Although the IRS is making progress, there are still significant return processing backlogs which among others involve expatriate returns, refunds, etc, such as:
* 6.5 million unprocessed individual returns, as of November 19, 2021;
* 2.6 million unprocessed Forms 1040-X, Amended Individual Income Tax Returns, as of November 27, 2021;
* 3 million unprocessed Forms 941, Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return, as of December 1, 2021; and
* 412,000 unprocessed Forms 941-X, Adjusted Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return, as of December 1, 2021.
According to the IRS, it may take 90-120 days to process original returns. The timeline depends on how quickly and accurately taxpayers respond to requests for additional information and "the ability of IRS staff trained and working under social distancing requirements to complete the processing of your return." Taxpayers may access "Where's My Refund" (www.irs.gov/refunds<http://se
The ETA for processing amended returns can be more than 20 weeks (although we have heard of far longer timeframes). The IRS has asked that taxpayers not file a second return or contact the IRS about the status of their returns. Taxpayers are directed to check "Where's My Amended Return" (www.irs.gov/filing/wheres-my-
For more information on the IRS delays, see:
www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-opera
December 9, 2021
IRS TAXPAYER PROCESSING DELAYS CONTINUE AND WILL FOR SOME TIME
December 7, 2021
New online identity verification process for accessing IRS self-help tools for Expatriates and Nonresidents
Taxpayers using the new mobile-friendly verification process can access several IRS online services including:
- Child Tax Credit Update Portal
- Online Account
- Get Transcript Online
- Get an Identity Protection PIN
- Online Payment Agreement
Additional applications will transition to the new process over the next year.
The new process reaches more people through the expanded use of identity documents and increased help desk assistance for taxpayers who encounter a problem when attempting to verify their identity online.
The IRS is using ID.me to provide verification services. The new process part of the IRS’s ongoing commitment to ensure that taxpayer information is only provided to the person who has a legal right to the data.
The IRS integrated this new account-creation process into some applications used by tax professionals, including those they use to request powers of attorney or tax information authorizations online using Tax Pro Account or to submit Forms 2848 and 8821 online.
Accessing IRS tools
Taxpayers will be asked to sign in with an ID.me account. If they already have IRS usernames, they can use their credentials from the old system to sign-in until summer 2022. However, they should create an ID.me account as soon as possible. Anyone with an existing ID.me account from the Child Tax Credit Update Portal, or from another government agency, can sign in with their existing credentials.
To verify their identity with ID.me, taxpayers must do two things:
- Provide a photo of a driver's license, state ID or passport.
- Take a selfie using a smartphone or a computer with a webcam.
Once their identity is verified, they can securely access IRS online services.
Taxpayers who need help verifying their identity or submitting a support ticket should visit the ID.me IRS Help Site
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