IRS Refund Delayed Beyond Normal Timeframe - Filed in April, Still Showing Tax Topic 152 and No Status Bars in July

This is very common this year. Tax Topic 152 just means you're eligible for a refund, but your return is undergoing additional review. This could be for several reasons: 1. Income verification (they're matching your reported income with what employers submitted) 2. Identity verification (making sure it's really you) 3. Credit eligibility verification (if you claimed credits like EITC) 4. Random selection for manual review The "delayed beyond normal timeframe" message typically means your return is in the manual review queue. Normal processing is 21 days, but manual reviews can take 90-120 days or even longer this year. Your best options are: 1. Check your tax transcript online (it often shows more details) 2. Try calling the IRS (though wait times are insane) 3. Contact your local Taxpayer Advocate Service if it's causing financial hardship Don't file again - that will only delay things further.

I was in the exact same situation last month and was losing my mind. I tried calling the IRS multiple times and couldn't get through. Kept hitting that automated system that just hangs up on you when they're too busy 🤬 Finally used a calling app from claimyr.com and got an agent to call me back within an hour. Turns out they needed to verify my identity. After a 20 minute call, my refund was released a week later. Would have been stuck in limbo for who knows how long if I hadn't reached someone. It costs a bit but was worth every penny to finally get my $4300 refund.

Guys, stop guessing and stressing yourselves out!! After weeks of frustration trying to figure out what was happening with my delayed refund, I found taxr.ai and it literally solved everything. You upload your transcript and it explains exactly what's happening with your return, what all the codes mean, and even predicts when you'll get your money. I was so confused by all the 570/971 codes on mine but taxr broke it all down in plain english. It's insanely good! I use it every week to check my status now. Just go to https://taxr.ai

I've been stuck in this same limbo since MARCH. Filed on March 1, got accepted right away, and then... nothing. Just that same message about delays. I called the IRS probably 30 times and couldn't get through. Ended up having to take out a loan to cover bills I was counting on the refund for. The whole system is broken. 💯

Check your transcripts!! The WMR tool is useless compared to what your actual transcripts will tell you. I was in the same boat, filed in Feb and didn't get my refund till May. The transcript showed a 570 hold code that the WMR never mentioned. Once I knew what was going on I was able to addresit directly.

That Tax Topic 152 is so misleading. Everyone gets it, it literally just means you're eligible for a refund. Doesn't tell you anything about why its delayed. I had the same message for 14 weeks before getting my refund last year. Hang in there!

Do u have kids? If you claimed the Child Tax Credit that's a common trigger for delays this year. Mine was held up for 4 months because they were "verifying" my eligibility even tho I claim the same kids every year 🙄

The IRS actually publishes their processing timeframes. Normal e-filed returns should be processed within 21 days, but returns with certain credits (EITC, ACTC) or that need manual review can take 4-6 months. If you're facing financial hardship because of the delay, you can contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service for help moving your case along.

Has anybody tried amending their return to fix the issue? I'm tempted to file an amended return just to get some movement on my account.

Y'know what's crazy? I filed in June (super late I know) and got my refund in 10 days. Meanwhile my friend who filed in February is still waiting. Makes zero sense how they process these things.

Try calling the tax advocate service number instead of the main IRS line. Sometimes they can help or at least give you more info. And if you're facing financial hardship because of the delay, definitely let them know - they might be able to expedite.

Check your mail!!!! Sometimes they send letters requesting additional information and if you don't respond within 30 days they just put your return on hold indefinitely. I had this happen and the letter got lost in the mail, only found out when I finally reached an agent.

Nobody wants to hear this but sometimes there's nothing you can do but wait. The system is totally broken. I waited 11 months for my 2021 refund and no amount of calling or checking helped. It just randomly showed up one day.

I went through this last year and after 4 months of waiting I finally called my congressman's office. They have caseworkers who can escalate with the IRS. Had my refund 3 weeks later. Worth a try if you've been waiting a long time.

The fact Tax Topic 152 still exists shows how outdated the IRS systems are. That notice has been confusing people for literally decades and they've never bothered to make it more clear or useful. Classic government efficiency 🤡

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! Filed in early April and still stuck with Tax Topic 152 and that frustrating "delayed beyond normal timeframe" message. The no status bars thing is what really gets me - like, give us SOMETHING to show progress is being made. I've been reading through all these comments and it sounds like getting your transcript is really the key to understanding what's actually happening. Going to try setting up that IRS account tonight and see if I can get some real answers about why this is taking so long. Has anyone had success with just waiting it out vs. actively trying to contact them? I'm torn between being patient and trying to get through to an actual person who can help move things along.

I'm in almost the exact same boat - filed in late March and still getting that same "delayed beyond normal timeframe" message with Tax Topic 152. The lack of any status bars is so frustrating because you have no idea if any progress is being made at all. From reading through all these comments, it really seems like getting your transcript is the most important first step. That's where the real information is hiding that the Where's My Refund tool doesn't show you. I'm definitely going to try setting up an IRS account this weekend to see what codes are actually on my return. The calling services people mentioned sound helpful but I'm wondering if I should try the transcript route first before spending money on those. Has anyone here found that just having the transcript information was enough to understand the delay without needing to actually call? Also really appreciate the tip about contacting your congressman's office - I had no idea that was even an option for tax issues!