INDONESIAKININEWS.COM - If you filed your tax return on time, and the IRS still hasn't paid your expected tax refund, they're now p...
INDONESIAKININEWS.COM - If you filed your tax return on time, and the IRS still hasn't paid your expected tax refund, they're now paying higher interest on it.
If you filed your tax return electronically, you probably received your tax refund in about two to three weeks.
In its final report of the spring tax season, the IRS reported that the agency had processed 97% of the more than 145 million tax returns it received this year, issuing a little more than 96 million refunds.
If you filed your tax return on paper... it could be the subject of this viral photo of the IRS cafeteria in Austin TX:
In her latest report to Congress, National Taxpayer Advocate Erin M. Collins quipped again that, "Paper is the IRS's Kryptonite, and the agency is still buried in it."
Collins noted that the IRS has backlog of 8.2 million tax forms as of May, the paper return backlog is bigger than it was last year, and the pace of processing paper returns is slowing. Yikes.
The good news? The IRS now has to pay you more interest on any money it owes you. As of July 1, the interest rate for "overpayment" rose from 4% to 5%.
Your tax refund comes from your overpayment of taxes in 2021, and the IRS is required to start paying interest on overpayment 45 days after accepting a tax return.
The interest rate changed as a result of the Federal Reserve's recent decision to raise the federal funds rate.
The IRS' interest rates for overpayments and underpayments are both set by the federal rate plus 3 percentage points.
To determine the status of your expected tax refund, you can use the IRS tax refund tracker, which will also let you know if your return has been rejected by the IRS because of errors.
Read on to learn how IRS overpayment interest works, how to use the agency's tools to track your tax refund and how to access your online IRS account to get more information.
What if I filed my tax return on time but haven't gotten my refund?
There are several reasons why your tax return may not have been completely processed yet, resulting in a delayed refund.
You may have made errors on your return that required manual processing, or simply included an uncommon form.
Regardless of the reason for the delay, if the IRS does not issue your refund within 45 days after accepting your return, the agency is required to start paying interest on your refund amount.
The 45-day time period starts on either the day that the tax return was due, or when your "processible" tax return was received by the IRS, whichever is later.
If you electronically filed on time, the count started on April 18; if you filed a paper return, it began on the day that the IRS marked your return as accepted.
The bad news is that any IRS interest you receive with your refund will be taxable income, much like the interest you would earn from a checking or savings account.
How long does it take to get a tax refund?
The IRS usually issues federal tax refunds within three weeks. Some taxpayers may have to wait a while longer, especially if there are errors in your return.
When an issue delays your return, its resolution "depends on how quickly and accurately you respond, and the ability of IRS staff trained and working under social distancing requirements to complete the processing of your return," according to the IRS website.
The date you receive your tax refund also depends on the method you used to file your return.
If your tax refund goes into your bank account via direct deposit, it could take an additional five days for your bank to put the money in your account.
This means if it takes the IRS the full 21 days to issue your check and your bank five days to deposit it, you could be waiting a total of 26 days to get your tax refund.
Online services like Venmo and Cash App can deliver your tax refund a few days sooner since there's no waiting period for the direct deposit.
If you submitted a tax return by mail, the IRS says it could take six to eight weeks for your tax refund to arrive once it's been processed.
What might delay my tax refund?
Here's are some typical reasons why tax refunds are delayed:
Your return has errors or is incomplete.
Your refund is suspected of identity theft or fraud.
Your return needs further review.
You didn't properly reconcile your stimulus payment with the recovery rebate credit.
In testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee, IRS Commissioner Charles P. Retting said that the agency received "far more than 10 million returns" last year in which taxpayers failed to properly reconcile their received stimulus payments with their recovery rebate credit, which required a manual review and resolution.
If the delay is due to a necessary tax correction made to a recovery rebate credit, earned income tax or additional child tax credit claimed on your return, the IRS will send you an explanation.
If there's a problem that needs to be fixed, the IRS will first try to proceed without contacting you. However, if it needs any more information, it will write you a letter.
If you've requested a paper check for your tax refund, it'll take longer, too -- about six to eight weeks, according to the IRS.
How to track your refund using the IRS' Where's My Refund tool
To use the IRS tracker tools, you'll need to provide your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number; your filing status (single, married or head of household); and your refund amount in whole dollars, which you can find on your tax return.
