Where’s My Refund?

The agency's overall backlog is growing and its processing time is slowing.

While the Internal Revenue Service has made significant progress in slashing the backlog of tax returns from 2021, it is now processing the filings at a slower clip and taxpayers are facing unprecedented months of delays before receiving their refunds.

IRS boasted this week that it has made major strides to dig out from the mountain of unprocessed cases, but National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins said in a new report issued Wednesday things have not actually improved. Despite all of the agency’s efforts, the backlog has actually grown since the same period last year and IRS remains unlikely to meet its year-end goals.

“Taxpayers are still experiencing unprecedented delays in receiving their refunds,” Collins wrote. “Taxpayers continue to face unprecedented challenges in reaching the IRS by phone. And the IRS’s unprecedented delays in processing correspondence are contributing to additional refund delays and taxpayer frustrations.”

Collins noted that IRS was processing 242,000 individual paper income tax returns per week in April, but that had declined by 15% in May. The agency would have to process 500,000 forms per week to eliminate the backlog this year. She added it was “deeply concerning” that IRS ended May with a bigger backlog of paper tax returns than it had one year prior.

“The math is daunting,” Collins said. She added she was pleased IRS leadership committed to reducing the backlog to a “healthy” level by the end of the year, but said it “will be a difficult commitment to achieve.” Additionally, she stressed that IRS is now taking six months to distribute refunds to paper-filing taxpayers and implored IRS management to get that down to the normal four-to-six week period before it considers any backlog “healthy.”

Despite the ongoing problems, IRS announced it would complete the processing of individual tax returns without issues from 2021 this week. It will complete business returns filed in 2021 shortly thereafter. As of April, there were still 6 million returns outstanding. The agency has taken several steps to address the backlog, including mandating overtime for 6,000 employees and allowing for voluntary overtime for an additional 10,000 workers, deploying surge teams, bringing on contractors and going on a hiring spree aided by a hastened onboarding process authorized by Congress.

"IRS employees have been working tirelessly to process these tax returns as quickly as possible and help people who are waiting on refunds or resolution of an account issue," IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said. "Completing the individual returns filed last year with no errors is a major milestone, but there is still work to do.”

The taxpayer advocate did note that things have mostly gone smoothly for e-filers, or about 85% of taxpayers. By late May, IRS had received 145 million returns and processed refunds for 66% of them. Overall, however, the backlog has actually grown since the end of May 2021. It is now at 21.3 million, compared to 20 million last year. IRS noted much of this year’s backlog consists of original returns, which can be processed more quickly than amended returns.

Earlier this year, Rettig announced a plan to hire 10,000 new employees by the end of 2023. He told Congress in April the agency was halfway to its goal for 2022. Collins, however, noted IRS had hoped to hire around 5,500 processing employees this year and as of May was more than 3,400 workers short of that goal. It has found more success in hiring for accounts management—workers who handle taxpayer interactions, including by answering calls—hiring 99% of its goal of 5,000 employees.

Still, the agency has struggled immensely to keep pace with demand for service. The number of calls IRS received dropped by more than half this year, but it only grew its answer rate from 9% in 2021 to 10% in 2022. Individuals waited on hold for an average of 29 minutes, up from 20 minutes last year. The agency failed to improve its answer rate as it shifted employees in Accounts Management away from the phones and toward processing correspondence.

“We remain focused on doing everything possible to expedite processing of these tax returns, and we continue to add more people to this effort as our hiring efforts continue this summer," Rettig said.

Collins said IRS should have acted more quickly to reassign employees to processing functions, which would have reduced the existing backlog and allowed the agency to address this year’s returns more quickly. She also faulted IRS for dragging its feet in installing new technology to read paper returns more quickly.

The taxpayer advocate said she would push IRS management over the next year to automate paper returns processing, reduce barriers to e-filing, improve hiring and training and improve telephone service. Congress provided IRS with a funding boost of $675 million as part of the fiscal 2022 omnibus spending bill, a 6% increase and the largest bump since 2001. President Biden requested an additional 18% bump for fiscal 2023, and has sought an $80 billion surge over 10 years as part of his larger social and climate spending package.

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The Internal Revenue Service is still working on the details of how it is going to help taxpayers that may have fallen for deceptive marketing that led them to improperly receive employee retention tax credits.

Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Daniel Werfel said that the agency is still working to figure out the process of how to help those who have already received their ERC "and now realize they believe they received it inappropriately," including how to come forward preemptively before the IRS takes collection action against them, as well as "on settlement terms for paying back in a way we hope works out for those companies economically."

