February 19, 2002

IRS Refund Hell

My husband and I are math-challenged idiots who the past two years used the IRS as a savings account while far too much money was deducted each pay period from our paychecks. In return this results in a ridiculous refund. Because we need the money in our refund to help pay for a house we're in the process of purchasing, we filed our tax return as soon as we received our W-2's (January 31) so that we'd get the refund before the end of February. We're still waiting.

The IRS says to expect a refund in 10-14 days after electronically filing a tax return if you choose to receive it by direct deposit. We did E-File this year, and we did choose direct deposit. Last year we didn't get it direct deposited and I think we got the refund check in the mail within 3 weeks, so I don't see why it's taking so long to get the refund this way, which is supposedly faster and easier. Today is the 12th business day (thanks to that wonderful federal holiday yesterday which nobody who isn't a federal or bank employee gets off) since we filed the return, so the IRS has 2 more days to get my money to me before I start to get really mad.

A friend suggested the IRS will be double-checking our return since the refund is sort of absurd. Fine, let them double-check, but I assure them there aren't any irregularities, except maybe the $2 we didn't pay on stock dividends. If the IRS is concerned about this evasion, all they have to do is let me know, and I'll be happy to send them a couple of $1 bills in the mail. Everything else should prove extraordinarily straightforward to this bureaucratic branch that has found ways to make everything else complicated beyond belief.

In short, I just want my money, and I want it yesterday, except yesterday was a dumb holiday during which I had to work. PFFT!

Published: February 19, 2002
Editor: stacy