According to the IRS website, delays are expected due to COVID-19, stating “it’s taking more than 21 day for us to issue refunds for certain mailed and e-filed 2020 tax returns that require review. Mailed correspondence is also taking longer to process.”
As the IRS had a backlog of about 35.3 million individual and business income tax returns to sort through by the end of the 2021 filing season, leading to a delay in when tax payers can expect a return.
Other reasons leading to the delay in tax returns include:
- Includes errors, such as incorrect Recovery Rebate Credit
- Is incomplete
- Needs further review in general
- Is affected by identity theft or fraud
- Includes a claim filed for an Earned Income Tax Credit or an Additional Child Tax Credit. See Q&A below.
- Includes a Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation PDF, which could take up to 14 weeks to process
“Many different factors can affect the timing of your refund after we receive your return,” states the IRS website. “Even though we issue most refunds in less than 21 days, it’s possible your refund may take longer. Also, remember to take into consideration the time it takes for your financial institution to post the refund to your account or for you to receive it by mail.”
