As nationwide shutdowns began in March, the IRS closed many of their offices. Although employees went back before the July 15 tax deadline, there have been processing delays, especially for paper returns, due to limited staffing.
According to the IRS, the agency has processed over 134 million returns—90% of what it received as of July 16—but many are still outstanding. If you’re one of the thousands waiting for a refund, here are a few things that may calm your nerves until you get the money.
Don’t file another tax return
When you’re eager to receive your tax refund, it may be tempting to submit another copy of your return—just in case they misplaced the first one. But the IRS says not to refile because it may slow down the process.
Check the status of your refund online
The IRS offers a couple of digital tools to monitor the status of your refund. You can check through the IRS’ Where’s My Refund? portal or with the IRS2Go mobile app by plugging in your Social Security number or ITIN, your tax filing status, and your exact refund amount. The portal is updated once per day, usually overnight, according to the website.
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When to call the IRS
If it has been 21 days since you filed, or the Where’s My Refund? portal tells you to call, you can contact the IRS at 800-829-1954. You may use the agency’s automated system or speak to an agent—which may have longer wait times.
You may receive an interest payment
There’s one perk for your inconvenience, though: If you filed your tax return by June 15, you may receive an interest payment for your late refund. According to the IRS, you may receive a separate payment—reflecting your interest from April 15 until you get your payment—with a rate of 3-5% per year, compounded daily.
