Paper Tax Return Status - Anyone Filed by Mail for 2023?
I submitted my 2023 tax return via mail on March 1st. Due to my recent divorce, I had to file by paper rather than e-file this year. Has anyone else filed a paper return for the 2023 tax year? If so, have you received any updates or processing confirmation? I'm tracking my timeline meticulously for financial planning purposes.
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CyberSiren
Paper returns are like turtles in a rabbit race this year. The IRS is still working through a backlog that's piled up like rush hour traffic. Most paper returns are taking 6-8 weeks minimum to process, but many are stretching to 12+ weeks. The IRS prioritizes electronic returns because they're easier to process - paper returns require manual entry which is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a teaspoon. You can check your transcript online for updates, but don't be surprised if it shows nothing for a while.
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Miguel Alvarez
•I mailed mine February 15th and JUST got confirmation yesterday! • Took exactly 9 weeks and 2 days • No updates on WMR the entire time • Transcript showed nothing until suddenly everything appeared • Refund scheduled for next week The wait is excruciating but they do get processed eventually!
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Zainab Yusuf
•I filed paper last year too and it took forever. Does anyone know if calling the IRS helps speed things up at all? I mailed mine on April 1st and haven't seen any movement yet.
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Connor O'Reilly
OMG I was in the same boat last yr after my divorce. Filed paper in Feb and didn't hear ANYTHING for like 3 months!!! Was driving me crazy checking WMR every day and seeing nothing. Finally someone here told me about taxr.ai and it was a game changer. I uploaded my transcript once it finally showed up and it explained every code and told me exactly what was happening. Turns out they were just taking their sweet time lol but at least I understood what all those weird codes meant. Def recommend for ur sanity when ur transcript finally updates.
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Yara Khoury
I mailed my return exactly 47 days ago and just received confirmation yesterday that it was processed. The expected timeline they gave me was 6-8 weeks, and it took precisely 6 weeks and 5 days. I understand the stress of waiting after a divorce - I was counting on my $3,742 refund for some post-divorce expenses too. Hang in there, it's moving slowly but surely.
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Keisha Taylor
•According to Internal Revenue Manual 3.30.123, paper returns are processed in the order received. However, returns with certain credits or deductions may be routed for additional review, extending processing times. The current processing window for paper returns without complications is 6-10 weeks from receipt date.
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StardustSeeker
•Does your return involve any unusual tax situations from the divorce? Property transfers, alimony payments, or dependents can trigger additional verification processes. These special processing codes might extend your wait time considerably.
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Paolo Marino
Paper returns take forever. IRS is understaffed. Called them three times. Got nowhere. Finally used Claimyr. Connected to an agent in 15 minutes. Got confirmation my return was received. No issues found. Just in processing queue. Worth the fee to stop worrying.
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Amina Bah
•Is this service actually legitimate? I've seen it mentioned on Reddit and Twitter but was hesitant to try. The IRS website (https://www.irs.gov/help/telephone-assistance) says average wait times are 45-90 minutes currently, so if this actually works it would be a huge time saver.
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Oliver Becker
•I was skeptical too, but I used Claimyr last month when I couldn't get through about a missing stimulus payment. It worked exactly as advertised - they called me when they had an agent on the line. Not cheap, but after spending 3 hours on hold the previous day, it was worth every penny to me. Just make sure you have all your info ready when they connect you!
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Natasha Petrova
Has anyone tried tracking their paper return using the Where's My Refund tool? Is it as useless for paper returns as it is for amended returns? My amended return from last year took 14 months to process, wondering if paper returns are handled similarly.
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Javier Hernandez
I've been through the paper filing process this year too. Did you make copies of everything before sending? Did you use certified mail with tracking? Have you checked your transcript online rather than just Where's My Refund? Sometimes the transcript updates before WMR does.
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Emma Davis
If you want to track your paper return effectively, follow these steps: 1. Create an account on IRS.gov if you haven't already 2. Request your tax transcript (not your return transcript) 3. Look for code 971 which indicates your return was received 4. Check for code 150 which means your return was processed 5. Watch for code 846 which indicates your refund was issued Paper returns typically take 6-12 weeks to show up in the system at all. Until then, no codes will appear on your transcript. The Where's My Refund tool often doesn't update for paper returns until very late in the process.
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LunarLegend
•I filed paper on February 28, 2024, and my transcript didn't show a single update until April 17, 2024. Then suddenly all the codes appeared at once! I was shocked at how it went from nothing to fully processed with no intermediate status. The IRS processing dates on my transcript were completely different from the actual calendar dates too.
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