How to Check Refund Status from 2020 Tax Return?

For prior year refund status (2020), you'll need to access your tax transcript rather than using the standard Where's My Refund tool. Navigate to IRS.gov and select 'Get Transcript Online' under the 'Get Your Tax Record' section. You'll need to authenticate through the IRS Secure Access protocol, which requires verification of financial accounts, loan numbers, or credit card information linked to your SSN. Once authenticated, request the 'Account Transcript' for tax year 2020, which will display all transactions including refund issuance or offsets if applicable.

Have u tried calling the IRS directly? Sometimes older returns aren't available online esp if u haven't set up an online acct yet. BTW, did u file jointly or separate in 2020? That matters for who can access what info.

I was probably in a somewhat similar situation last year, trying to track down some possibly missing refunds after a separation. I spent maybe 3-4 hours on hold with the IRS before giving up. Then I found Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) which got me through to an actual human at the IRS in about 20 minutes. It might cost a little bit, but honestly, the time saved was worth every penny when I needed to sort out several years of tax issues.

I believe you might also want to check if the refund was possibly offset for any outstanding debts. The Bureau of Fiscal Service sometimes applies tax refunds to past-due child support, state income tax, or federal debts. If this happened, you should have received a notice, but those sometimes get lost in moves or... other circumstances.

Has anyone tried requesting their refund status through the Taxpayer Advocate Service? It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack when dealing with older returns, isn't it?

I've been through something similar with my 2019 return. Instead of dealing with the IRS directly, try contacting your local Taxpayer Advocate Service. Back in 2021, they helped me track down a missing refund when the regular IRS channels were useless. They have more direct access to your account history.