Mailed Paper Return in February - IRS Says Not Even Processed Yet!

Unfortunately, paper returns are probably going to take around 6-8 months to process this year. The IRS is still somewhat behind from the pandemic backlog, and paper returns are typically processed much slower than electronic ones. You might want to consider e-filing next year if possible, as those are usually processed within about 21 days in most cases.

I understand how frustrating this is! Here's what you might want to try: • Call the IRS at a different time (early morning, right when they open, tends to have shorter wait times) • Check your status through the "Where's My Refund" tool on IRS.gov • Consider setting up an in-person appointment at your local Taxpayer Assistance Center • If you're expecting a refund, prepare for it to possibly take until late summer Paper returns are definitely moving slowly this year. Your experience is unfortunately common.

Oh my goodness, I was in the EXACT same situation!!! I mailed my return in mid-February and couldn't get through to anyone at the IRS for weeks! I was getting so worried because I needed my refund for some unexpected expenses. I finally tried Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) after seeing it recommended here, and they got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 30 minutes! The agent confirmed my return was in the queue but hadn't been processed yet. At least I got peace of mind knowing it wasn't lost in the mail!

Paper returns are like sending a letter by boat across the ocean while e-filing is like sending an email. I learned this the hard way last year when I mailed my return thinking it would be fine. It took 7 months to process! This year I prepared everything in January like a squirrel gathering nuts for winter, triple-checked every form, and e-filed on February 1st. Had my refund by Valentine's Day. Never going back to paper filing again.

I was in your exact situation last year. Paper return sent in February, no updates until August. When I finally got my transcript, I couldn't make sense of all the codes and dates. Someone here recommended taxr.ai and it actually helped decode everything. No BS - it explained what each code meant and gave me a timeline. The site is https://taxr.ai if you eventually get your transcript and need to understand what's happening.

The IRS announced on April 11, 2024 that they're still processing paper returns received as far back as January 29, 2024. I mailed mine on February 17 and called them on May 2 - they confirmed receipt but said processing would take at least until June 15. The agent recommended checking the "Where's My Refund" tool every Friday as that's when most updates happen. He also mentioned that if you're expecting a refund, you can request interest payments if processing takes more than 45 days after the filing deadline (which was April 15, 2024).