The IRS is cautioning U.S. taxpayers not to bank on getting their refunds by any specific date when they file their returns in early 2023.
The tax agency recently said some returns may need extra time to review, and thus could take longer to process. The alert comes as millions of taxpayers are still waiting for their returns to be processed from prior filing seasons, with an already massive backlog at the IRS growing even larger in the past year, according to a government watchdog agency.
The note of caution comes as taxpayers will soon begin filing their 2022 tax returns, with the IRS typically opening the filing season in January. While the IRS hasn’t yet announced when it will begin accepting tax returns next month, many taxpayers file as early as possible in order to get their refunds quickly in hand — refunds which are often used to pay down debt, pay bills or to make big purchases.
Last year, almost 110 million households received an average tax refund of almost $3,200, according to data from the tax agency. But the IRS is warning Americans not to count on getting that check by a specific date in early 2023.
“The IRS cautions taxpayers not to rely on receiving a 2022 federal tax refund by a certain date, especially when making major purchases or paying bills,” the tax agency said in November.
Still, most refunds are sent within three weeks, the IRS has said. But certain issues can slow down a tax refund, such as if a taxpayer files via a paper form, which must be…
