Will filing tax returns from two different years cause one to take longer to process than the other?

Do you think it matters if I mailed in my older return instead of e-filing? The tax software I used wouldn't let me e-file a return from 2020 so I had to print and mail it in March. Still waiting...

Yes, that makes a significant difference. Paper-filed returns take much longer to process than e-filed returns, regardless of which tax year they're for. The IRS has to manually enter all the information from paper returns into their system, which adds considerable time to processing. For paper-filed returns, especially prior year returns, you could be looking at 6 months or even longer for processing in the current environment. The IRS still hasn't fully recovered from their pandemic backlog of paper returns. If you have access to your IRS account online or can call them, you might be able to check the status, but patience is unfortunately needed for paper returns.

Does this actually work for prior year returns? I filed 2020, 2021, and 2022 all in January and only got my 2022 refund so far. I'm starting to worry something's wrong with my older returns.

I'm skeptical about these services. How does it know anything more than what the Where's My Refund tool shows? Does it actually have access to IRS systems?

Yes, it absolutely works for prior year returns! It pulls data from your IRS transcripts and can show you if your returns have been received, are being processed, or if there are any issues flagged. It's especially helpful when you've filed multiple years because it organizes everything by tax year. It's different from Where's My Refund because it provides much more detailed information. It doesn't just tell you if your refund is approved - it shows the actual processing stages, any holds or reviews, and even helps identify potential reasons for delays. It connects to your IRS transcript data (with your permission of course) rather than just checking the basic refund status. It's like having an interpreter for all that confusing IRS code and terminology.

Wait, how is this possible? The IRS phone lines are impossible to get through. I tried calling 6 times last month and either got disconnected or was on hold for so long I had to hang up. How much does this service cost?

This sounds kinda scammy tbh. How would some random service have special access to IRS phone lines when nobody else can get through? I'll stick with waiting on hold myself.

It's definitely possible! They use an automated system that navigates the IRS phone tree and holds your place in line. When an agent is about to pick up, you get a call back and are connected. It's not special access - they're just dealing with the hold time so you don't have to. The system works by persistently redialing and navigating the IRS phone system when lines are dropped, which happens all the time. It's basically doing what you'd have to do manually (calling repeatedly, navigating menus, waiting on hold) but automated. I was skeptical too until I tried it and actually spoke with an IRS agent who confirmed my older return was still processing but hadn't been flagged for any issues.

Do amended returns take even longer? I filed my 2022 return in February but then realized I missed a 1099 so I sent in an amended return in April. Now I'm worried it'll take forever!

Yes, amended returns typically take significantly longer than original returns. The IRS quotes 16 weeks (about 4 months) as the standard processing time for amended returns, but in reality, they can take 6 months or more depending on current workloads. Amended returns require manual processing and review by an IRS employee, which adds to the time. They're also processed in a completely different department than regular returns. The good news is that if you owed additional tax and paid it with your amended return, you've already fulfilled your tax obligation even while waiting for the processing to complete.

Was your 2020 refund the same amount you expected? I'm waiting on a prior year return too and worried they might adjust it or something because it's so old.

Thanks for sharing your experience! It's really reassuring to hear from someone who went through the same thing. Five months does seem like a long time when you're waiting, but knowing it's normal helps a lot. I think I was getting anxious because I kept seeing people talk about the IRS being backed up, but it sounds like this is just how it works for older returns regardless. I'll try to be more patient and maybe check back in August if I still haven't heard anything by then.

I completely understand that stress! I'm in a very similar boat - filed my 2021 and 2022 returns at the same time back in February, got my 2022 refund quickly but still waiting on 2021. The uncertainty is definitely the worst part. From everything I've read here and experienced myself, it seems like the IRS really does process older returns much more slowly, and their online tools don't give you much useful information during the wait. It's actually kind of comforting to know so many others are going through the same thing - makes me feel less like something went wrong with my specific return. Hang in there, it sounds like we just need to be patient with these older year processing times!

Same exact timeline here! Filed both years in early March, got 2022 back quickly but still waiting on 2021. It's actually such a relief to see so many people with identical experiences - I was convinced something had gone wrong with my filing. The different processing systems explanation makes so much sense now. I keep checking Where's My Refund obsessively but it never changes from "processing." At least now I know this is completely normal and I can stop worrying that my return got lost somewhere in the system. Thanks for sharing, it really helps to know we're all in the same boat with these prior year delays!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm dealing with almost the same situation - filed my 2019 and 2021 returns together in January (I know, I was really behind), got my 2021 refund in March but still nothing on the 2019 return. It's been 5 months now and I was starting to panic thinking something went wrong. Reading everyone's experiences here is such a huge relief - I had absolutely no idea that older returns take so much longer or go through different processing systems. The Where's My Refund tool has been completely unhelpful, just showing "processing" for months. It's actually comforting to know this is totally normal and so many others are going through the exact same wait times. Thanks for sharing your experience, it really helps to know we're all dealing with these frustrating delays together!

I'm in a really similar situation too! Filed my 2019 and 2022 returns at the same time in January, got my 2022 refund super fast but have been waiting over 5 months for the 2019 return. I was honestly getting pretty anxious about it, but this whole thread has been incredibly helpful. It's amazing how many of us are going through the exact same thing with these older returns! I had absolutely no clue that the IRS processes prior year returns so differently - the automated vs manual processing explanation really cleared things up for me. The Where's My Refund tool has been completely useless, just showing the same "processing" message for months. It's such a relief to know this is totally normal and not some sign that something went wrong with my filing. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know we're all dealing with these frustrating wait times together!