IRS lost my tax return

[jollystomper]

Why? IRS employees are well-paid, have access to all federal benefits (including health and retiree benefits), and have union representation (to preserve all of the above).

The ones involved in the physical steps of the processing tend to be contract workers and not direct IRS employees, so the good pay/benefits does not apply to them.

 

[Phroig]

It's certainly reassuring to learn there are others in the same boat. According to the Washington Post article, there are many of us! I checked my online account and everything through 2019 seems okay. Hopefully 2020 will get sorted out soon.

 

[Involuntary Retiree]

The ones involved in the physical steps of the processing tend to be contract workers and not direct IRS employees, so the good pay/benefits does not apply to them.

Yikes! Really? I didn't know that.

 

[tulak]

Yes, so not only are these taxpayers counting on the IRS to refund their overpaid tax liabilities timely and efficiently, they are also taking on the responsibility for keeping up with paper bonds. Nope for me.

What’s to keep track of?

I plan on converting the paper iBonds to digital once I get them.

It is disconcerting to read about all the IRS issues, but I’ll still overpay to buy iBonds and hope it goes smoothly.

 

[Koolau]

I noticed that recent talk about better funding of IRS was centered around catching tax cheats er, I mean, being certain everyone is paying their fair share. No mention of handling the business they currently handle but YMMV.

 

[jollystomper]

I noticed that recent talk about better funding of IRS was centered around catching tax cheats er, I mean, being certain everyone is paying their fair share. No mention of handling the business they currently handle but YMMV.

It is like in business - spending money to generate more revenue always trumps spending money to improve customer service, particularly when there are no competitive or career fears for having bad customer service.

 

[KCGeezer]

I’m in exactly the same situation. Mailed return and check because efile was locking up the last day or two for filing. Check cleared a few weeks later so didn’t give it another thought. Lo and behold, efile won’t allow us to do anything this year because 2020 is not on file.

Well, I finally got through to them and the guy actually did admit they had cashed the check. I offered to send a copy of the return the guy said ‘well we cashed the check so we must have received the return, give it another 12-16 weeks’. That was in early December.

I guess I’ll hear from them at some point.

Hopefully others who had processing delays with last year’s returns have now been sorted out. I checked online one last time before sending off this years filing and the IRS now shows ours as completed for 2020.

 

[RobbieB]

It is like in business - spending money to generate more revenue always trumps spending money to improve customer service, particularly when there are no competitive or career fears for having bad customer service.

Hehe, yeah baby!

You lost my tax return? And you don't even care eh?

'Cause it's not you're gonna be fired. No matter how bad you perform.

I have to add that if you're not doing the efile thing...

You asked for it.

 

[Involuntary Retiree]

My 2020 tax return seems to be in the black hole of the IRS mailroom. I mailed it certified mail, return receipt requested in May, 2021. The green card that I received back showed that it had been stamped received on June 2, 2021, but the IRS has no record of my return, according to its "Where's My Refund?" website. Uncle Sam owes my about $2500. Hmmmm.

Thought I would report back on my situation quoted above. On March 1, 2022, I received my 2020 refund by direct deposit, and the deposit amount included an additional $70 or so. So, at this point, the IRS and I are square and just in time for another round -- filing my 2021 taxes. Yay!

 

[orchid55]

We received our refund on Monday, more than a year after sending in the return. We never had an explanation for the delay. The refund did include $470 in interest so we are good with the IRS now. Like involuntary retiree we are now ready to file our 2021 taxes. Here's hoping for a better outcome.

 

[Phroig]

Mine still seems to be in limbo. I sent them a copy in February, so hopefully one of the two will get through. On a positive note, I e-filed the 2021 return (I entered $0 for the 2020 AGI) and I already have my refund.

 

[Lakedog]

Mine still seems to be in limbo. I sent them a copy in February, so hopefully one of the two will get through. On a positive note, I e-filed the 2021 return (I entered $0 for the 2020 AGI) and I already have my refund.

You can request a transcript to verify that the 2020 return was processed. I also received a letter even though they had cashed my check but was then told not to send another copy since they were behind processing returns. I requested a transcript from the IRS which showed that my 2020 return had actually been processed just before I received that letter.
https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript

 

[FindingForward]

Hehe, yeah baby!

You lost my tax return? And you don't even care eh?

'Cause it's not you're gonna be fired. No matter how bad you perform.

I have to add that if you're not doing the efile thing...

You asked for it.

No...some of us didn't "ask for it" or choose this method willingly. I wish I could efile, but cannot - the IRS system keeps rejecting my return and their team can't figure out why. Tried verifying ID, using PINS, other remedies. Wasted too many hours. The IRS never could solve the problem and I will not waste any more of my precious remaining life on this. So I continue to file via paper.

