As recently as January 13th, 2021, IRS updated the IRS Operations During COVID-19 page with details about ongoing service delays.
Specifically, the page opens with:
“We’re open and processing mail, tax returns, payments, refunds and correspondence. However, COVID-19 continues to cause delays in some of our services. Our service delays include:
• Live phone support
• Processing tax returns filed on paper
• Answering mail from taxpayers
• Reviewing tax returns, even for returns filed electronically”
In other words, pretty much everything is delayed, and trying to get answers will continue to be difficult for the foreseeable future, particularly as processing this year’s returns gets underway.
With many IRS employees continuing to work remotely, the mountains of paper mail delivered to their regular locations have continued to pile up. the few employees allowed in those buildings are doing their best to address as much of the backlog as they can, but it’s slow going without the manpower on site. as It’s kind of like the sports stadiums we are seeing designed to hold tens f thousands of people, with only a few hundred in the stands.
There are other helpful resources available through the IRS website, however, including a page dedicated to stimulus payments, and, when the time comes, the “Where’s my refund?” link.
We’ll be keeping up to date with IRS communications as they are released and sharing relevant information we find for you this tax season.
