Filed 2023 & 2024 returns on same day - 2024 processed quickly but 2023 is stuck?

Thank you! This helps a lot. I had no idea they processed them so differently. Is there a specific place on the transcript I should be checking? I've never really looked at these before.

You want to look at your Account Transcript (not Return or Wage & Income transcripts). The codes will be on the right side - 150 means return filed, 570 is a hold, 971 is notice issued, and 846 is the refund issuance. Check weekly - transcripts update overnight Thursday into Friday.

Just confirming what they said. I filed my 2022 return in February this year and it took almost 14 weeks to process 🙃 It's completely ridiculous but that's how they operate.

Sounds interesting. How exactly does it work? Does it just read your transcript or does it do more?

It's basically an AI tool that reads your transcript and translates all those weird IRS codes and dates into normal human language. It shows you what's happening with your return, when you can expect your refund, and explains any issues. Saved me hours of googling random tax codes and stressing out. I'll never go back to trying to figure this stuff out on my own again.

THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOMMENDATION! Just tried it and wow - it actually explained everything happening with my return. Turns out there was an income verification hold I didn't even know about. The peace of mind alone was worth it. Everyone dealing with IRS stuff needs to know about this!

Does it cost anything? Seems sus that they'd just read your transcript for free...

There is a cost but it was totally worth it for the time it saved me and the clarity it provided. Compared to the hours I spent before trying to figure out what was happening with my return (and still being confused), it was the best money I've spent on tax-related stuff.

did this actually work? ive tried calling the irs like 30 times and always get the "we're too busy" message 😩

Yeah it actually worked! I was skeptical too but I was desperate after my 6th attempt at calling and getting hung up on. The app basically holds your place in line and calls you when they have an agent. Best money I've spent on tax stuff - the agent helped release my refund that had been stuck for no apparent reason.

ok im gonna try this, im going crazy checking wmr every day and seeing no change

I thought these apps were scams... how do they actually get you through when the IRS lines are full?

They use some automated system that keeps dialing until it gets through. Then when it reaches a real person, it connects you. Way better than me manually redialing for hours. When you're waiting on thousands of dollars, the service fee is nothing compared to the stress it saves.

I can vouch for this too - used it last month after my return was sitting in limbo for 9 weeks. Agent told me there was a simple verification issue they needed to clear up. Money was in my account 8 days later!

I just checked again and don't see any codes at all for 2023. Just says "No record of return filed" even though I got the acceptance confirmation from my tax software. Should I be worried?

That usually means it's still in the initial processing queue and hasn't been entered into the system yet. Prior year returns sometimes sit in this status for 4-8 weeks before any transcript update. If you got an acceptance confirmation, you're good - just gotta wait longer.

yep this is the answer. the irs has separate teams for prior year returns and they're usualy understaffed. My 2022 return didnt even show in the system for 7 weeks then suddenly appeared with a refund date!

LOL good luck actually getting through! I tried this strategy for 3 weeks straight and never once got past the "we're experiencing high call volume" message before being disconnected. The IRS phone system is a joke in 2025. 🤡

Yeah it's definitely hit or miss. I had to try 4 different days before I got through, but when I did, they were actually helpful and told me exactly why my return was delayed.

I've had good luck with option 652 on the main menu (even though it says it's for something else) - somehow that queue seems less busy and they can still help with refund status questions.

No recovery rebate, but I did claim EIC on the 2023 return. That could be it!

There's your answer then. EIC claims on prior year returns get extra scrutiny. The IRS is paranoid about fraud with these credits on late-filed returns. Just keep checking your transcript weekly - it'll update eventually.

preach 👏 its ridiculous how they can take forever but we have strict deadlines

To be fair, they're working with ancient computer systems from the 1960s and Congress keeps cutting their budget. The frontline employees are just as frustrated as we are.

don't care, not my problem. if i ran my business like they run theirs id be bankrupt in a month. and they expect us to just wait months for OUR money while bills pile up? nah.

The taxpayer advocate service is even more backed up than the regular IRS. I tried this route and they told me they're only taking the most severe hardship cases right now and have a 3-month backlog. 😖

Thank you for the insider perspective! Wish the IRS would make this clearer on their website. I'll wait a few more weeks before trying to call.

is this different from just reading your transcript yourself? what does it tell you that you cant figure out on your own?

it explains all the codes in human language, shows you the timeline for processing, identifies issues, and gives you specific action steps. i was looking at my transcript for weeks and had no idea what all the codes meant or why things were delayed. taxr showed me exactly what was happening in 2 minutes.

oh wow that actually sounds helpful. might try it because im tired of googling random transcript codes and getting conflicting info from random forum posts from 2018 lol

How much does that service cost? Is it worth it?

I don't remember the exact amount but it was totaly worth it to me. I had tried calling the IRS myself 15+ times over several weeks and could never get through. The service got me connected to an agent in about 30 minutes. Considering I was waiting on a $4k refund, the fee was minimal compared to what I was owed.

I used it too after seeing it recommended here. Got through to the IRS in under an hour after wasting days trying to call myself. Agent found a simple error code that was holding up my return and fixed it right then. Refund arrived 9 days later.

lmaooo carrier pigeons might actually be faster 💀

No joke - they literally have to print out electronic returns and have people manually enter data for certain processes. The backlog is insane.