Federal income tax refunds usually appear in bank accounts less than three weeks after the government accepts a return — unless you’re the victim of tax return identity theft.
In that case, it often takes about two years.
“That period of time is just ridiculous,” Erin M. Collins, who leads the service, said in an interview.
For reasons not yet clear, Ms. Collins noted, many of those affected are lower-income tax filers, who often depend on tax refunds to cover basic living costs.
Those filers often qualify for tax breaks for working families, like the earned-income tax credit, that can result in significant refunds.
Persons:
Erin M, Collins
Organizations:
Taxpayer Advocate Service, Internal Revenue Service