TurboTax confirmed my 2023 tax filing was accepted, but IRS transcript shows "RETURN NOT PRESENT" despite listing Head of Household status - What happened to my refund?

This means the IRS has not processed your return yet or cannot locate it in their system. Despite TurboTax saying it was "accepted," that only means it passed the initial submission criteria - not that it was fully accepted for processing. You have several options: 1. Check your e-file confirmation for your submission ID number 2. Contact TurboTax to confirm the return was actually transmitted (sometimes there are transmission errors) 3. Check the "Where's My Refund" tool on the IRS website 4. Request a tax transcript by mail to verify what the IRS has on file 5. File a paper return if you can't resolve this soon (include a note explaining the situation) The "Head of Household" showing is likely just default information in their system for your account, not confirmation they received your 2023 return. This is unfortunately common with how backlogged the IRS continues to be. Don't panic, but you should take action soon.

I was in a similar situation about 2 months ago. The transcript showed nothing but I knew I filed! I spent days trying to figure it out, calling the IRS (impossible), checking forums (endless confusing advice). Then someone recommended taxr.ai and it changed everything. It analyzed my transcript and explained exactly what was happening - turns out my return was caught in the identity verification process but hadn't triggered a letter yet. The tool showed me exactly what to do next instead of just guessing. Now my refund is processing correctly. Honestly wish I'd found it sooner instead of stressing for weeks! You should check it out at https://taxr.ai

I was in the same situation for my 2023 taxes. Filed in November 2024, got the acceptance email but my transcript showed nothing after 4 months of waiting. Tried calling the IRS everyday for 2 weeks - USELESS! Then I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under an hour. The agent explained that my return was flagged for manual review because of an earned income credit issue. Wouldn't have known otherwise. The agent even pushed it through for me, and I got my refund 2 weeks later. Talking to a real person made all the difference.

If the e-file was "accepted" but your transcript shows "RETURN NOT PRESENT" the most likely scenario is that your return was: 1. Initially accepted into the IRS system (basic format check passed) 2. Then rejected for some reason during the deeper processing phase 3. But you never received the rejection notification This happens ALL THE TIME with TurboTax. Check your spam folder for any emails from TurboTax about a rejection. Also log into your TurboTax account and check the status there - sometimes the website shows rejections that never got emailed.

The "RETURN NOT PRESENT FOR THIS ACCOUNT" message usally means one of three things: 1. Your return is still in the processing queue and hasn't been entered into the system 2. Your return was rejected but the notification didn't reach you 3. Your return was mistakenly filed under the wrong SSN I suggest: 1. Call TurboTax and ask for your Declaration Control Number (DCN) which proves your return was transmitted 2. File Form 4506-T to request an Account Transcript which might show different info 3. Consider visiting a local Tax Advocate Service office in person for help

One thing nobody's mentioned - check if you have an online IRS account. If not, create one (irs.gov/account). Sometimes you can see more info there than on the basic Where's My Refund tool. My transcript showed the same message last year but my online account had a message about identity verification being required.

I hate how the IRS says "RETURN NOT PRESENT" but keeps your filing status. Like... HOW DO YOU KNOW MY FILING STATUS IF YOU DONT HAVE MY RETURN????? THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS SO BROKEN 🤬

I just went through this exact situation. My return was showing as accepted through TurboTax but the IRS had no record. I finally got through to someone after THREE MONTHS of trying and they told me my return had been flagged for potential identity theft. They never sent me a notice or anything! I had to verify my identity through ID.me and then my return started processing about 2 weeks later. Check if that might be your issue.

Did you e-file with a bank product (like refund advance or having fees taken out of your refund)? If so, sometimes the third-party bank is the one that actually submits to the IRS and there can be issues at that step. Worth checking with TurboTax to see if that might be the issue.

File a paper copy. Whenever I have e-file issues I just file a paper copy and it gets processed eventually. Electronic is usually faster but paper is more reliable when there are system issues.

This actually happened to me and I found out it was because I had entered my birth date incorrectly on TurboTax. One digit off! The return was technically accepted but then got kicked back because of the birth date mismatch with their records. But TurboTax never notified me. Check your personal information in your TurboTax account.

The IRS is literally the worst. I filed in October and didnt get my refund until FEBRUARY!!! And I had to call like 30 times. And I sent in all correct information. The whole system is broken. good luck OP

Former tax preparer here. The "RETURN NOT PRESENT" message is misleading. It doesn't necessarily mean your return wasn't received - it means it hasn't been fully processed and entered into the system that generates transcripts. The IRS has different databases and systems that don't always talk to each other properly. The fact that your filing status shows up means they have some record of you. I've seen returns sit in this status for 2-3 months during busy season. However, since it's been more than 3 months, you should absolutely follow up. The e-file acceptance only means it passed initial validation, not that it was fully processed. If possible, try to get confirmation from TurboTax that it wasn't rejected after initial acceptance.

You know what's crazy, my transcript had this exact issue. I spent hours trying to decipher it myself, trying all kinds of keywords and Google searches. I ended up using taxr.ai to read the transcript and it pointed out something I totally missed - there was a TC 570 code hidden on another page that was holding up my return. It explained exactly what that meant and what to do about it. Saved me from filing a duplicate return which would have made things worse! Check it out if you're still stuck like I was https://taxr.ai

Unrelated but how are people e-filing for 2023 in December 2024? Isn't that way past the deadline? Is this a typo or am I missing something?

It took me literally 63 DAYS to get through to the IRS on the phone. Then 5 minutes to resolve my issue. I finally broke down and used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through immediately. Best decision ever - resolved my "return not present" issue in a single call. Turns out my return was flagged for manual review because I had entered an incorrect AGI from the previous year. The IRS never sent me any notice about this. Talking to a human was the only way to figure it out.

CHECK IF YOU GOT A 5071C LETTER! Sometimes they send these letters requiring identity verification but the letters get lost in the mail. My transcript showed exactly what yours does and it turned out I needed to verify my identity. You can check if this applies to you by going to idverify.irs.gov and trying to verify - it will tell you if there's a verification request on your account.

I actually just went through this with my SO's taxes. Turns out TurboTax had a system glitch where returns showed as "accepted" on their end but never actually transmitted to the IRS. We had to re-file completely. Check with TurboTax and specifically ask if there were any transmission issues around the time you filed.

Wait wait wait I'm confused. You're saying you filed your 2023 taxes in December 2024? You do realize that was way after the deadline right?