Make sure it's been at least 24 hours before you start tracking your refund, or up to four weeks if you mailed your return.
Go to the Get Refund Status page on the IRS website and enter your personal data, then press Submit.
You should be taken to a page that shows your refund status. If not, you may be asked to verify your personal tax data and try again.
If all the information looks correct, you'll need to enter the date you filed your taxes, along with whether you filed electronically or on paper.
What if I'm looking for return info from a previous tax year?
The Where's My Refund tool lists the federal refund information the IRS has from the past two years.
If you're looking for return details from previous years, you'll need to check your IRS online account.
From there, you'll be able to see the total amount you owe, your payment history, key information about your most recent tax return, notices you've received from the IRS and your address on file.
How to use the IRS2Go app to track your return
The IRS also has a mobile app, IRS2Go, which checks your tax refund status. It's available for both iOS and Android and in English and Spanish.
Using it, you'll be able to see if your return was been received and approved and if a refund was sent.
To log in, you'll need your Social Security number, filing status and the expected amount of your refund. The IRS updates the app overnight, so if you don't see a status change, check back the following day.
What do these IRS tax return statuses mean?
Both IRS tools (online and mobile app) will show you one of three messages to explain your tax return status.
- Received: The IRS now has your tax return and is working to process it.
- Approved: The IRS has processed your return and confirmed the amount of your refund, if you're owed one.
- Sent: Your refund is now on its way to your bank via direct deposit or as a paper check sent to your mailbox. (Here's how to change the address on file if you've moved.)
Why do I see a "Tax Topic 151," "Tax Topic 152" or IRS error message?
Although the Where's My Refund tool typically shows a status of Received, Approved or Sent, there are a variety of other messages some users may see.
One of the most common is Tax Topic 152, indicating you're likely getting a refund but it hasn't been approved or sent yet.
The notice simply links out to an informational topic page on the IRS FAQ website explaining the types and timing of tax refunds.
The delay could be an automated message for taxpayers claiming the child tax credit or earned income tax credit sent because of additional fraud protection steps.
Tax Topic 151 means your tax return is now under review by the IRS. The agency either needs to verify certain credits or dependents, or it has determined that your tax refund will be reduced to pay money that it believes you owe.
You'll need to wait about four weeks to receive a notice from the IRS explaining what you need to do to resolve the status.
There are other IRS refund codes that a small percentage of tax filers receive, indicating freezes, math errors on tax returns or undelivered checks. The College Investor offers a list of IRS refund reference codes and errors and their meaning.
Can I call the IRS to get answers?
While you could try calling the IRS to check your status, the agency's live phone assistance is extremely limited.
The IRS is directing taxpayers to the Let Us Help You page on its website and to get in-person help at Taxpayer Assistance Centers around the country. You can contact your local IRS office or call to make an appointment: 844-545-5640. You can also contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service if you're eligible for assistance by calling: 877-777-4778.
Though the chances of getting live assistance are slim, the IRS says you should only call the agency directly if it's been 21 days or more since you filed your taxes online, or if the Where's My Refund tool tells you to. You can call 800-829-1040 or 800-829-8374 during regular business hours.
If you have not received a refund yet, you shouldn't file a second tax return.
Why do I see "IRS TREAS 310" in my bank statement?
If you receive your tax refund by direct deposit, you may see IRS TREAS 310 listed in the transaction. The 310 code simply identifies the transaction as a refund from a filed tax return in the form of electronic payment. You may also see TAX REF in the description field for a refund.
If you see a 449 instead of 310, it means your refund has been offset for delinquent debt.
Why was my refund mailed instead of being deposited in my bank account?
There are a couple of reasons that your refund would be mailed to you. Your money can only be electronically deposited into a bank account with your name, your spouse's name or a joint account. If your bank rejected the deposit for some reason, it may be the next best way to get your refund.
In addition, the IRS can only direct deposit up to three refunds to one account, so if you are getting multiple refund checks they will have to be mailed. If you're receiving a refund check in the mail, learn how to track it from the IRS to your mailbox.
It's important to note that direct deposit isn't always automatic for refunds. To be certain, sign in to your IRS account to check that the agency has your correct banking information.
How do I track my refund if it's coming in the mail?
The US Postal Service's Informed Delivery service is a free mail-tracking program that scans incoming letters and sends you an image when they are about to be delivered.
Informed Delivery has free apps for Android and iOS.
Source: cnet