He also noted the agency is working on updating its procedures "for how we review credits, how we communicate with stakeholders to make sure there’s exact clarity, and we’re even stronger in our outreach in terms of what are the issues that we see companies in thinking they’re eligible when they are not." Werfel made his comments November 14, 2023, at the AICPA & CIMA National Tax & Sophisticated Tax Conference.

The IRS already has issued procedures on how taxpayers can withdraw claims for the employee retention credit if the claim has not been processed, as well as placed a moratorium on processing claims until at least the end of year.

Werfel also used his speech to reiterate previously highlighted improvements in customer service and compliance and enforcement following the supplemental funding provided by the Inflation Reduction Act.

National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins also acknowledged the improvement in the wake of the issues that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The good news is the IRS is in a much better place than it was over the last three years," Collins said during the conference. "The not-so-good news is we still have a long way to go."

In particular, she targeted the continued filing of paper returns as a key contributor to delays in processing returns and other correspondence. The IRS has been working to improve the abilities to filing tax returns and other correspondence electronically as a means of speeding up the processing, and she noted that what has been accomplished thus far "is a good thing."

However, she noted that another challenge is that even if they are electronically filed, they are still manually processed and more work needs to be done to improve the technology to help get them electronically processed.

By Gregory Twachtman, Washington News Editor

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The IRS has announced that calendar year 2023 would continue to be regarded as a transition period for enforcement and administration of the de minimis exception for reporting by third party settlement organizations (TPSO) under Code Sec. 6050W(e).

The IRS has announced that calendar year 2023 would continue to be regarded as a transition period for enforcement and administration of the de minimis exception for reporting by third party settlement organizations (TPSO) under Code Sec. 6050W(e). The IRS has also planned for a threshold of $5,000 for tax year 2024 to phase in implementation. Previously, in Notice 2023-10, the IRS announced that 2022 would be regarded as a transition period for the same issue. Specifically, the transition period focuses on the implementation of the amendment to Code Sec. 6050W(e) by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-2) that lowered the de minimis exception for TPSOs to $600.

Background

Code Sec. 6050W requires a TPSO to file an information return (Form 1099-K) each calendar year to report the annual gross amount of reportable payment transactions to the IRS and provide a copy of the return to the participating payee. A de minimis exception to this reporting requirement is provided in Code Sec. 6050W(e). Prior to the amendment by the American Rescue Plan Act, a TPSO was exempt from the reporting requirement if the gross amount that would otherwise be reported did not exceed $20,000 and the number of such transactions with that participating payee did not exceed 200. Section 9674(a) of the American Rescue Plan Act amended the de minimis exception to require a TPSO to file an information return if the gross amount of total reportable payment transactions exceeds $600, effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2021.

Transition Period

Notice 2023-74 extends the transition period issued under Notice 2023-10 to the 2023 calendar tax year. Under the transition period, a TPSO would not be required to file Form 1099-K to report payments in settlement of third-party network transactions unless the gross amount of aggregate payments to be reported exceeds $20,000 and the number of such transactions with that participating payee exceeds 200. Further, a TPSO exempt from reporting due to the transition period would not be subject to penalties under Code Secs. 6721 or 6722 for the failure to file or furnish Form 1099-K.

The transition period is limited to the amendments made by the American Rescue Plan Act to Code Sec. 6050W(e) and does not apply to other requirements under Code Sec. 6050W. In addition, the transition period does not apply to backup withholdings under Code Sec. 3406(a). TPSOs that have performed backup withholding for a payee during calendar year 2023 must file a Form 945 and a Form 1099-K with the IRS provide copies to the participating payee if total reportable payments to the payee exceeded $600.

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The IRS has released the annual inflation adjustments for 2024 for the income tax rate tables, plus more than 60 other tax provisions. The IRS makes these cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) each year to reflect inflation.

2024 Income Tax Brackets

For 2024, the highest income tax bracket of 37 percent applies when taxable income hits:

$731,200 for married individuals filing jointly and surviving spouses,
$609,350 for single individuals and heads of households,
$365,600 for married individuals filing separately, and
$15,200 for estates and trusts.

2024 Standard Deduction

The standard deduction for 2024 is:

$29,200 for married individuals filing jointly and surviving spouses,
$21,900 for heads of households, and
$14,600 for single individuals and married individuals filing separately.

The standard deduction for a dependent is limited to the greater of:

$1,300 or
the sum of $450, plus the dependent’s earned income.

Individuals who are blind or at least 65 years old get an additional standard deduction of:

$1,550 for married taxpayers and surviving spouses, or
$1,950 for other taxpayers.

Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) Exemption for 2024

The AMT exemption for 2024 is:

$133,300 for married individuals filing jointly and surviving spouses,
$85,700 for single individuals and heads of households,
$66,650 for married individuals filing separately, and
$29,900 for estates and trusts.

The exemption amounts phase out in 2024 when AMTI exceeds:

$1,218,700 for married individuals filing jointly and surviving spouses,
$609,350 for single individuals, heads of households, and married individuals filing separately, and
$99,700 for estates and trusts.

Expensing Code Sec. 179 Property in 2024

For tax years beginning in 2024, taxpayers can expense up to $1,220,000 in section 179 property. However, this dollar limit is reduced when the cost of section 179 property placed in service during the year exceeds $3,050,000.

Estate and Gift Tax Adjustments for 2024

The following inflation adjustments apply to federal estate and gift taxes in 2024:

the gift tax exclusion is $18,000 per donee, or $185,000 for gifts to spouses who are not U.S. citizens;
the federal estate tax exclusion is $13,610,000; and
the maximum reduction for real property under the special valuation method is $1,390,000.

2024 Inflation Adjustments for Other Tax Items

The maximum foreign earned income exclusion amount in 2024 is $126,500.

The IRS also provided inflation-adjusted amounts for the:

adoption credit,
earned income credit,
excludable interest on U.S. savings bonds used for education,
various penalties, and
many other provisions.

Effective Date of 2024 Adjustments

These inflation adjustments generally apply to tax years beginning in 2024, so they affect most returns that will be filed in 2025. However, some specified figures apply to transactions or events in calendar year 2024.

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The 2024 cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) that affect pension plan dollar limitations and other retirement-related provisions have been released by the IRS. In general, many of the pension plan limitations will change for 2023 because the increase in the cost-of-living index due to inflation met the statutory thresholds that trigger their adjustment. However, other limitations will remain unchanged.

The SECURE 2.0 Act (P.L. 117-328) made some retirement-related amounts adjustable for inflation beginning in 2024. These amounts, as adjusted for 2024, include:

The catch up contribution amount for IRA owners who are 50 or older remains $1,000.
The amount of qualified charitable distributions from IRAs that are not includible in gross income is increased from $100,000 to $105,000.
The limit on one-time qualified charitable distributions made directly to a split-interest entity is increased from $50,000 to $53,000.
The dollar limit on premiums paid for a qualifying longevity annuity contract (QLAC) remains $200,000

Highlights of Changes for 2024

The contribution limit has increased from $22,500 to $23,000 for employees who take part in:

-401(k),
-403(b),
-most 457 plans, and
-the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan

The annual limit on contributions to an IRA increased from $6,500 to $7,000.

The catch-up contribution limit for individuals aged 50 and over is subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment beginning in 2024 but remains $1,000.

The income ranges increased for determining eligibility to make deductible contributions to:

-IRAs,
-Roth IRAs, and
-to claim the Saver's Credit.

Phase-Out Ranges

Taxpayers can deduct contributions to a traditional IRA if they meet certain conditions. The deduction phases out if the taxpayer or their spouse takes part in a retirement plan at work. The phase out depends on the taxpayer's filing status and income.

-For single taxpayers covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is $77,000 to $87,000, up from between $73,000 and $83,000.
-For joint filers, when the spouse making the contribution takes part in a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is $123,000 to $143,000, up from between $116,000 and $136,000.
-For an IRA contributor, who is not covered by a workplace retirement plan but their spouse is, the phase out is between $230,000 and $240,000, up from between $218,000 and $228,000.
-For a married individual covered by a workplace plan filing a separate return, the phase-out range remains between $0 and $10,000.
The phase-out ranges for Roth IRA contributions are:
-$146,000 and $161,000, for singles and heads of household,
-$230,000 and $240,000, for joint filers, and
-$0 to $10,000 for married separate filers.

Finally, the income limit for the Saver' Credit is:

-76,500 for joint filers,
-$57,375 for heads of household, and
-$38,250 for singles and married separate filers.

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The IRS reminded taxpayers who may be entitled to claim Recovery Rebate Credit (RRC) to file a tax return to claim their credit before the April-May, 2024 deadlines. It has been estimated that certain individuals are still eligible to claim RRC for years 2020 and 2021. The deadlines to file a return and claim the 2020 and 2021 credits are May 17, 2024, and April 15, 2025, respectively. Additionally, the IRS reminded that taxpayers must first file a tax return to make their RRC claims irrespective of income slab and source of income.

