2019 Tax Year Refund Still Not Received

[ATSMAN]

Today I prepared the 2020 tax return of a client and as soon as he walked in my office he said I got all my stimulus checks BUT I still have not received my original 2019 Federal refund of $6620. So I check where is my refund on irs.gov and sure enough it still says it is processing?? Is it time to contact TA?

So the 2020 return has a $870 balance due because taxes were not withheld on the unemployment compensation. Taxpayer wants to apply a portion of the refund that IRS owes him to his balance due. I don't think that is possible at this stage?? He is waiting for my answer before he mails out the check tomorrow.

[Lion]

If you're talking about his 2019 refund being applied to 2020, you would've set that up prior to e-filing 2019. Tell him he's in line with 29 million other unprocessed tax returns.

[rbynaker]

The good news is that should generate a nice chunk of interest (if it ever finally gets paid).

[ATSMAN]

That is exactly I told them. They will get interest but it is a crying shame that 2019 refunds are still pending while 2020 refunds are being processed. Unfortunately for this taxpayer he has a balance due because of under withholding and in 2019 he received an inheritance on which we thought taxes would be due so I had him pay estimated tax, and there was over withholding. What an irony!