The shift in business practices that occurred with the COVID-19 shutdowns has seemingly impacted everything we do. Mom & Pop corner shops now do contactless payments. Even the oldest of run-down grocery stores now handles curbside pickups easily. And I think it’s safe to say we’re all a little more comfortable combing the Internet for hard-to-find items, whether it’s toilet paper or an open vaccine appointment. Speaking of, make sure you read Nick’s article this week.
And one thing we all got really good at in the past year was tracking where things are—whether it was a grocery store order or a stimulus payment.
The IRS has offered a way to track your tax refund for a couple of years now. This year, with an expected delay in processing mailed documents and an increase in special circumstances for many filers surrounding their 2020 return, the IRS is making a special point to emphasize their online tracking tools. Ostensibly to fend off a barrage of angry phone calls from people looking for money. In fact, I’ve been told by a few clients that you shouldn’t waste your time trying to call the IRS. I had two clients tell me recently about their attempt to contact your favorite Uncle Sam. It was a frustrating, futile mission.
Online, you can check your status much in the way you confirmed your stimulus payments/tracked their processing: visit irs.gov/refunds and select “Check My Refund Status”. From there, you’ll need to provide your SSN or ITIN, your filing status, and the exact amount of expected refund. From your mobile phone, you can use the IRS2Go app.
The site will let you know your refund’s status, but it won’t let you know when you’ll get it. You’re limited to “accepted”, which tells you they’ve received your tax filings; “reviewed”, meaning it has been processed; or “sent”, which tells you it’s on its way.
Who doesn’t love a message from their favorite uncle that the check is in the mail?
Enjoy the weekend
Peter