Where’s My Refund? 4883C Letter Causes Widespread Delays, Frustration For Taxpayers

The IRS’ “Where’s My Refund” site is currently under siege by taxpayers, all of whom eagerly await a rebate of a portion of taxes paid throughout the year due to an arcane series of loopholes, credits and adjustments — but as many as one of every ten is facing an unexpected and lengthy delay after receiving a 4883C letter.

If you’re checking the IRS “Where’s My Refund” page or using the iPhone and Android IRS2Go app (least fun game ever), but are in receipt of the vague 4883C letter, internet tales of woe abound for the unlucky recipients.

Like much involving the Internal Revenue Service, Joe Taxpayer is in the dark about the implications of a 4883C letter (though everyone loves a letter from the IRS), and “Where’s My Refund” seems to be shedding no light on what to expect when you get it — or, more to the point, when you will get your tax refund if you’ve gotten a 4883C letter from the IRS.

IRS reps were unable to shed much light on what triggers a 4883C letter, whether it is random or specific to your submitted tax documents, advising those in receipt to call a tax advocate for more information. And the popular “Where’s My Refund” site — often inundated by taxpayers in general — as well as the IRS2Go app simply informs letter recipients their refunds are “processing.”

One of the bits of information not on the “Where’s My Refund” site but continually mentioned by internet users who got the 4883C letter is that it may relate to a flag for identity theft — but little else is known precisely how to avoid what appears to be a quite lengthy delay.

One site specializing in IRS tax refund “grapevine” info describes the 4883C letter as essentially saying “[w]e will not be able to process your tax return until we hear from you.” This is an important aspect of the 4883C tax return delay, one that “Where’s My Refund” won’t tell you — your refund will be frozen wherever it is until you pick up the phone and call the IRS.

And when you do? Users internet-wide report lengthy hold times as well as occasionally hostile agents and what some have perceived as an interrogation-like experience:

“I received a letter on 2/2 that I would be under review. Then received 4883c on the 18th. I called on the 19th and sat on hold for an hour and 45 minutes, that definitely tried my patience. When the agent finally came on the phone, he was very courteous and asked me questions like, who did I claim on my return this year and who did I claim last year. What was my address on my claim this year and last year… tried to trip me up a couple times. It seemed that he was basically just trying to verify my identity. After these questions he said that was all he needed and everything else looked good. He said to please allow 2-4 weeks for them to finish processing my return but it may be faster than that. I’m still processing as of today.”

Others claim IRS reps are explaining that while “Where’s My Refund” is no help, 4883C recipients should only be waiting an extra 21 days from their original projected return date.

“Ok everyone I just got off the phone with this extremely nice woman from the IRS. She said that she don’t know what everyone else is telling people but the truth of the matter is that it only take 21 days from the time you clear up your 4883c letter to receive your DD. I told her about the things we’ve been getting to and she said that stuff is CRAP. She was really nice sounded like she was from the Brooklyn. I just wanted to let everyone know. I know how upset some of you are as was I. I didn’t want to leave any of you hanging, and I won’t the minute I hear anything else I will definetly post.”

If you checked “Where’s My Refund” but then received a 4883C letter, are you still waiting for your tax refund?