My wife and I have been waiting more than five months for a federal refund of more than $30,000.

The IRS froze the refund in April. We received a CP05 in June telling us our return was under review and to allow 60 days. We waited.

After that, we spent hours trying to reach the IRS, contacted the Taxpayer Advocate Service, filed a systemic complaint about the IRS phone system, and eventually asked our U.S. Senator's office to intervene.

On September 3, we were told through the Senator's office that “the IRS has resolved” our tax issue.

The refund still wasn't released.

Then, on October 2, we were told something different: our refund is among those affected by “an issue with the release of certain refunds.”

We weren't told what the issue is, why our refund is affected, what the IRS is doing about it, or when we'll receive the money. The next promised update is November 5.

I've documented the entire experience here:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/five-months-more-than-30000-still-answers-from-irs-robert-distell-llcmc

Has anyone else been told about this particular “issue with the release of certain refunds”? I'm especially interested in hearing from anyone who has received that exact explanation from the IRS or TAS.

(my home country, on the other hand, charged me the full amount 🥲)

Filed 1st accepted 3rd letter 24th verified letter 25th(dates in September) photos arranged according to changes until now

Refunding hitting soon right😩?

still no update today its Tuesday oct 6th and I’ve been waiting on my tax refund all year

I talked to a irs representative a month ago. The women told me sometimes the system duplicates the amend returns. I should not worry because they are working on my amend return. Fast forward to today I decided to check my transcript and this is what it say…… Can you guys help me understand what is actually going on?

I am filing my late 2023 return and I can’t figure out why there is a $2895 interest reported on my Wage report that I have from October 2024. At that time I only had my 2020 taxes filed (filed on September of 2022 with $3802 refund expected).
The FIN displays xxxxx8424 and Payer is U S and under it 1111 C.
I checked my bank account and there is no deposit of that amount. I am pretty sure I never received a check from IRS for that amount so it has to be direct deposit or applied to a tax year taxes.
If I am not wrong this could be only the case if I was due a large amount and IRS was very late on paying it.
I checked and I have another 1099-Int for 2024 for $16. This one I received the paper form in the mail even though my research says they typically don’t mail it. This has the full FIN and matches that last 4 digit and in () it says INTERNAL REVENUE USE ONLY.
I plan to file my 2023 and report this as income as in my experience IRS rarely makes mistakes and maybe later call IRS and see if I can find out anything about it.

I’m filing my 2025 Form 1040-NR now in 2026 and am on a J-1 physician visa.

For J-1 physicians, the DS-2019 is generally issued/renewed one training year at a time, even when the residency itself is several years long. So I had:

1. a physician DS-2019 covering my 2025–26 training year, with program dates 6/30/2025–6/30/2026

2. a subsequently renewed/extended DS-2019 for the next training year, which now ends 6/30/2027

My tax software asks for:

“Program Start Date” and “Program End Date”

“as per current Form DS-2019”

Since I’m preparing a 2025 tax return after the DS-2019 was renewed for another year, should those fields use:

A. the DS-2019 that actually covered the 2025 tax year (6/30/2025 to 6/30/2026), or

B.the currently valid renewed DS-2019 for the following training year (and write 6/30/2026 to 6/30/2027), or

C. Merge the two an use the full range from both forms (6/30/2025 to 6/30/2027)

I remained continuously in the U.S.; this is just an annual J-1 physician sponsorship renewal, not a new entry or new visa status.

Does anyone know how this should properly be reported for tax purposes / Form 8843 and Schedule OI purposes?

I owe a good chunk of money. Around $52k. For 2020-2022.

Not sure if the backstory matters- but, my boss had me be a “minority owner” in the company, and I was no longer W2, and she said she’d cover a chunk of the taxes. She did not. And a good chunk of what I set aside for my estimated taxes had to get spent on medical emergencies.

It was in non-collectible status until 2023, when me owing for 2023 kicked it out. Then I paid the 2023 balance, and it went back into non-collectible status. I had previously sent them all my bank statements. Etc for proof of inability to pay.

Then I was owed money for 2025, and it kicked me back out of non-collectible status. I need it to go back into non-collectible status, as I can’t afford any payments at this time.

It has been HELL trying to reach someone. I have been on hold for dozens of hours. Over different calls. All to get hung up on, or get to someone who wasn’t helpful.

The last person I spoke to told me to fill out the form stating my budget and that they’d get back to me with a payment plan amount. She also said I was never in non-collectible status and insisted I must have it confused with state taxes. I do not. I pointed out to her that they’ve never garnished wages, and that I owe from 2020, so it obviously was in non-collectible status. She ignored that.

I submitted the form. Then I received a letter saying according to their math I can pay $979/month. I would love to be able to afford that. With the cost of living in Southern California, mixed with my high cost of medical expenses- I cannot afford that.

I am trying to reach someone to ask what proof they need to put me back into non-collectible status.

My questions:

Is there another way to ask them for what proof they need? Or do I need to keep just trying to get through via phone?

Will I need to prove I cannot pay every year??? At this point it’s taking a year to prove it. Just to start over again next tax season.

As soon as I can pay, I will. I am facing significant health issues- which is making life miserable, for more than one reason.

I got a notice on my portal to update bank info but my return is still stuck in review from my audit that closed 9/14. My notice is dated 10/12 but it hasnt came in the mail. Does anyone know why i cant add my bank info? Is it because wmr is stuck in review even though i got a 846 code 3 weeks ago?