The Recovery Rebate Credit, is a refundable credit for those who missed out on one or more Economic Impact Payments such as stimulus payments which were issued in 2020 and 2021. The persons eligible to claim the 2020 and 2021 RRC must:

have been a U.S citizen or U.S resident alien in the respective year;
not have been a dependent of another taxpayer for the respective year;
have a social security number issued before the due date of the tax return which is valid for employment in the U.S;
for 2021 RRC- have a valid social security number as above or claim a dependent who has a Social Security number issued by the due date of the tax return, or claim a dependent with an Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number.

For qualified taxpayers who require one-on-one tax preparation help, they can avail the same through the Free tax return preparation assistance available on the IRS website. The IRS urges people to look into possible benefits available to them under the tax law. People can make use of their IRS Online Account also to keep track of payments due to them.

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The Internal Revenue Service is looking to improve its customer service metrics as well as improve its technology offerings in the coming tax filing season.

Building on the supplemental funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, the IRS has already seen improvements to its phone service and is now looking to improve on it.

"Massive investments in customer service mean taxpayers will get the information and support they deserve," Department of the Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said November 7, 2023, during an event at IRS headquarters.

For the 2024 tax filing season, the IRS is committed to maintaining the 85 percent level of service it achieved in the 2023 filing season on the agency’s main taxpayer help line. It also is targeting a hold time of five minutes or less while offering 95 percent call back availability when projected wait times are expected to exceed 15 minutes.

IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel, speaking at the event, also highlighted a trust target.

"This past filingseason, 84 percent of taxpayers who interacted with our phone assisters stated that this interaction increased their trust in the IRS," Werfel said. "That’s up from 70 percent two years ago. In the coming filingseason, we want to continue to again [the Office of Management and Budget’s] trust goal of 75 percent."

Yellen also highlighted how the "Where’s My Refund?" tool will be improved for the coming season, including incorporating "conversational voice-bot technology to help taxpayers get answers more quickly, and it will provide clearer and more detailed information so taxpayers can address barriers to processing their returns and receive their refunds quickly."

She also said that Taxpayer Assistance Centers increase the hours of face-to-face assistance provided by more than 8,000 hours compared to what was provided in the 2023 filing season.

Yellen also stated that the IRS has met a technology goal and in the 2024 filing season, taxpayers will be able to "digitally upload all correspondence and responses to notices instead of mailing them. … The impact will be significant and far reaching. Taxpayers will save time and effort. The IRS will reduce errors and storage costs and will speed up processing time for the system as a whole."

Additionally, there will be 20 more forms that taxpayers can electronically file in the 2024 filing season.

Yellen and Werfel also reiterated recent announcements on compliance and enforcement efforts and committed to continuing to ensure everyone is paying their fair share of taxes owed.

By Gregory Twachtman, Washington News Editor

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The Internal Revenue Service announced the launch of the first phase of rolling out business taxpayer accounts, as well as enable taxpayers to respond to notices online.

In an October 20, 2023, statement, the agency announced that the first phase will allow "unincorporated sole proprietors who have an active Employer Identification Number to set up a business tax account, where they can view their business profits and manage authorized users."

The IRS noted that the business tax accounts will expand to allow taxpayers "to view letters or notices, request transcripts, add third parties for power of attorney or tax information authorizations, schedule or cancel tax payments, and store bank account information."

The business tax accounts were enabled by the agency’s receiving of supplemental funding from the Inflation Reduction Act.

Another technology improvement announced allowing taxpayers to respond online to notices, something that previously required responses via mail.

"During the filing season 2023, taxpayers were able to respond to 10 of the most common notices for credits like the Earned Income and Health Insurance Tax Credits online, saving them time and money," the agency reported, adding that as of September 29, 2023, it has received more than 32,000 responses to notices via the online tool.

Additionally, the IRS will now accept electronic submissions for three forms via a mobile device-friendly forms. Those forms include:

Form 15109, Request for Tax Deferment;
Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit; and
Form 14242, Reporting Abusive Tax Promotions and/or Preparers

The next form expected to have a mobile-friendly option later this fall is Form 13909, Tax-Exempt Organization Complaint, and at least 20 more of the most-used tax forms will have mobile device availability in early 2024, the IRS stated.

"An estimated 15 percent of Americans rely solely on mobile phones for their internet access – they do not have broadband at home – so it is important to make forms available in mobile-friendly formats," the agency sad.

For tax professionals, their online accounts also received enhancements, including helping practitioners manage their active client authorizations on file with the Centralized Authorization File database as well as the ability to view their client’s tax information, including balance due.

By Gregory Twachtman, Washington News Editor

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