 

[RobbieB]

At least you tried. And many times too.

 

[aja8888]

Just something to mention here about mailing anything to the IRS.

Only send documents, tax returns, etc USPS Certified Mail, Return Receipt.

That way you have PROOF they received what you sent (keep the green return card safe). Believe me, that saved my butt about $15 K in a penalty the IRS had imposed on my "lost" tax return that they lost.

 

[djsander]

Trying to get our taxes simplified in retirement. An easy efile and done. I don’t want to send paper through an unreliable mail system and don’t want it sitting at the IRS if or when it gets there.

 

[MRG]

No...some of us didn't "ask for it" or choose this method willingly. I wish I could efile, but cannot - the IRS system keeps rejecting my return and their team can't figure out why. Tried verifying ID, using PINS, other remedies. Wasted too many hours. The IRS never could solve the problem and I will not waste any more of my precious remaining life on this. So I continue to file via paper.

I spent years killing paper in large back offices that handle mail volumes in hundreds of thousands of post daily. Paper has some unique attributes that digital documents cannot replicate.

 

[Gumby]

As I mentioned in the other thread, I thought this would be the year I filed electronically. I started by trying to sign up for EFTPS and they rejected me several times, with no explanation and with absolutely no one I could call to rectify the situation. So I gave up and filed again on paper. I send only certified mail, return receipt requested, and I keep copies of everything, forever. If they want less paper, they need be be less of a pain in the ass about letting me sign up electronically and actually maybe learn something about customer support. It's quite an achievement to piss off a guy who actually doesn't mind paying taxes.

 

[Koolau]

As I mentioned in the other thread, I thought this would be the year I filed electronically. I started by trying to sign up for EFTPS and they rejected me several times, with no explanation and with absolutely no one I could call to rectify the situation. So I gave up and filed again on paper. I send only certified mail, return receipt requested, and I keep copies of everything, forever. If they want less paper, they need be be less of a pain in the ass about letting me sign up electronically and actually maybe learn something about customer support. It's quite an achievement to piss off a guy who actually doesn't mind paying taxes.

I think you would find that most folks don't really mind paying taxes. We do, however, resent how the money is spent. Just the issues we're talking about here show how inefficient and wasteful gummint can be - with virtually no recourse. WE become "responsible" for their mistakes and we're often unable to address them. I've been fortunate that my CPA has figured all the e-file stuff out for me and she takes care of it. Reducing the hassle factor is about 90% of why I'm willing to pay to have my taxes done - Full disclosure: I wouldn't have a clue about how to figure my taxes. Worse - I don't want to learn. YMMV

 

[foxfirev5]

I used TurboTax free from Fido for a few years. Even though I still qualify it's back to paper. The nice thing about simplicity is it actually simplifies everything. With the huge backlogs at the IRS I doubt I could e-file if I wanted to. It's no problem as long as I owe them. Since it's free I make my final payment directly on the IRS website.

A few years ago I had refund coming and simply applied it to the next years taxes. No waiting and it all sorted itself out.

 

[COcheesehead]

I used TurboTax free from Fido for a few years. Even though I still qualify it's back to paper. The nice thing about simplicity is it actually simplifies everything. With the huge backlogs at the IRS I doubt I could e-file if I wanted to. It's no problem as long as I owe them. Since it's free I make my final payment directly on the IRS website.

A few years ago I had refund coming and simply applied it to the next years taxes. No waiting and it all sorted itself out.

I am just the opposite. I can track my state and federal return on line since I e-filed. I get an acknowledgment when the feds get it, accept it and issue the refund. I also get all my state correspondence digitally. My state once sent me a letter I never received. They finally notified me again 3 years later, with interest and penalties of course. Now all my data and correspondence is on my states revenue site, passworded for me to access.
No, I want to see whats going on and e-file is the way, for me at least.

 

[Letj]

Mine still seems to be in limbo. I sent them a copy in February, so hopefully one of the two will get through. On a positive note, I e-filed the 2021 return (I entered $0 for the 2020 AGI) and I already have my refund.

How long did it take you? I did the same and e-filed for the first time because I overpaid estimated taxes. Still waiting.

 

[Dtail]

Still owed my 2020 Fed refund.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I haven’t been able to e file either this year. I plan on mailing Monday and after reading this thread will definitely send it certified with receipt. Luckily I owe them.

 

[COcheesehead]

How long did it take you? I did the same and e-filed for the first time because I overpaid estimated taxes. Still waiting.

You can use this to track a return and a refund.

https://www.irs.gov/refunds