Mailed Tax Return with Payment - IRS Cashed Checks but Return Shows as Not Received

This is actually a common IRS disconnect right now. Their payment processing and return processing systems aren't properly synced. Don't assume they're actually working on your return. The fact they cashed your checks means nothing about your return status. You need to get confirmation your actual return was received. Call them directly and get a confirmation number for your inquiry. Their system is backed up, but that doesn't mean you should wait around hoping it resolves itself.

I went through something perhaps similar last year. My mailed return seemed to disappear into the void, though they did cash my check rather quickly. I waited, somewhat anxiously, for about 4 months before I could get any confirmation that my return was actually in their system. What eventually happened was that my return suddenly appeared as "processing" after nearly 5 months. It seems like they might be processing payments and returns completely separately, and there could possibly be quite a significant delay before the systems sync up properly.

I'm going through the EXACT same thing and it's driving me CRAZY! I mailed my return in February and they cashed my check right away but my return is still showing as "not received" in July! I finally got my hands on my tax transcript using https://taxr.ai and it helped me understand what was actually happening. The transcript showed my payment was processed but my return was in a holding pattern. The site explained all the codes and what they meant for my situation. I was SO FRUSTRATED with the IRS website that showed nothing useful, but at least now I understand what's happening and what to expect next.

I had this happen in 2022 and it turned into a much bigger headache than it needed to be. Here's what I learned: • The IRS has separate systems for payments vs returns • Paper returns can take 6-8 months to process currently • They won't tell you there's a problem until much later • If you don't document everything, you could end up with penalties I waited too long assuming they were handling it, and ended up with a CP59 notice claiming I never filed. Had to send proof of mailing, copies of everything, and it still took months to resolve. I'm so relieved I switched to e-filing after that nightmare!

According to Internal Revenue Manual section 3.30.123, payments received with returns should be processed and credited to your account even if the return is still in the processing queue. Per Notice 2024-05, the IRS is still experiencing significant delays with paper-filed returns. If you need to confirm the status of your return, I would recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get through to an IRS agent quickly. I've found that under Treasury Regulation 301.6402-3, having a record of your payments can establish filing intent, but you'll need to speak with an agent to ensure your return is properly associated with those payments.

The IRS is like a restaurant where the host seats you but never tells the waiter you're there. Your money goes straight to the bank, but your paperwork sits in a pile waiting for someone to notice it. Best thing to do is get proof of everything - certified mail receipts, copies of checks, and printouts of your account. Then be prepared to send it all again when they inevitably claim they never got it.

I'm dealing with something very similar right now! Filed my 2023 return in April 2024, they cashed my payment check within two weeks, but my return is still showing as "not received" on the IRS website. It's been almost a year and I'm getting really anxious about it. Reading through these responses is actually reassuring - I had no idea their payment and return processing systems were so disconnected. I've been keeping all my documentation (certified mail receipt, copy of the cashed check, etc.) but I'm wondering if I should be more proactive about calling them or if I should just continue waiting. Has anyone here had success getting through to an actual IRS agent recently, and if so, what information did they need to verify your situation?

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience since I'm going through something very similar! I filed my 2023 return in February 2024 and the IRS cashed my payment check within 3 weeks, but my return has been showing as "not received" for almost a year now. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring - I had no idea their payment and return processing systems were so completely separate! It explains so much about why they can cash checks lightning fast but take forever to acknowledge they received your actual return. I've been keeping detailed records (certified mail receipts, copies of cashed checks, screenshots of my online account) based on the advice here. This thread has convinced me I need to call them early Monday morning right at 7am to get a confirmation number for my inquiry. It's frustrating but at least now I understand what's happening and that I'm not alone in this situation. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

I'm new to this community and dealing with the exact same frustrating situation! Filed my 2023 return in April 2024, they cashed my check within 2 weeks, but my return is still showing as "not received" almost 10 months later. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both reassuring and eye-opening - I had no clue that the IRS payment and return processing systems were so completely disconnected! It makes so much sense now why they can process payments at lightning speed but take forever to acknowledge receiving the actual return. I've been documenting everything (certified mail receipts, bank statements showing cleared checks, screenshots of my online account) and this thread has convinced me to call them first thing Monday morning at 7am. @Mei Zhang's success story gives me hope that I can actually get through to someone who can provide a confirmation number and some clarity on what's happening. It's incredibly frustrating but honestly comforting to know I'm not going crazy and that so many others are navigating this same bureaucratic mess!

