IRS Having Difficulties with 'Where's My Refund' Tool

The popular tool for taxpayers to find out when they can expect their refund is experience technical trouble, and the Internal Revenue Service says it working on fixing the problem. 

According to a report in The San Francisco Chronicle, the IRS is trying to implement a new e-file system, which has caused the “Where’s My Refund” tool to work sporadically. Some taxpayers who e-filed their federal returns report that when they check on their return, the site gives them no information, making it appear that they hadn’t filed at all.

When you go to the Where's My Refund website, the IRS has issued a statement on the front page notifying users of the problem:

 We are aware that some taxpayers who have filed electronically and received an acknowledgement from the IRS are concerned when they visit “Where’s My Refund” and are told that we have no information regarding their return. This is a temporary situation, and we expect to resolve the matter in a few days. At that time, taxpayers will be able to get an expected refund date when they visit “Where’s My Refund.”

If a taxpayer received an acknowledgment message that their e-filed tax return has been received, they can be assured that the IRS has the tax return even though “Where’s My Refund” does not reflect that. Taxpayers should not call the IRS unless specifically directed by “Where’s My Refund,” as there is no new information to give them.

We expect the vast majority of tax refunds to continue to be issued within the historical range of 10 to 21 days. The IRS is taking steps to update information so that Where’s My Refund has current information. The IRS apologizes for any inconvenience and will provide updated information as soon as possible.

So far, it seems the IRS is only experiencing technical glitches related to a new system and that taxpayers who have filed their federal returns shouldn’t worry that their returns are lost.

But it looks like some refunds will be delayed. Many taxpayers will need  to wait about a week longer than normal this year,  according to the IRS website – especially those who filed between Jan. 17 and 25, because of “fine-tuning IRS systems to adjust for new safeguards put in place this tax season.”