Taxpayers are experiencing more refund delays this year than usual. Currently, the majority of processing delays result from tax returns not loaded onto the IRS system or in “suspense” status awaiting IRS action. The tax return processing delays also include amended tax returns. Until these returns are out of suspense status, TAS cannot move these returns towards processing or provide taxpayers with any additional information. Therefore, at this time we cannot accept refund delay cases that are in suspense, including requests for assistance made through the Systemic Advocacy Management System (SAMS) as TAS’s intervention will not produce quicker processing.

TAS understands the frustrations and hardships caused by these unprecedented circumstances. Please be patient if you learn your refund claim is not yet processed and understand why TAS cannot accept your case at this time. We continue to work with the IRS to identify ways to address this return inventory backlog. Meanwhile, we encourage you to check the IRS Where’s My Refund page or the Where’s My Amended Return? page, for the most current information on the processing of your return. The IRS also has information on this issue at IRS.gov/newsroom and IRS.gov/refunds. We will continue to post updates on the delays and any progress.

For more detailed information about delayed return processing see the NTA Blog: IRS Delays in Processing Amended Tax Returns Are Impacting TAS’s Ability to Assist Taxpayers.