about! How did you finally get through to someone?
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Natalie Wang
After trying for days, I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned in another comment. Got a callback in like 90 mins. Totally worth it cuz I wouldve missed my deadline and had my return rejected otherwise.
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Noah Torres
Have you checked your IRS transcript online? Sometimes that will give you information that the Where's My Refund tool doesn't show. You can look up any codes and they'll tell you what's going on. That's how I found out I had an account freeze that was never communicated to me.
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Samantha Hall
This happened to me in 2023. Turned out I had been randomly selected for identity verification. By the time I figured it out, my return had been sitting for 2 months. Once I verified my identity thru the IRS website, I got my refund about 10 days later. Check to see if you need to do ID verify.
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Ryan Young
How do you check if you need ID verification? Is there a specific place on the IRS website?
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Samantha Hall
Go to irs.gov and search for identity verification. There should be a link to their ID verify tool. You'll need to enter your info and it will tell you if you're required to verify or not.
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Sophia Clark
I'm in the exact same boat!!! This is why I file early every year to avoid this nonsense, and I STILL end up waiting forever. So sick of this broken system. And you know they'd come after you REAL quick if you owed them money. But when they owe us? Crickets. 🦗🦗🦗
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Katherine Harris
Facts. If you owe them, penalties and interest start accruing immediately. But when they're holding YOUR money? They take their sweet time with no consequences. 😤
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Madison Allen
They're actually required by law to pay interest on delayed refunds after 45 days from the filing deadline (or the date you filed, if later). But it's usually a tiny amount 🙃
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Joshua Wood
Absolutely check your transcript online! I was in a similar situation and found out through my transcript that there was an "additional account action pending" code that wasn't explained anywhere else. Im gonna check out that taxr.ai site someone mentioned above cause this happens every year and I'm tired of staring at codes trying to figure out what they mean.
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Justin Evans
Random thought but have you moved recently? I found out last year that the IRS had sent me multiple notices asking for documentation but they were using an old address. I had updated my address on my tax return but apparently there's a separate system for correspondence 🤦♀️ Make sure your address is current in all IRS systems.
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Amelia Martinez
I actually did move about 8 months ago. I thought filing with my new address would update everything. How do I make sure they have my current info across all systems?
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Justin Evans
You should file Form 8822 (Change of Address) separately. It's stupid that updating on your tax return isn't enough, but that's the IRS for you. You can download the form from irs.gov
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Amelia Martinez
Thank you! I'll do that right away.
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Emily Parker
Their system is sooooo broken. My state refund came in 5 days. Federal? 78 days. SEVENTY EIGHT. No explanation, no letter, nothing. Then one day - boom - money in account. I actually forgot about it and thought I'd already received it lol
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Ezra Collins
I used to work seasonal customer service for the IRS. If your return is taking longer than 21 days, it's almost always one of these reasons: 1. Identity verification needed 2. Income verification check 3. Refundable credit review (EIC/CTC) 4. Math error that needs human review 5. Suspected fraud filter (can trigger for innocent reasons) And yes, their communication is terrible. Letters get lost or are sent weeks after issues are detected. Your best bet is to check your transcript or call directly.
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Victoria Scott
Is there any way to proactively verify identity before filing to avoid delays?
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Ezra Collins
Great question! You can create and verify an ID.me account on the IRS website before filing, which helps. But sometimes they still require additional verification even with that. The system is frustratingly inconsistent.
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Benjamin Johnson
I've had MUCH better luck contacting my local Taxpayer Advocate Service office rather than calling the main IRS line. They can often see exactly what's happening with your return and help move things along. Google "taxpayer advocate" + your city to find the closest office.
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Zara Perez
I literally just went through this exact situation. Filed in early February, state refund in 9 days, then crickets on federal. After struggling to reach a human at the IRS for days, I tried that Claimyr service (claimyr.com) and they got me connected to an agent within an hour. Turned out my return was flagged for review but they never sent me any notification. The agent pushed it through manually and I got my refund direct deposited 4 days later. Best decision I made instead of waiting around hoping.
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Daniel Rogers
How much does that service cost? Seems weird we have to pay just to talk to the IRS about our own money.
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Zara Perez
It costs less than what I was losing in time and anxiety constantly trying to get through myself. After spending hours listening to hold music and getting disconnected multiple times, it was worth every penny to finally talk to someone who could actually help me.
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Aaliyah Reed
THIS. I've spent so many hours trying to reach the IRS the traditional way. Lost productivity, stress, frustration. Sometimes paying for a solution is the most economical choice.
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Ella Russell
Uggh same here. Filed beginning of March, got my state back after like 10 days, federal still "processing". All the comments about checking transcripts are right - I finally did that yesterday and saw a code 570 (freeze on my account). Tried calling but obv couldn't get through. The most annoying part is they don't even tell you there's a problem!
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Mohammed Khan
Code 570 usually means there's an adjustment or review happening. It's often followed by a 571 code when the issue is resolved. I'd definitely try to speak with an agent if it's been more than a couple weeks with that code.
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Ella Russell
thanks for the info. gonna try that claimyr thing people are talking about. I need this money
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Gavin King
I recently had a similar issue and discovered that taxr.ai is extremely helpful for understanding your transcript and what's happening with your refund. It interprets all those cryptic IRS codes and gives clear explanations and timelines. It showed me that I had a review happening that would likely complete within 2 weeks, and sure enough, my deposit hit 12 days later. Much more informative than the basic IRS tools. https://taxr.ai
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Nathan Kim
I see you filed through H&R Block. They actually have a specific phone number for refund status issues that's separate from the general customer service line. Worth a try to see if they have more insight on your specific situation. I used them last year and they were able to tell me my return had been flagged for manual review due to a mismatch in reported income.
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Amelia Martinez
Do you happen to have that number? I couldn't find a specific refund status number on their website.
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Nathan Kim
It should be in the tax preparation summary they emailed you when your return was completed. Look for "Refund Support" or something similar in that document.
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Eleanor Foster
Check if you claimed any credits like Earned Income Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit. Those automatically get extra scrutiny and often cause delays, sometimes up to 6-8 weeks. The PATH Act requires the IRS to take more time verifying these claims.
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