Republicans press IRS on backlog of over 11M unprocessed 2019 tax returns
Some people are still waiting for refunds that they should have received in 2020
Republicans members of the House Ways and Means Committee wrote a letter to the IRS this week regarding millions of tax returns that have yet to be processed from last year, even though the current tax season is underway.
More than 11 million individual and business returns remain unprocessed – meaning some people are still waiting for refunds that they should have received in 2020.
The GOP lawmakers asked the IRS to clarify what its plan is for addressing its “unprecedented backlog or unprocessed returns” while carrying out its other obligations – including processing current returns and dealing with economic impact payments.
The representatives expressed concern that this backlog could negatively impact how quickly individuals received their refunds this year, too.
COVID RELIEF SPENDING HAS SAVED US ECONOMY FROM 'GREAT RECESSION', STEVEN MNUCHIN SAYS
As previously reported by FOX Business, National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins said last month that challenges the IRS dealt with last tax season were likely to carry over into the current tax season.
“The challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic will continue through the 2021 filing season and possibly for months longer, affecting both the IRS and taxpayers,” Collins wrote in the report to lawmakers.
While some things are out of individual taxpayers' hands, there are a few ways people can try to ensure their returns are processed as quickly as possible. Those items include filing early, filing electronically and using direct deposit. Any errors on a return will also likely prolong the process.