Is there any ACTUAL working method to check the status of an ERC payment we've been waiting on forever?

Unfortunately, tracking ERC check status is one of the most frustrating experiences for small business owners right now. The IRS has been completely overwhelmed with ERC claims and their processing times are way beyond what they initially stated. The most reliable option is to call the IRS's dedicated ERC hotline at 877-777-4778, but be prepared to wait. I recommend calling right when they open at 7am EST for the shortest wait times. When you get through, have your EIN, filing details, and the approximate amount of your claim ready. You'll need to verify your identity as the business owner or authorized representative. Another option is to contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service, which can sometimes help with cases where the processing time has exceeded the normal timeframe (which yours definitely has at 18 months).

After waiting 14 months for our ERC check and getting nowhere with regular IRS calls, I stumbled across taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it was actually helpful. Unlike most "status checkers" that just give generic info, they have a tool that analyzes your specific ERC filing documents and gives you a real estimate of where your claim is in the process based on similar filings they've tracked. I uploaded our 941-X forms and got detailed feedback showing our claim was assigned to the Cincinnati processing center and was likely in the "manual review" phase based on the filing date and business type. They even provided specific next steps we could take with the IRS including exactly what to say when calling. Definitely more useful than the "please wait longer" responses we kept getting.

Just wanted to update that I tried taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here, and it actually provided something useful! Uploaded our ERC documentation and got a detailed status report showing our claim was likely in the "pre-examination review" stage based on our filing date and industry code. The most helpful part was they identified that our claim had probably been flagged for a specific verification process based on our documentation patterns. They suggested we proactively send in additional payroll verification through a specific IRS channel, which we did. Two weeks later we got a call from an IRS agent who said they were just about to request that exact information, and that providing it proactively moved our claim forward! Still waiting on the final check, but at least now we know it's actually being processed and not lost in the void.

After 11 months of waiting for our ERC and getting nowhere with the IRS helpline, I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and it actually got me through to an IRS agent in under 20 minutes when I'd been trying for weeks. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I spoke with confirmed our ERC claim was approved but was stuck in the final processing stage due to some backlog. They put a note on our account to expedite it since it had exceeded their internal processing time targets. Three weeks later our check arrived. Without getting that actual confirmation from the IRS, we might still be waiting.

I need to eat crow here. After dismissing Claimyr as a probable scam, I was desperate enough to try it after my 17th failed attempt to reach the IRS about our ERC claim. Within about 40 minutes, I got a call back and was connected to an actual IRS agent - first time I've spoken to a human there in months of trying. The agent confirmed our ERC was approved 3 months ago but was stuck in a processing queue waiting for final review. They flagged it for expedited processing after I explained how long we'd been waiting. Got our check for $38,500 last week. So yeah, I was wrong about the service. Sometimes desperation leads you to solutions that actually work.

Has anyone tried contacting their congressional representative's office? My brother's construction company was waiting over a year for their ERC, and he finally contacted his congressman's office. They have staff specifically for helping constituents with federal agency issues. Within 3 weeks of them making an inquiry, the IRS suddenly "found" his application and processed the payment. It might not work for everyone, but it's a free option worth trying if you're stuck in limbo.

Warning to everyone still waiting - there's been a huge uptick in ERC processing scams lately. I got a call from someone claiming to be from "IRS ERC Processing Division" saying they could expedite my refund for a fee. Total scam! The IRS never calls about this stuff and definitely doesn't charge "expedition fees." If you're desperate for your refund, don't fall for these scams. Stick with legitimate channels like the Taxpayer Advocate Service or the methods others have mentioned here. The processing delays are frustrating, but don't let scammers take advantage of that frustration.

I'm in the exact same boat - filed for ERC in September 2023 for our small retail business and we're still waiting on about $28,000. The lack of transparency from the IRS is maddening. One thing that helped me get some actual information was filing Form 911 (Request for Taxpayer Advocate Service). You can do this online or by mail when your case meets certain criteria, which yours definitely does after 18 months. The Taxpayer Advocate Service is supposed to help when normal IRS channels aren't working. Also, keep detailed records of every call attempt, reference numbers, and dates. If you do eventually get through to someone, having this documentation helps show you've been trying to resolve this through normal channels for an unreasonable amount of time. The restaurant industry got hit so hard during COVID - you deserve that credit you qualified for. Don't give up, but definitely try multiple approaches since the regular phone lines are basically useless right now.

