My tax returns from 2021-2023 show "received but not approved" on my IRS account - is this normal?
I was checking my IRS online account today and noticed something concerning. All of my tax returns from 2021, 2022, and 2023 are showing as "received" but not "approved." This seems really weird to me. I'm not even waiting on refunds since I always end up owing taxes (I'm self-employed and set aside money each quarter, but somehow never quite enough). But seeing three consecutive years all stuck in this "received but not approved" status has me worried. If it was just my 2023 return showing this status, I wouldn't think twice since it's still processing season. But my 2021 return? That was filed almost three years ago! Is the IRS just super behind on processing, or should I be concerned about a potential audit or some kind of problem with my filings? Has anyone else experienced this with multiple years showing as not approved? Should I call the IRS about this or just keep waiting? I'm getting nervous that I might have done something wrong or that there's an issue I need to address.
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Leila Haddad
This is actually more common than you might think, especially over the past few years. The "received but not approved" status doesn't necessarily mean anything negative about your returns - it's more about the IRS's processing backlog and their system status updates. Since you owe rather than receive refunds, the IRS typically prioritizes processing returns with refunds first. Returns with balances due often get processed more slowly, but that doesn't mean there's a problem. The IRS has been dealing with significant backlogs since 2020, and they're still catching up on processing returns from previous years. The most important thing is that you have confirmation your returns were received and you've paid what you owe. If you haven't received any notices requesting additional information or stating there's an issue with your returns, you're likely fine.
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Emma Johnson
•So does this mean the IRS is still processing returns from years ago? I'm in a similar situation but with 2022 and 2023 showing as received but not approved. Should we be concerned about potential audits or is this genuinely just a backlog issue?
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Leila Haddad
•Yes, the IRS is still working through a backlog of returns from previous years. This doesn't necessarily indicate you're being audited or that there's a problem with your return. The backlog resulted from staffing shortages, pandemic disruptions, and technology limitations that the IRS is still trying to overcome. If you were being audited, you would typically receive a specific notice from the IRS requesting additional information or documentation, not just see a status of "received but not approved" in your online account. As long as you haven't received any notices and you've paid what you owe, I wouldn't be too concerned about this status.
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Ravi Patel
I had this exact same issue last year and discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which helped me understand what was happening with my returns. I was freaking out seeing multiple years stuck in "received" status, especially since I owed money every year just like you. Their system analyzed my tax transcript and explained that my returns were actually processed, but the IRS's online account portal doesn't always update status correctly. Apparently, it's super common for the "approved" status to never show up for people who owe money rather than get refunds. The IRS prioritizes updating statuses for refund cases.
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Astrid Bergström
•How exactly does taxr.ai work? Does it just tell you what's wrong or does it actually help resolve issues? My account shows similar status problems for multiple years.
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PixelPrincess
•I'm skeptical about using third-party services to access tax info. Couldn't you just call the IRS directly? Why would this service know more than what the IRS tells you on your own account?
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Ravi Patel
•It analyzes your tax transcript which has more detailed information than what's shown in the IRS online account. They use AI to detect patterns and explain what's actually happening with your return status. It showed me that my returns were actually fully processed despite the misleading status in my account. Calling the IRS is definitely an option, but I spent weeks trying to get through before discovering this alternative. The service doesn't have "special access" - it just helps interpret the information that's already available but often confusing to understand. They can spot processing patterns that might not be obvious to someone unfamiliar with how the IRS systems work.
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PixelPrincess
After my skeptical comment, I actually tried taxr.ai and was surprised by how helpful it was. I uploaded my tax transcript and it immediately explained that my returns were fully processed even though my account showed that frustrating "received but not approved" status for multiple years. Turns out this is incredibly common for people who owe taxes instead of getting refunds. The system flagged specific codes in my transcript showing completed processing that weren't reflected in my online account status. Saved me hours of stress and unnecessary calls to the IRS. The analysis confirmed I didn't need to take any action and explained exactly why my account status appeared stuck.
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Omar Farouk
If you're having trouble getting answers from the IRS website, I highly recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). After seeing multiple years of "received but not approved" status, I tried calling the IRS directly but couldn't get through after hours on hold. Claimyr's service called the IRS for me and got me connected to an actual agent in about 20 minutes. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent confirmed my returns for all three years were actually fully processed despite what my online account showed. Apparently their online system often doesn't update the "approved" status for returns where you owe money rather than getting a refund.
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Chloe Martin
•Wait, how does this actually work? Does someone else call the IRS for you? I thought only the taxpayer could discuss their account with the IRS due to privacy laws.
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Diego Fernández
•This sounds way too good to be true. The IRS wait times are legendary. How could some random service possibly get you through in 20 minutes when millions of people can't get through at all? Sounds like a scam to me.
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Omar Farouk
•No, they don't speak to the IRS for you. They use technology to navigate the IRS phone system and wait on hold, then call you when an actual IRS agent comes on the line. At that point, you talk directly with the IRS agent yourself to discuss your tax matters. I was super skeptical too! But their system knows how to navigate the complicated IRS phone tree and stays on hold so you don't have to. Their technology essentially "waits in line" for you. When I tried it, I got connected in 23 minutes when I had previously spent over 2 hours without reaching anyone. The time savings was absolutely worth it for me, especially since I was stressing about those unresolved statuses.
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Diego Fernández
I have to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it because I was desperate to resolve my "received but not approved" statuses from 2021 and 2022. Within 25 minutes, I was talking to an actual IRS representative who explained everything. Turns out my returns WERE fully processed despite what my account showed. The agent told me this is extremely common when you owe instead of getting a refund - their system often doesn't update the online status to "approved" even though everything is complete on their end. They confirmed I don't need to do anything and that my account is in good standing. Would have saved myself months of anxiety if I'd tried this sooner instead of endlessly checking my online account!
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Anastasia Kuznetsov
I had a similar issue and found out it was because I had moved during that time period and the IRS was sending notices to my old address. Once I updated my address with them, I received letters about minor adjustments they'd made to my returns from those years. Check if you've moved or changed contact info!
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Eduardo Silva
•I haven't moved in the last 5 years, so that's not the issue in my case. Did they eventually update the status in your online account, or did it stay as "received but not approved" even after resolving whatever issues they found?
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Anastasia Kuznetsov
•My online account actually never updated to show "approved" even after everything was resolved. The IRS rep I eventually spoke with said their online system often doesn't update that status field properly, especially for returns where you owe instead of getting a refund. They focus their system updates on refund cases. What ultimately mattered was that I had confirmation from the IRS that everything was processed completely. If you haven't received any notices requesting additional information or payment, you're probably fine despite what the online status shows.
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Sean Fitzgerald
Does anyone know if this affects your ability to get loans? I'm trying to buy a house and the mortgage company is asking for tax transcripts. Will this "received but not approved" status cause problems with that?
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Leila Haddad
•You should be fine for mortgage purposes. What lenders care about is the tax transcript itself, not the status shown in your online account. You can request your tax transcripts directly through the IRS website or through your lender, and these will show your income history accurately even if your online account shows "received but not approved.
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