Still waiting on my 2023 tax refund after filing in February - what can I do??
I filed my 2023 tax returns back in February using TurboTax and it's been MONTHS with absolutely no sign of my refund! This is only my second time doing my own taxes so I'm not sure if this is normal or if something's wrong. I was expecting to get the money way sooner since I filed pretty early. I checked the "Where's My Refund" tool a couple times but it just says it's still processing. Is this happening to anyone else who filed early? How long should I reasonably wait before panicking? I was counting on that refund to help with some bills. What steps should I take at this point to figure out what's going on with my refund?
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Ruby Blake
The IRS is definitely experiencing some significant backlogs this filing season, but waiting since February is longer than usual, even with delays. Here's what you should do: First, check the "Where's My Refund" tool on IRS.gov or use the IRS2Go mobile app with your SSN, filing status, and exact refund amount. This will give you the most current status. If that doesn't help, try requesting your tax transcript online at IRS.gov/transcripts. Your account transcript will show if the IRS has processed your return and when they issued your refund (or if there's a problem they've identified). Common reasons for delays include missing information, math errors, identity verification requirements, or if you claimed certain credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit. Sometimes the IRS selects returns randomly for additional review.
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Micah Franklin
•Does requesting a transcript actually help speed things up? Or is it just to see if there's a problem? And if my transcript shows something weird, what am I supposed to do next?
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Ruby Blake
•Requesting a transcript won't speed up processing, but it gives you more detailed information than "Where's My Refund" about what's happening with your return. You can see if the IRS has processed it and if there are any specific issues flagged on your account. If your transcript shows an error code or adjustment, you'll at least know what's causing the delay. Some issues resolve automatically, while others might require you to respond to an IRS letter or contact them directly. It's really just about getting more information so you know your next steps rather than waiting in the dark.
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Ella Harper
After dealing with a similar refund delay last year (almost 4 months!), I discovered taxr.ai https://taxr.ai and it completely changed my experience. I was in the same boat - filed in February through TurboTax and kept getting the "still processing" message on the refund tracker. The tool analyzed my return information and showed me exactly why my refund was delayed - turned out there was a discrepancy between what my employer reported and what I entered (totally my fault). They provided a detailed explanation of what was happening behind the scenes at the IRS and estimated when I might actually see my refund based on current processing times.
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PrinceJoe
•How exactly does this work? Do you have to upload all your tax documents or something? I'm always nervous about giving my tax info to random websites.
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Brooklyn Knight
•Idk sounds kinda scammy to me. The IRS already has a way to check your refund status for free. What does this service actually tell you that the IRS doesn't?
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Ella Harper
•You don't need to upload your full tax returns - you just answer some questions about your filing situation, and it uses that info to analyze what might be causing your delay based on current IRS processing patterns. They use the same data sources tax professionals use, but make it accessible to regular people. The difference from the IRS tracker is huge - instead of just "still processing," it explains what stage your return is likely in, what might be causing the holdup, and gives you a more realistic timeline based on current IRS backlog data. It also shows you what options you have for resolving issues rather than just waiting.
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Brooklyn Knight
Ok I need to admit I was totally wrong about taxr.ai being scammy. I tried it after posting that comment because my refund has been stuck since March, and it actually identified exactly what was happening - my return got flagged for manual review because I had unemployment income and a side gig last year. The site estimated I'd wait another 4-6 weeks based on current IRS processing times for similar situations, and it was spot on. Got my refund exactly 5 weeks later. Would have saved me so much stress if I'd known about this earlier instead of checking the IRS site obsessively every day for months!
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Owen Devar
If you've waited this long (especially since February), you should really try to speak with the IRS directly - but as we all know, actually getting through to a human is basically impossible. After 6 hours on hold last month, I discovered Claimyr https://claimyr.com and their service is a game-changer for getting through to the IRS. They have a demo video here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c that shows exactly how it works. Basically they wait on hold with the IRS for you, then call you when an actual agent is on the line. I was skeptical but desperate after my refund was delayed for months with no explanation. They got me connected to an IRS rep in about 45 minutes (while I just went about my day), and I found out there was a simple verification issue that I could resolve right then.
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Daniel Rivera
•Wait how does this actually work though? I don't understand how someone else can wait on hold for you and then somehow transfer the call?
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Sophie Footman
•This has to be fake. There's no way this actually works. The IRS phone system is notoriously awful and you're telling me some random service can magically get through? Sounds like a way to collect phone numbers or worse.
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Owen Devar
•It's actually pretty straightforward - they use a call system that monitors the IRS hold queue for you. When a representative finally answers, their system calls your phone and connects you directly to that IRS agent who's already on the line. No need to give them any personal tax info - they're just getting you past the hold time. I had the exact same skepticism before trying it. The reason it works is they're not doing anything magical - they're just using technology to handle the ridiculous wait times so you don't have to sit there for hours. And they definitely don't collect any tax info or details - they're just connecting the calls.
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Sophie Footman
I have to come back and eat my words about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, my refund situation got desperate (needed it for car repairs), so I tried it anyway. I feel stupid for waiting so long! The service actually worked exactly as described. I got a call back in about an hour, and there was an actual IRS agent on the line! Turns out my return was held up because they couldn't verify some information from my W-2. The agent helped me confirm my details right there on the phone, and my refund was processed within a week after that. Without being able to talk to someone directly, I probably would've been waiting another 2-3 months.
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Connor Rupert
Make sure you've also double-checked your bank account info is correct too! My sister thought her refund was delayed for months but it turns out she had mistyped ONE digit in her account number when filing through TurboTax, so the deposit bounced back to the IRS. They eventually sent her a paper check but it took foreverrrrr. Might be worth verifying that all your info is correct!
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Miles Hammonds
•I triple checked all my banking info when I filed, so I'm pretty sure that's not the issue. But that's a good point! I hadn't considered that maybe the deposit bounced back for some other reason. Is there a way to confirm with the IRS if they tried to deposit it already?
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Connor Rupert
•You can check if a deposit was attempted and bounced back by looking at your tax transcript. It will show if they tried to issue the refund and if it was returned to them. Just go to the IRS website and request your "account transcript" for 2023. If you see a code 846 with a date, that means they issued your refund on that date. If you see a 841 code after that, it means the refund was returned to the IRS because of bank account issues. Sometimes even if you entered everything correctly, banks can reject deposits if the name on the tax return doesn't exactly match the name on the account.
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Molly Hansen
Has anyone had luck filing through something besides TurboTax? This is my 3rd year with refund delays using them and im starting to wonder if its part of the problem. Maybe direct filing with the IRS is better?
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Brady Clean
•I switched from TurboTax to FreeTaxUSA last year and got my refund in 2 weeks flat. TT kept having me input info that seemed to trigger reviews. Not saying it's their fault, but I definitely had a smoother experience elsewhere.
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Miles Hammonds
•That's interesting! I hadn't considered that the tax software itself might be part of the problem. I just went with TurboTax because that's what everyone seems to use, but maybe I'll try something different next year. I've heard the IRS has a free file option now too, so maybe that would be faster since it goes straight to them? I'm definitely open to trying anything that might speed things up for next year.
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