2026–2027 Updates: “Your Tax Return Is Still Being Processed” — What It Means and What to Do

Millions of people file their taxes and then wait — sometimes far longer than the IRS’s advertised 21-day guideline. The 2026 filing season made that worse. DOGE-driven staffing cuts removed roughly 7,000 IRS employees in February 2026, right in the middle of peak processing weeks. The National Taxpayer Advocate’s mid-year report to Congress confirmed that more than one million taxpayers didn’t receive their refunds within the normal timeframe, with an average wait of about 5.5 weeks.

If you’re seeing a “still being processed” message on Where’s My Refund (WMR) or IRS2Go, here’s what it actually means — and what you can do about it. For the complete list of reasons refunds get delayed and what to do about each one, see my full guide to tax refund delays.

“Still Being Processed” vs. “Being Processed” — The Key Difference

The wording on WMR matters. There are two common messages and they mean very different things.

“We have received your tax return and it is being processed” — this is the normal message. Your return is in the queue and a refund should arrive within 21 days of the IRS accepting it (for e-filed returns with no issues). No action needed.

“Your tax return is still being processed. A refund date will be provided when available” — the word “still” is the signal. This means your return has gone past the standard processing window. The IRS has either flagged it for a manual review, found a discrepancy it needs to resolve, or is waiting on an identity verification step.

The most common reasons a return gets flagged include: math errors, income or withholding mismatches against W-2 and 1099 data, EITC or Child Tax Credit verification, identity concerns, or an injured spouse claim. Most of these get resolved without any action from you — but it takes time, often 60 to 120 days beyond the original 21-day window.

“We Cannot Provide Any Information About Your Refund”

This message shows up in two different situations and the context matters.

If you just filed, this is normal — the IRS typically needs 24 to 48 hours before your return shows up in their system. Check back in a day or two.

If it’s been several weeks and you’re still seeing this, it usually means the IRS needs you to take action — typically to verify your identity. Watch for a letter in the mail (IRS notices 5071C, 4883C, or 5747C are the most common). These letters will give you specific instructions to confirm your identity before processing can resume.

If you used a tax preparer, contact them to confirm the return was filed with your correct information and ask them to forward the IRS e-file acknowledgment.

Code 810 — Refund Freeze

Code 810 on your IRS transcript is one I’ve been seeing readers ask about a lot more in 2026. It means the IRS has placed a freeze on your refund. Processing stops until the freeze is lifted.

The most common triggers are identity concerns (two returns filed under the same SSN, an unusual filing location), income or withholding discrepancies that don’t match third-party data, or credit verification — particularly EITC and Child Tax Credit claims that get flagged through the IRS’s Automated Questionable Credit (AQC) program.

What to do: check your IRS Online Account for any notices or messages, then follow the instructions on any letter you receive. If identity verification is required, complete it as directed — do not skip steps. After verification, the IRS says to allow up to 9 weeks for processing to resume. Check your transcript for code 571 (hold released) followed eventually by code 846 (refund issued).

One thing not to do: don’t file an amended return (Form 1040-X) while your original is under review. It doesn’t clear the hold — it creates a second return that goes into its own separate queue and can itself be selected for review.

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What Happens When the IRS Manually Reviews a Return

When a return requires human review rather than automated processing, it goes to a separate unit — which is why delays can compound quickly. An IRS agent has to manually cross-reference your return against third-party data (W-2s, 1099s, prior-year returns, dependent information from other agencies). This takes significantly longer than automated processing.

Manual review delays used to run 90 to 120 days in a typical year. With the 2026 staffing reductions, those timelines have stretched further. The IRS received 48.1 million calls during the 2026 filing season, but telephone assistors answered only 9.9 million (21%), with average hold times of 14 minutes — worse than the prior year on both counts.

Example: Maria filed her taxes in late January with EITC claimed. By mid-March she had the “still being processed” message. Her transcript showed Code 810 (freeze) and Code 570 (additional account action pending). She received a letter in April asking her to verify employment income. After responding online, she waited seven more weeks before seeing Code 571 (hold released) and then Code 846 with a direct deposit date.

Code 846 — Refund Issued

Code 846 on your transcript is the one you want to see. It means the IRS has completed processing and your refund has been authorized.

The date next to Code 846 is your refund issue date — if you have direct deposit set up, the funds typically arrive within 1 to 5 business days of that date. If you’re waiting on a paper check, add 5 to 7 business days for mail.

