Why is my tax refund still processing after 3 months? IRS "still processing" message won't go away

This is actually pretty common this year with the IRS backlogs. A few things could be happening: 1) You might have been selected for a random review. This doesn't mean you did anything wrong - they sometimes do spot checks, especially if you claim education credits or child tax credits. 2) There could be an identity verification hold. The IRS has been increasing security measures, and sometimes they need to verify it's actually you before sending out larger refunds. 3) Something on your return triggered a mismatch with their records. Maybe an employer reported different numbers than what you entered, or there's a name/SSN issue. Your best bet is to contact the IRS directly. The regular refund hotline won't help with these issues. Try calling their main customer service line at 800-829-1040. Fair warning though - wait times are super long right now.

After going through a similar nightmare last year (waited 4 months!), I found this tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that was actually super helpful. It analyzes your tax documents and helps identify potential delays or flags that might be holding up your refund. I uploaded my return and it pointed out that there was a discrepancy between what my employer reported and what I had entered for my state withholding. I fixed it with an amended return and my refund came through about 3 weeks later. It also gives you personalized advice on what steps to take based on your specific situation.

Just wanted to circle back and say I tried out taxr.ai after posting my skeptical comment. I was really surprised at how accurate it was! It identified that my delay was likely due to the education credits I claimed (American Opportunity Credit). The system showed that these credits often trigger additional verification steps. The best part was that it gave me a specific script to use when calling the IRS, with exactly which department to ask for. I finally got through to someone who confirmed that was exactly why my refund was held up. They released it after verifying my college enrollment, and I just got my direct deposit yesterday. Saved me weeks of additional waiting and frustration.

If you absolutely need to talk to someone at the IRS (which you probably do at this point), try using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in the same position - couldn't get through after weeks of trying. Their service basically waits on hold with the IRS for you, then calls you when an actual agent picks up. Sounds too good to be true, but it worked for me. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I found out my refund was delayed because they needed to verify some information about my child tax credit claim. Once I talked to an agent, they told me exactly what documents to fax over, and my refund was processed within 2 weeks after that.

Alright, I need to publicly eat my words. After calling the service a scam, I was still desperate enough to try Claimyr because I was getting nowhere with the IRS. It actually worked exactly as advertised. I got a call back about 1.5 hours after signing up, and there was an IRS agent on the line. Turns out my refund was delayed because they flagged my home office deduction for review (I'm self-employed). The agent told me exactly what documentation they needed, I faxed it over that day, and my refund was processed about 10 days later. I still think the whole system is ridiculous - why should we need a third-party service just to talk to the government agency we fund with our taxes? But I can't deny it solved my problem when nothing else was working.

Have you checked your tax transcript on the IRS website? Sometimes that shows codes that can tell you what's happening with your return even when the Where's My Refund tool is unhelpful. Go to IRS.gov and look for "Get Transcript Online" - you'll need to create an account if you don't have one. Look for code 570 (indicates a hold on your account) or 971 (notice issued). If you see these followed by a 846 code, that means your refund has been scheduled. The transcripts can be confusing to read at first, but they give you way more info than the refund tracker.

Does anyone know if taking the recovery rebate credit could be causing delays? I claimed it because I never got my third stimulus payment, but I'm wondering if that's why my refund is taking forever...

There's also a chance they're just behind. My sister works for the IRS and says they're still dealing with the aftermath of the pandemic staffing issues plus all the tax law changes. Some returns are just taking longer because they're working through a backlog, not because there's anything wrong with your specific return.

Hi ! Did you received your taxes ? It's been 4 months and i don't have any response yet, i'm getting desperated

I'm so sorry you're going through this Jessica! 4 months is absolutely ridiculous. Have you tried checking your tax transcript online like Giovanni suggested earlier? That might give you some clues about what's holding things up. Also, given how long you've been waiting, you might qualify for expedited processing due to financial hardship that Sofia mentioned. If you're facing any kind of financial difficulties because of the delayed refund, definitely call the IRS and explain your situation - they can sometimes flag returns for faster processing in cases of genuine hardship. The services others mentioned (taxr.ai for analyzing what might be wrong, or Claimyr for getting through to the IRS) might also be worth trying at this point. After 4 months, you really need to get some answers about what's happening with your return. Don't give up - you will get your refund eventually, but I totally understand the frustration and worry!

I went through something very similar last year - filed in February and didn't get my refund until July! It turned out the IRS had flagged my return for manual review because I claimed both the Child Tax Credit and education credits, which apparently triggers additional scrutiny. A few things that helped me get answers: 1. **Check your tax transcript** - Giovanni's advice about this is spot on. The codes will tell you way more than the "Where's My Refund" tool ever will. 2. **Don't wait for letters** - In my experience, IRS notices can take weeks to arrive or sometimes get lost in the mail. If your transcript shows a 971 code, call them directly rather than waiting. 3. **Document everything** - Keep records of every call attempt, reference numbers, and what representatives tell you. This becomes important if you need to escalate. 4. **Consider the Taxpayer Advocate Service** - If you've been waiting over 120 days (which you have), they can intervene. They're actually pretty effective at cutting through the bureaucracy. The frustrating reality is that certain combinations of credits and deductions just automatically trigger delays, even when everything is perfectly correct. It's not fair, but knowing this helps you prepare for next year. Hang in there - you will get your money!

I'm dealing with a similar situation and wanted to share what I've learned after months of research and calls. The IRS doesn't publish an official list of which credits trigger delays, but based on my experience and talking to multiple agents, here are the common culprits: **High-risk combinations that often cause delays:** - Child Tax Credit + Education Credits (AOTC/Lifetime Learning) - Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) + Additional Child Tax Credit - Recovery Rebate Credit claims (missing stimulus payments) - First-time homebuyer credits - Premium Tax Credits with marketplace insurance **Single items that frequently trigger review:** - Large charitable deductions (especially non-cash) - Home office deductions for self-employed - Casualty loss claims - Prior year minimum tax credits The agents won't always tell you upfront what triggered the review - I had to specifically ask "What caused my return to be flagged?" and even then, some representatives were vague about it. One agent finally explained that their system uses algorithms to score returns for fraud risk, and certain combinations just automatically get higher scores. For future years, if you know you'll be claiming these credits, file as early as possible and consider using direct deposit to speed up the process once it's approved. The delays are frustrating but usually resolve eventually - just takes patience and persistence!