The IRS Can Be Very, Very Efficient.

[MineralMan]

It can also be very, very slow to act. It all depends on the direction the money is flowing.

For example, I filed my 2019 taxes on July 14, paying through direct withdrawal. At 5 A.M. on July 15, the money was already gone from my checking account.

On the other hand, some who filed their taxes early or on April 15, are still waiting for their refund checks.

It's funny how that works, isn't it?

[FakeNoose]

1. In your case, you did all the accounting work for them

That's why they acted so quickly. When other people fill out forms by hand, maybe even write a check to the IRS by hand, it all has to be entered into a computer by someone the old-fashioned way. The IRS is extremely short-handed on their data entry staffing and they're also hobbled by the pandemic like everyone else. It will take them years to get caught up, is my guess.

[MineralMan]

2. True. The entire thing was automated, with no human action

taken at all.

[lagomorph777]

17. Also, all paper tax returns are thrown into giant shipping containers until COVID is over.

Like a time capsule. They might be opened sometime during the Lance-Bottoms administration.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. I filed my taxes on March 23, and got my refunds,

both state and federal, deposited in less than a week. Lucky me.

[LizBeth]

5. I got my state in about two weeks, mail. Not my Fed.

[LizBeth]

4. I filed April 2 and have not gotten my return. Do you think I have to figure there is a problem? Or

Last edited Thu Jul 16, 2020, 01:10 PM - Edit history (1)

They just have not gotten to them yet? I haven't tried getting a hold of them figuring the stimulus had them putting mine to the side, but yes. My refund is in limbo whereas if it was money owed, they would demand, now.

[lagomorph777]

18. Paper or e-file? Paper returns won't be opened until COVID is over.

I hope you aren't waiting on a big refund.

[LizBeth]

21. My son did turbo April 2 but I do not have deposit info so need a check mailed to me.

[MissB]

6. I'll see how long it takes them to cash my check

We almost always owe the feds (it’s a small amount of total taxes owed; no penalty or fee associated with the amounts we owe each year).

I always write a check, and mail it along with my return on the due date.

I understand they are short staffed so who knows how long they will take to cash the check.

[BBG]

7. And my filing on July 5th

Had refund deposited yesterday morning, July 15. Not too shabby timing in my opinion.

And as a citizen I kinda like that next day harvesting of funds they performed on your account. Now if we could just get the one percenters taxed at the same or higher rate.

[lagomorph777]

19. And the same or faster speed!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

8. "For example, I filed my 2019 taxes on July 14, paying through direct withdrawal."

I paid on July 14 too, but I have yet to file. I need to print some stuff, and that will take a while. I have until October 15 to file.

Annual rant: why can't I file directly with the IRS and not be shuttled off to a third party for filing?

Oh, I know the answer. But if I were prez, this is one of the things I'd go after. Everyone who files should be able to do so directly, without having to hand over sensitive information to a commercial outfit.

[lastlib]

9. As one who worked there OUAT....

I can tell you stories.
First let me tell you about the million-dollar check I found on the floor. It had slid under a desk three weeks earlier. I had to hand-carry it--WITH a security guard--down to the cash unit where they process checks, where it was rather promptly logged and sent for deposit.
I will also tell you that it still amazes me that refund checks ever get OUT of there. I know things are a lot different now than when I worked there, given the advent of electronic filing. When I was there in the late '80s, the entire facility had fewer than a dozen PCs, the now-primitive IBM XTs. So much was done manually, it was mind-boggling. I'm sure much is improved now, but there are still a lot of rabbit-holes that any one of thirty million returns can get lost in.

[MineralMan]

10. Manual entry of tax filings has always led to errors.

One year, someone mistakenly entered the wrong amount in some field for my California state income taxes. That resulted in my getting a refund check for about $2500. In reality, I owed about $200, and had enclosed a check, which was quickly deposited by the state.

What to do? I made a phone call to the state department and tried to explain what had happened to someone. I knew what erroneous number had been typed and in which field, since I looked back into the return to see what might have happened. Anyhow, the person I talked to had no idea what to do about their error.

I decided not to do anything at all, I pinned the $2500 check to the wall of my office and saw it there for about 8 years. I never deposited it, but just hung on to it in case the state caught the error. They never did catch it, so I tossed the check out when we moved from California to Minnesota.

I was afraid that I'd end up in an endless cycle of correspondence if I tried to return the excess payment. All of that from an error in data entry by someone working in some office somewhere.

[jcgoldie]

11. Yeah and look at poor Donald Trump still under audit after all these years...

Presidential Harrassment!!

[lastlib]

15. He's probly refusing to turn over documents......

[maxsolomon]

12. some audits take years, decades even, some take months.

sometimes they decide to give cults tax-exempt status because they're being harassed and intimidated, sometimes they decide to review the tax-exempt status of universities who contradict republican ideology.

it's so weird! no one can understand it - it's like the tides!

[hatrack]

16. "Money comes in, money goes out, can't explain that!"

[gratuitous]

13. We filed more than four months ago

Still waiting on our refund. Called the IRS just this past Monday. Got a very nice person on the line after a couple of attempts and about an hour and a half combined time waiting on hold. We were told that the IRS is very slammed right now (so's everyone else, sister), there's a large backlog, low staffing, and they will be processing things in the order received beginning August 1. From that time, it should be only another 4 to 6 weeks before our refund is deposited.

Thankfully, we're not in dire need of the refund. All our bills are up to date, I'm working remotely and still drawing full pay, while my wife is on a half-time schedule. But if the situation wasn't quite so serene, this would be intolerable, and I'd be on the phone to my Representative and both Senators every other day for a little constituent service.

[LizBeth]

22. So mine was April 2 turbo. We should start a thread. Good to hear what you have to say.

I get 1k back and pretty straight forward. Can't see where there would be question anywhere. Mine is a check, not auto deposit. So maybe that held it up as they were starting to push stimulus out. I figured I would wait for the end of July after the July 15 deadline. I haven't wanted to bother trying to call yet.

[LizBeth]

23. I agree it is just wrong. I am ok too, but we should get our money in reasonable time. They have

time to take people's money.

[Bayard]

14. Mr. Bayard filed taxes in March

Still no refund, and no stimulus check either. IRS website says that was mailed out in Mid-May. You can't talk to a live person anymore.

[LizBeth]

25. My 2019 tax has my new address but didn't get in to change address for stimulus. I went on a site

that should it was my old address. I went to old place and talked to mailman, manager of apt, and PO to put in another change of address. The change of address caught it and sent to my new address. It was a lot of work. But I have not received refund.

[KatyMan]

20. Like stores.

Spend $100 at home depot, put it on your debit card, and 100 bucks is gone from your account the next day. Go back the next day and return the item and it takes up to a week to get your money back.

[DeminPennswoods]

24. Filed back in February

Final federal tax return for my late mother. Had to call local congressman to get status. Staffer found the IRS has it, but still waiting to be processed and on the refund that fortunately don't need.