I feel your pain - we're going through the exact same nightmare with our ERC claim. Filed in July 2023 for about $45,000 and still nothing. What's really frustrating is that our accountant keeps saying "it's normal" but 18+ months is absolutely not normal for any tax refund. One thing that's helped me track our progress is keeping a detailed spreadsheet of every interaction - call attempts, reference numbers, dates, who I spoke with (if anyone), and what they said. When you finally do get through to someone, having this documentation really helps demonstrate that you've been trying to resolve this through proper channels for way too long. I'm also going to try the Form 911 approach that @Dmitry mentioned - the Taxpayer Advocate Service seems like it might be our best bet at this point. The regular IRS phone system is completely broken for ERC inquiries. Hang in there - you're definitely not alone in this mess. The IRS has completely bungled the ERC processing and small businesses like ours are paying the price for their incompetence.

I'm going through the exact same frustrating experience with our small accounting firm's ERC claim. Filed in October 2023 for around $22,000 and we're still waiting after 16+ months. The complete lack of communication from the IRS is honestly infuriating. After reading through all these responses, I'm going to try multiple approaches: filing Form 911 for the Taxpayer Advocate Service, contacting my congressman's office, and maybe even trying one of those callback services if I get desperate enough. It's ridiculous that we have to jump through so many hoops just to get information about our own refund. What really gets me is that the IRS had no problem quickly processing PPP loans and other COVID relief, but somehow the ERC program has turned into this black hole where claims just disappear for years. Meanwhile, small businesses that kept employees on payroll during the worst economic crisis in decades are left hanging without the relief they were promised. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences and solutions here - it's the most useful information I've found anywhere about actually getting movement on these stuck claims. The fact that we have to crowdsource solutions because the IRS can't provide basic customer service is just shameful.

I'm dealing with the exact same situation with our family bakery - filed our ERC claim in June 2023 for about $26,000 and we're now at 19 months with absolutely nothing. The frustration is beyond words at this point. After reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm planning to take a comprehensive approach: filing Form 911 with the Taxpayer Advocate Service immediately, reaching out to my representative's office, and keeping much better documentation of every attempt to contact the IRS (thanks for that spreadsheet tip @Amara Torres). What really bothers me is that we did everything right - qualified for the credit, kept employees on payroll during the worst of COVID, filed through a reputable CPA firm, and now we're being punished by the IRS's complete inability to process claims in a reasonable timeframe. Small businesses like ours operated on faith that the government would follow through on these programs, and instead we're left in financial limbo. The fact that so many of us are sharing the same nightmare experience really highlights how systemic this problem has become. It's not just a few isolated cases - the ERC processing system appears to be fundamentally broken. I'll definitely report back on which approaches work for our situation. Thanks to everyone for sharing real solutions instead of just the usual "call this number and wait" advice that clearly doesn't work anymore.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - your situation sounds exactly like what dozens of other restaurant owners are going through right now. 18 months is absolutely ridiculous for any tax refund, especially when your business is struggling with tight margins. Based on what I've seen work for others in similar situations, I'd recommend a multi-pronged approach: 1. **File Form 911 immediately** - This gets you into the Taxpayer Advocate Service system, which seems to be one of the few IRS channels that actually functions for ERC issues. Since you're at 18 months, you definitely meet their criteria for unreasonable delay. 2. **Contact your congressional representative's office** - They have dedicated caseworkers who can make inquiries through special IRS channels that aren't available to the public. Emphasize the economic impact on your restaurant and employees. 3. **Document everything systematically** - Keep a detailed log of every call attempt, reference numbers, dates, and responses. This documentation becomes crucial when you escalate through the Taxpayer Advocate Service or congressional inquiry. 4. **Try calling the ERC hotline (877-777-4778) right at 7:00 AM Eastern** - Several people here have had better luck getting through at that exact time, though it still requires multiple attempts over several days. The restaurant industry got hit harder than most during COVID, and you absolutely deserve the relief you qualified for. Don't let your accountant's "these things take time" response discourage you from pursuing every available avenue - 18 months is not normal processing time, it's bureaucratic failure. Keep fighting for what's rightfully yours, and please update us on what works. Every success story helps other small business owners know which approaches are worth trying.