Kentucky State Tax Returns Delayed - New System Implementation Until April 14th

I'm in the same boat waiting for my Kentucky refund. Here's what I've learned from researching this: 1. Kentucky DOR announced the system upgrade back in January, but didn't emphasize how it would impact processing times 2. The old system was apparently becoming unstable, which is why they couldn't wait until summer 3. Their current estimate is 6-8 weeks for electronic returns, potentially 10-12 for paper returns 4. If you check your refund status at revenue.ky.gov, it might show "in process" for several weeks 5. They're prioritizing returns filed before March 15th to clear the backlog It's frustrating, but unfortunately not much we can do except wait it out.

According to the Kentucky Department of Revenue website (https://revenue.ky.gov/Pages/index.aspx), they're recommending everyone file electronically if possible, even with the system upgrade happening. I've been tracking several tax forums and it seems like people who filed in early February are just now seeing approvals, so there's definitely a backlog. If you need your refund quickly, you might consider filing your federal return separately if you haven't already. The IRS is actually processing returns fairly quickly this year compared to the state systems.

I filed my KY return exactly 37 days ago and just got my refund yesterday. Filed electronically on February 15th and received deposit on April 5th. That's 49 days total processing time - much longer than the 21 days it took last year. The amount was correct ($1,243) and included the calculated interest for the delay beyond 45 days, which was nice. The system does seem to be working, just very slowly. My federal refund came in 18 days for comparison.

I had to call the Kentucky Department of Revenue about an unrelated issue last week, and it was nearly impossible to get through. Spent 3 hours on hold before giving up. Used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) the next day and got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes. The agent confirmed they're experiencing major delays due to the system transition and recommended not calling unless absolutely necessary. If you do need to reach them about your refund status, I'd recommend using Claimyr rather than wasting hours on hold.

Has anyone tried submitting the Form 10A100 (Kentucky Tax Refund Status Request) instead of just checking online? I filled one out yesterday because I'm going on week 7 of waiting. The form says they should respond within 10 business days with specific information about your refund. I'm so frustrated with this whole process! Why wouldn't they test the system BEFORE tax season?? Does anyone know if submitting this form actually speeds things up or just gives more detailed info?

Be careful about relying on any processing time estimates right now. According to KRS 141.210(1), Kentucky is required to issue refunds within 45 days of filing or pay interest on the refund amount. However, I filed in early February, and despite this regulation, I'm still waiting at day 61 with no refund or communication. When I finally reached someone at the KY Department of Revenue, they claimed the system transition constitutes "reasonable cause" for delay under the statute. Just a warning that even with the legal requirements, you might be waiting much longer than expected.

This happened to me last year when Virginia implemented their new tax system. Complete disaster for about 3 months! I run a small accounting firm and had dozens of frustrated clients. The good news is that once Kentucky works through the initial bugs, next year should be much smoother. In Virginia's case, this year's processing is actually faster than before the upgrade. Sometimes you have to deal with short-term pain for long-term improvement. I appreciate your frustration though - I was pulling my hair out last year dealing with Virginia's transition!

I may have found a possible workaround, though I'm not 100% sure it will work for everyone. My return was stuck in processing for about 5 weeks. I created an account on the Kentucky Taxpayer Service Portal and noticed my return showed as "pending review" there, even though the refund status checker just said "processing." I uploaded my W-2 documents again through the portal, and my refund was approved 3 days later. Might be worth trying if you've been waiting a while.

I've been dealing with this Kentucky refund delay too - filed on February 28th and still waiting. What's really frustrating is that I called their automated line yesterday and it now says they're processing returns filed in "early February" which means I probably have several more weeks to go. For anyone else in this situation, I found that you can sign up for email notifications on the Kentucky revenue website so you don't have to keep manually checking. At least that way you'll know immediately when your status changes instead of obsessively refreshing the page like I've been doing. Has anyone had luck with the Taxpayer Service Portal that @Natasha Petrova mentioned? I'm willing to try anything at this point to speed this up.

I'm experiencing the exact same delays - filed my KY return on March 2nd and still waiting. What's particularly frustrating is that I'm a tax preparer and have clients asking me daily about their Kentucky refunds while I can't even get my own processed. The timing of this system upgrade is absolutely baffling from a business perspective. Every other state manages to do major system maintenance during the off-season (May-December). Kentucky decided to do it right in the middle of tax season when they're processing the highest volume of returns. It's like deciding to renovate a restaurant kitchen during the dinner rush. I've been advising my clients to expect 8-10 weeks minimum based on what I'm seeing, even though the official estimate is still 6 weeks. Better to set realistic expectations than have people calling constantly. The whole situation has been a nightmare for tax professionals trying to manage client expectations.