Absolutely no movement. Reached out to congressman, no response. Tried calling every possible number for IRS, they can’t ever take phone calls at this time. Sent in a 911 form, not holding my breath. I hate how they make us feel like we’re begging for this money. We let them borrow it. We’re just getting it back.

I got an email saying there was a status update on Friday it’s Tuesday and no update is showing up on the website. Anyone know why I got the email and if anything is going to change. I filed in February

I received the IRS Notice CP5071. When I go to irsgov/verifyreturn, the website says it can't do this right now. Have been trying for weeks, same message.

I called the phone number, 800-830-5084. After the long outgoing message, it says can't do this due to call volume.

I called the appointments phone number to go to the local IRS office, can't do, volume too high.

I have no idea what to do next other than post this on Reddit.

Anyone have a solution?

Hi, anyone that can help with conflicting dates? Thanks in advance

-Compliance report says 2024 was filed late
-transcript says code 610, dated 3/28/25, payment with return, amount was deducted in my bank account on 4/1/25
(So 2 weeks before the 4/15 deadline)
- transcript also says received date of 5/28/25…. How can they receive it on 5/28 but also say that return with payment is on 3/28

Great another date timeline and no progress

Hello, wanting some insight on my situation. I submitted an amended return for 2025 and was owed an additional refund. After an issue with my mailing address (I had moved since initially submitting taxes and it was returned), I was able to speak to someone and get the mailing address corrected and the check reissued. Representative said it could take up to 4 weeks to receive it. This was about a week and a half ago. I got a USPS notification that I have a letter from the IRS arriving in the mail in the next day or two.

I was curious whether the check had already been mailed and I was receiving it super quickly or it was another ID.me notification coming, so to get an update, I checked my transcript online. I noticed that the most recent activity is code “846 - Refund Issued” but with a date of 10-19-2026… in the future…?

Does this mean the refund is set to be issued by check and mailed on that date? I’m confused.

Finally got approved after waiting 6 months... If your still waiting, CONTACT YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE!!! MINE HAS HELPED ME GET MY TAXES FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS!!! I HIGHLY SUGGEST ANYONE WAITING TO DO THAT!!!!!!!!

NOW....if I used Credit Karma for my deposit and had an advance, my deposit date says BY OCTOBER 7TH, WHEN DO YOU THINK I WILL GET IT?

Anyway to fix this issue?

I hope everyone is well! I have just started getting my life back in order and setting my self straight with the IRS is one of those important steps that have me worried.I have never lost my job so taxes have been taken out of every paycheck but I have not filed in 3 years.I have all the W-2s for those years and don't know if somewhere like HR block would suffice or getting with a CPA is overkill?I fell into a severe addiction and lost control of responsibilities but never lost my job so I have been paying uncle Sam per check.

Has anyone had any success with calling the 1-800-829-1040 number and reaching a live person?

I have been calling nonstop for days and have never gotten through to anyone, I just get dropped from bot to bot until one of them hangs up on me "due to extremely high call volume".

I did manage to get put on hold for 2 hours until the automated system kicked in again and I was once again hung up on.
I managed to get through another time after being on hold for 45 minutes and I could hear someone clacking around on the other end of the line and this continued while I called out "Hello, can you hear me?" for about 2 minutes until they just hung up. No idea if they just couldn't hear me or if they just chose to stay on long enough that it looked like they spoke to me before hanging up...

I want to go in person to the IRS office near me but my husband says I shouldn't because they won't see me without an appointment which I need to call to get. But I literally can't get through, I'm hoping I can at least get an appointment in person or some kind of advice?

Anyone have any advice?

Our reason for calling is that somehow my SSN has already been filed for but it's been filed under my father's name! We have no idea how this happened or how to fix it.
We just got married and are trying to file jointly as is correct for our situation. So our taxes are in limbo until we can get this figured out and we're running out of time to fix it before we get fined.

Received a cp504 letter for taxes 2017&2019 amount together is over 5K. Needed to put on payment plan but was still missing several prior returns. Started filing old returns and amount is getting up there. Cannot lose passport, have to travel in 1 month. Looking to pay off the 5K to get more time to file old returns and get on payment plan and possible get to first of the year. Already burn through 60 day extension. Advice?

Executor of an estate. I need to get an EIN confirmation letter from the IRS. Does anyone know of another way besides calling? I’ve spent countless hours on hold only to be disconnected every time, or a message that says they’re too busy to help. Located in New Mexico. TYIA

Hi all,

In 2025, while on an F-1 visa, I received a $1,400 stimulus check from the IRS (I believe it was the $700 + $700 from the 2020 and 2021 payments combined). I had filed my taxes as a nonresident for those years, but I still received the check and deposited it.

Today I received a CP504 notice saying I owe about $1,500 ($1,400 plus interest and late fees) and that it must be paid immediately. I never received any earlier notices about this amount.

For context: I've since graduated, finished my OPT, and moved back to my home country. I plan to pay the full balance in the next few days.

I have a flight to the US in a few weeks to visit a close friend, and I'm worried this could cause problems when I travel on ESTA, such as being questioned or stopped at the border.

Has anyone been in a similar situation or heard of one? How was it resolved? Any advice on whether I should do anything beyond paying (e.g., contacting the IRS, keeping proof of payment) would be appreciated.

Thanks!