State Refund Shows 'Pending Review' Until November 2025 - Can This Be Right?

That's definitely a system error. I had exactly the same thing happen with my state return exactly 17 days ago. Called the state revenue department after waiting exactly 46 minutes, and they confirmed it was just a glitch in their system. Most state tax authorities are processing returns within 30-45 days right now, with some delays for returns requiring additional verification. I understand how alarming that date must look - I nearly had a heart attack when I saw something similar! Have you tried calling your state tax department directly?

This is almost certainly a System Date Validation Error (SDVE) in the state's Taxpayer Account Management System (TAMS). When the internal review flag is triggered without a corresponding completion parameter, many state systems default to a placeholder date exactly 18 months in the future. I've seen this happen frequently with returns containing Schedule C income. If you have your state transcript available, you might want to try https://taxr.ai which can analyze both federal and state tax documents to identify exactly what's causing the hold and provide a more realistic timeline based on the actual processing codes.

I'm pretty sure this is just a system error, but it might be worth checking with the state tax department to make sure there isn't an actual issue they need from you. I had something similar happen last year, and it turned out they needed additional documentation. I tried calling for days but couldn't get through to anyone. I finally used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) to connect with an actual state tax representative who confirmed it was just a system error and manually updated my account. Such a relief to finally get someone on the phone who could actually help!

Did you receive any notices in the mail from your state tax agency? I need to know if you got anything because I'm seeing the exact same thing on my account right now and I'm freaking out. November 2025 is insane! Also, did you have any unusual credits or deductions on your state return?

Be careful with this situation. I've seen this happen before and it's often a sign of potential issues: • System errors DO happen, but they usually show impossible dates • Long review periods (like 19 months) are never actually enforced • State systems often flag 1099 income for additional verification • Some states are VERY behind on processing certain types of returns • Without intervention, these system errors can sometimes persist I recommend documenting everything, including screenshots of your account showing this date, in case you need to prove when you first noticed the issue.

I've seen this happen in my state (Michigan) quite a few times, particularly with self-employed individuals. What might be happening is that your return has possibly been selected for a standard verification process, but the system has perhaps assigned an incorrect completion date. In my experience working with clients in similar situations, contacting the state tax department directly and possibly providing additional documentation can sometimes expedite the review process substantially.

Last year when I got audited by my state, they initially showed a review date 14 months in the future, but it actually only took them about 45 days to complete everything. From what I've experienced with state tax departments, their online systems are WAY behind their federal counterparts. The IRS at least has modernized their systems somewhat, but many states are still running on ancient software from the early 2000s. I'd definitely call them - just be prepared to wait on hold for a very long time.

This is a known issue with several state tax processing systems this year. Compared to the federal system, many states have significantly older infrastructure that doesn't handle date calculations properly. In most cases I've analyzed, these extreme future dates are placeholder values that appear when the system flags something but doesn't assign a proper review date. While it's concerning to see, the actual resolution typically happens within 60-90 days, not 19 months. Keep monitoring your status weekly rather than daily to avoid unnecessary stress.