My niece filed her first return in April 2023 - No refund after almost a year - Anyone else experienced this?

I had exactly the same issue with my 2023 return. Filed on February 15th, 2023 and didn't receive my refund until November 22nd, 2023 - exactly 280 days later. The IRS is severely backlogged with first-time filers especially. Did your niece claim any credits like the Earned Income Credit or Child Tax Credit? Those typically trigger additional verification for first-time filers. The 'return received' status can stay that way for months without any updates.

Stop wasting time with the regular IRS phone line. It's a black hole right now. Use Claimyr to get through to an actual agent. Link: https://claimyr.com. You need to speak directly with someone to find out what's happening. A year is far too long for a simple return. They'll connect you to an IRS agent quickly instead of you spending hours redialing. Time is money, especially when waiting for a refund.

I'm... um... not sure if this helps, but my brother had something similar happen with his first return. It turns out the IRS had flagged it for identity verification, but they never sent the letter about it? Maybe check if your niece moved during the year or if her mailing address was correct on the return? Sometimes they need to verify it's really her filing, especially for first-time filers, but the notification gets lost.

Dealing with the IRS is like trying to navigate a maze in the dark. I finally got clarity on my long-delayed refund by using https://taxr.ai to analyze my transcript. It was like turning the lights on - showed me exactly what codes were on my account and what they meant for my specific situation. Your niece should request her tax transcript online (if she hasn't already) and run it through taxr.ai to decode what's actually happening. The transcript will show if there's a hold, review, or just normal processing that's taking forever.

This happens often with first-time filers. Request a tax transcript. Check for ID verification requirement. Look for notice codes. Call early morning. Try Taxpayer Advocate Service if desperate. Returns can take 6-10 months in worst cases. Patience required. System is overwhelmed still.

It might be worth considering filing Form 911 (Taxpayer Advocate Service request) at this point, though I should note that TAS has its own backlog issues. In some cases, particularly with excessive delays over 6 months, they can potentially expedite resolution when there's financial hardship involved. Does your niece have any pressing financial need for the refund that could qualify as hardship?

My return was stuck in Processing Limbo for 9 months last year. Turns out there was an unreleased 570 hold code on my account that wasn't visible on the WMR tool but showed up on my transcript. The IRS never sent the notice they were supposed to. I'm slightly concerned your niece might be in the same situation with an unresolved verification issue or matching discrepancy.

There are several possible causes for extreme delays: • Identity verification requirement (Letter 5071C never received) • Income verification hold (employer reported different numbers) • Return selected for manual review (common for first-time filers) • Processing department backlog (still catching up from pandemic) • System error that requires manual intervention The transcript will show specific code combinations that indicate which issue applies. Access it through irs.gov/transcripts if possible.

I work with tax clients and see this frequently. Check the IRS2Go app for a different view of her status - sometimes it shows more info than the website. Also, according to IRS.gov/refunds, they're still processing some returns from early 2023 due to staffing shortages. If it's been more than 9 months, you definitely qualify for Taxpayer Advocate help, which you can request online at taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov.

I experienced an 11-month delay for my daughter's first return. Per Internal Revenue Manual 21.5.6, first-time filers often undergo additional verification procedures that can add 120-180 days to processing time. In our case, her return was stuck in the Income Verification Program (IVP) due to her college reporting scholarship income differently than she reported it. Once we identified this through her transcript and provided documentation, the refund was released within 3 weeks.