Am looking for a solution where so far I have come up with none. TP is a wealthy individual, always paid income taxes via ES payments and stayed way ahead of liabilities. In 2019 incomes dropped. TP decided to request 1/2 of a large overpayment be refunded. The 2019 tax return was E-filed in June 2020. Its been over a year now and this return is still "In Process". We cannot contact the IRS by phone of course, and the IRS has not contacted us.

To add salt to the wound, TP E-filed 2020 in March 2021. Overpayment on that return is applied to 2021 ES. TP received a letter stating there was an identity issue and the return could not be processed unless TP logged in, set up an account, and obtained a ID verification clearance. TP and I spent hours trying to set up the on line account, and we were unable to as the IRS portal continued to baffle us, and then simply locked up. Next we called in to the number on the letter, and the message stated due to high call volumes for this service the IRS is not taking calls. 

Of course for those of us who have been in the business for decades this is simply outrageous. The only response I have to this situation that makes sense is "WTF!.

I am reaching out to the community to see if anyone has suggestions other than just wait, which is what we are doing now. I have considered contacting the TP Advocate but google searches indicate that would also receive little if any response.

Thank you,

Lance McMahon, CPA