Friends, the IRS is backed up, and they are doing very weird things right now.

Friends, the IRS is backed up, and they are doing very weird things right now. If you paper mailed a tax return, they are processing these returns at a glacial pace. And honestly, it's not even their fault. 27% of the workforce got cut, and then there was two government shutdowns which backed everything up. Many people are still waiting on a refund, even if you filed electronically. This was the first year they decided they were not going to mail paper checks. So you need to have a bank account on file with the IRS if you'd like to receive your refund. Even if you have a bank account on file, it's still potentially backed up. Of course, they are still issuing notices, and your tax is still due. However, some of these notices are issued incorrectly, and then it's very difficult to get on the phone with someone to resolve it. Even as a practitioner, two weeks ago we called 40 times in one week on behalf of a client. If you do need to call the IRS, I suggest you call very early in the morning. I would stay away from continuing to mail in the same tax return. It's not going to get processed any faster, and I think it could honestly lead to some confusion. I know for sure it's not your tax accountant's fault, okay? We're doing our best. We're also on hold in the same way and we're just as frustrated. And interest and penalties are still accruing if you do owe them tax. I'm just a messenger. I'm just letting you know, if you are having any issues with the IRS, you are not alone. And of course, this is different than the states. The states you should have better luck getting through. And always pay the state first if you have to choose because they can be much more petty and aggressive. That's my story. Follow along for more jargon-free tax help.