Where's My Refund

[Burke]

Return efiled and accepted on 5/3/12 (ACK). When I checked refund status on IRS website today, it says "Return received and is being processed." DD should have been processed on 5/16. Is their status line up to date? Why would it still be pending?

[Jiggers]

Is your client a widow/widower in the last year or two and receiving a refund? The IRS held up those returns checking for identity theft. Required a call to a special number and sit on hold for about 45 minutes, you had to have a POA on file, then answer some questions for about 10 minutes before the IRS would issue the refund.

Or, maybe your client has some outstanding debt or past due taxes. I had one of those, the client "overlooked" telling me that he had a 1099-C for 2009 on a credit card. The IRS changed the return and they just won't pay the IRS. So the IRS levied their refund.

[Burke]

Young, single guy with two W-2's, stand ded, claiming self. Should not have any issues. I do his parents and they did not claim. I do note he had student loan interest last year (in 2010) of $3K. No 1098-E this year however. Maybe he's in default? That would be strange. His parents are loaded.

[KathMorgan]

There's a reason his parents are loaded!

LOL. Maybe the parnets are loaded because they make junior pay his own bills? What a novel concept in this day and age!
Seriously, the IRS computers are so totally out of whack this year with the MEF debacle that I have clients that i expected to get held up get their return in six or seven days and people with no problems (like your client) that have been in "Your return is being processed" status for six weeks or more. And the IRS won't even talk to you about it until six weeks have gone by unless they have gotten a letter!

Kathy

[Black Bart]

This might be a good bet.

...I do note he had student loan interest last year (in 2010) of $3K...this year...Maybe he's in default?...

The number of students who feel that greens fees take precedence over loan payments has been rising for several years (hence, the prez dangling relief before them lately). Since the guy owed $3K last time, he's in pretty deep and could be no 1098 'cause nothing was paid.

Maybe call FMS (Financial Management Systems) at 800-304-3107 for info on refund holdups to check. I haven't rung them in a long time (think it was menu-driven to a point and then may need a three-way with your guy present).

[taxea]

The experiences I have had with their computer lead me to believe that the refund, when sent, is not linked to the "where's my refund". Meaning the information doesn't update in real-time.

[OtisMozzetti]

...When I checked refund status on IRS website today, it says "Return received and is being processed." DD should have been processed on 5/16...

I have checked the "Where's My Refund" site for numerous taxpayers who said they were wondering about their refund. The "return received and is being processed" is the equivalent of "we're not saying how much longer it is going to be". Some taxpayers receive that response. There are a host of reasons it may be the situation, and others in this thread have discussed many of those reasons. At least the response does confirm that the IRS has received the tax return.

[FEDUKE404]

Just guessing

Do you know for a fact that there are no unpaid/overdue student loans?

And, although on the fringes, could there have been a Form 1098-T rattling around...especially with some scholarship/grant income shown?

Otherwise, I agree that at least you can gather some solace from the fact the IRS does have the return.

FE

[Burke]

Do you know for a fact that there are no unpaid/overdue student loans?
FE

No, I do not, but I have an email to the TP pending inquiry as to such. It's entirely possible, since this person has been going to secondary schools of one sort or another for years after the normal 4-yr term of higher education. Hence, the student loan interest.