This past week I fielded a number of phone calls asking this question. Unfortunately, the answer is no. Neither I nor any other tax professional can speed up your IRS refund.
First, the good news: about 90% of IRS refunds are moving through the system normally (with the refund being issued between 10 and 21 days after filing). However, the remaining 10% of returns with refunds are facing long delays; I estimate that these refunds will be delayed on average between three and five months. Why?
There are two issues causing the delays. First, the IRS is manually checking all refunds where an individual is claiming a refund for not receiving the Recovery Rebate Payment(s) (Form 1040, Line 30). Due to staffing issues at IRS Service Centers, this takes quite some time.
The other issue is “errors” when processing. This doesn’t mean there’s an error on your return. Rather, as part of normal processing a few returns “fall out of processing.” In most years, the “errors” are fixed within one to four days, and the delay is hardly noticed. But 2021 isn’t a normal year. Because of Covid, IRS Service Centers are not fully staffed. Returns that fall out of processing go in a giant (virtual) stack to await a human to review the error, fix it, and have the return complete being processed. Instead of taking days, we’re talking months.
Your tax professional cannot fix this. There is no one to call to have this resolved. Indeed, the IRS asks that you do not call them as there really is nothing that can be done. Please don’t call your tax professional either; he or she cannot make your refund come to you any faster this year. You must just be patient.
The only good news is that we expect to see many IRS employees return to Service Centers in the coming weeks. That should eventually help to resolve the problem. Until then, you should just periodically check the IRS’s “Where’s My Refund” website. And do realize that you will receive interest from the IRS on your delayed refund (though that interest is taxable).
Tags: 2021.Tax.Season