Once you see Code 846, you should also see an updated status on WMR showing a specific refund date. If WMR still shows “still being processed” but your transcript shows 846, trust the transcript — WMR sometimes lags by a day or two.

IRS Staffing Cuts and What They Mean for Your Refund

The IRS entered the 2026 filing season with significantly fewer people than the year before. In February 2026, DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) cut approximately 7,000 IRS employees — right in the middle of peak processing weeks. IT staffing was reduced by 27% and Taxpayer Services by about 22%. The National Taxpayer Advocate flagged these cuts directly to Congress as a primary driver of longer wait times and reduced phone accessibility this season.

The practical impact: paper returns that used to take 6–8 weeks are now running 8–12+ weeks. E-filed returns without complications are still largely hitting the 21-day mark, but any return that gets flagged for manual review is taking longer than prior years to resolve.

Example: Tom filed a paper return in February. In prior years he expected his refund in 6–8 weeks. By May 2026 he was still waiting — over 12 weeks. He called the IRS and was told to wait another 60 days. His return was eventually processed in June, with no explanation provided and no interest paid (the IRS owes interest only on refunds not paid within 45 days of the filing deadline).

Identity Fraud and Verification Delays

Refund fraud remains a significant issue, and the IRS continues to flag returns for identity verification when something looks off. The verification process — responding to letters like 5071C, completing ID.me verification, or calling the IRS — resets the processing clock once complete.

If you receive a verification letter, respond as quickly as possible. Once you’ve verified, allow 9 weeks for processing before following up. Keep a copy of everything you submit.

If you’ve had issues with identity theft in the past, or want to protect yourself proactively, consider setting up an IRS Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) each year. It prevents anyone else from filing a return under your SSN and speeds up processing for your legitimate return.

Amended Returns — How Long They Take

Amended returns (Form 1040-X) continue to run on their own separate timeline — typically 16 to 20 weeks or more in 2026. You can track them at Where’s My Amended Return on IRS.gov.

Don’t file a second 1040-X while the first is being processed. Don’t call the IRS before the 16-week window has passed — they can’t provide status until then, and the call just adds to hold time for everyone.

When to Contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS)

If your refund delay is causing genuine financial hardship — you can’t pay rent, utilities, medical bills — and you’ve already passed 120 days without resolution, the Taxpayer Advocate Service is your best escalation path.

TAS operates independently within the IRS and can issue a Taxpayer Assistance Order to compel the IRS to act. You can request TAS help through the IRS website or by calling 1-877-777-4778. Be prepared to document the hardship specifically.

See also: Can a Taxpayer Advocate Help Get My Delayed Refund Released? and the IRS refund schedule and processing times.

Common Issues to Watch Out For

A few patterns I see come up constantly in the comments on this post:

Checking WMR too early. The tool needs 24 hours after e-filing and up to 4 weeks after paper filing before it shows your return. Checking earlier returns a “no information available” message that doesn’t mean anything is wrong.

Assuming “no bars” means a problem. WMR shows a status bar that sometimes disappears. A missing bar doesn’t mean your refund was rejected or delayed — it often just means WMR refreshed its display. Check your transcript for the real status.

Calling the IRS before 21 days. IRS phone assistors literally cannot provide additional information until 21 days have passed for e-filed returns or 6 weeks for paper returns. You’ll just spend 14+ minutes on hold to be told to wait.

Ignoring IRS mail. Any letter from the IRS should be read and acted on promptly. A 5071C identity verification letter has a deadline — missing it extends your delay significantly. The IRS doesn’t send emails; if you get an “IRS email,” it’s a scam.

Expecting interest on delayed refunds. The IRS owes interest on refunds not paid within 45 days of the filing deadline — but only if the entire delay is the IRS’s fault and you filed on time. If verification was required and you took time to respond, that period typically doesn’t count.

Looking Ahead: 2027

The IRS staffing situation is the biggest variable for the 2027 filing season. If DOGE-related cuts continue or deepen, expect similar or longer delays. If some staffing is restored — particularly in Taxpayer Services and IT — processing times could improve.

The IRS’s e-filing infrastructure (the systems that handle automated matching of W-2s and 1099s) is largely separate from the personnel cuts and should continue to process the majority of clean e-filed returns within 21 days. The pain point is the subset of returns that require human review — and that subset will take longer as long as staffing remains reduced.

I’ll update this page at the start of the 2027 filing season with current processing statistics and any new status message changes. Subscribe here to get notified.

See also: No Tax Refund After 21 Days? Tips on Contacting the IRS | 2026 IRS Refund Schedule and Processing Times