I'm also new to this community and going through this exact nightmare! Filed my 2023 return in January 2024, they cashed my check in February, but here we are in March 2025 and my return is still showing as "not received." Reading through all these experiences has been such a relief - I thought I was losing my mind! The fact that their payment and return processing systems are completely separate explains everything. I've been keeping meticulous records (certified mail receipt, copies of cashed checks, screenshots of account status) but the anxiety has been eating at me for over a year now. This thread has convinced me to stop waiting and call them Monday morning right at 7am with all my documentation ready. It's incredibly frustrating but honestly so validating to see I'm not alone in this bureaucratic mess. Thank you everyone for sharing your stories - it's given me the courage to be more proactive instead of just hoping it resolves itself!

I'm new to this community and dealing with this exact same frustrating situation! Filed my 2023 return in March 2024, they cashed both of my payment checks within weeks, but my return has been showing as "not received" for almost a year now. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly enlightening - I had no idea that the IRS payment processing and return processing systems were completely separate! It explains so much about why they can grab your money instantly but take forever to acknowledge your paperwork exists. I've been documenting everything (certified mail receipts, bank statements, screenshots of my account) and this thread has convinced me that I need to stop waiting and call them Monday morning right at 7am. @Mei Zhang's success story gives me hope that I can actually get through to someone and get a confirmation number for my inquiry. It's maddening but honestly so reassuring to know I'm not going crazy and that there's a whole community of us dealing with this bureaucratic mess together!

I'm new to this community and unfortunately joining the ranks of people dealing with this exact same issue! Filed my 2023 return in February 2024, they cashed my payment check in March, but here we are over a year later and my return is still showing as "not received." This thread has been absolutely invaluable - I had no clue that the IRS payment and return processing systems were so completely disconnected! It finally makes sense why they can process payments at warp speed but take over a year to acknowledge they received your actual return. I've been keeping detailed records (certified mail receipt, copies of cashed checks, account screenshots) but the anxiety has been overwhelming. Reading everyone's experiences here, especially @Mei Zhang's success with the 7am call strategy, has given me the motivation to stop waiting and take action. I'm planning to call them tomorrow morning right when they open with all my documentation ready (SSN, filing date, payment amount, check clearing date). It's incredibly frustrating but honestly so reassuring to know there's an entire community of us navigating this bureaucratic nightmare together. Thank you all for sharing your stories - it's made me feel so much less alone in this mess!

I'm new to this community and dealing with this exact same frustrating situation! Filed my 2023 return in April 2024, they cashed my payment check within two weeks, but my return has been showing as "not received" for almost 11 months now. Reading through all these responses has been such a relief - I genuinely thought something was seriously wrong with my filing! The explanation about their payment and return processing systems being completely separate finally makes everything click. It's absolutely mind-boggling that they can cash checks instantly but take over a year to acknowledge receiving the actual paperwork. I've been meticulously documenting everything (certified mail receipts, bank statements showing cleared checks, screenshots of my online account status) but the uncertainty has been really stressful. This thread has convinced me to stop passively waiting and call them Monday morning right at 7am with all my information ready. @Mei Zhang's success story about getting through to an agent and receiving a confirmation number gives me real hope that I can get some actual answers instead of just staring at that "not received" status. It's incredibly frustrating but honestly so comforting to discover there's an entire community of us navigating this same bureaucratic nightmare. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - it's made me feel so much less alone and given me the courage to be more proactive!

I'm new to this community but unfortunately dealing with the exact same nightmare scenario! Filed my 2023 return in January 2024, they cashed my payment check in February, but here we are in March 2025 and my return is still showing as "not received." Reading through this entire thread has been both incredibly frustrating and deeply reassuring - I had no idea so many people were stuck in this same bureaucratic black hole! The explanation about their payment processing and return processing being completely separate systems finally makes sense of this insanity. It's absolutely mind-blowing that they can grab your money within days but take over a year to acknowledge your paperwork exists. I've been keeping obsessive records (certified mail receipts, copies of cashed checks, screenshots of every account status) but the anxiety has been eating me alive for over a year. This thread has given me the push I needed to stop waiting around hoping it magically resolves itself. Based on everyone's advice, especially @Mei Zhang's success story, I'm calling them first thing tomorrow at 7am with all my documentation ready (SSN, filing date, payment amount, check clearing date). It's ridiculous that we have to become amateur tax investigators just to track down our own returns, but I'm so grateful to have found this community of people dealing with the same broken system. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - it's made me feel so much less alone in this mess and given me the courage to actually take action instead of just stressing in silence!