The IRS doesn't have an express lane for that so sometimes things take awhile for the IRS to process.

They are way behind on paper and manual processing items.

It's likely their out designing next year's tax software.

Does anyone think that those who used the IRS' system to process their 2023 returns will eventually be required to refile them?  Just a thought.

You could ask "why is the IRS taking too long to process:

Offers in compromise

Refunds

Correspondence

Powers of Attorney

S Elections

etc.

Don't take this the wrong way, but if your clients would have put the money to the side to pay their taxes, as they earned the income, then they wouldn't be in this predicament now, would they?

or if they called your before they did anything you would have advised them to have taxes withheld or make estimated payments. 

I stopped sending the 9465 along with the return, it always takes WAY too long for them to be processed.   I tell the client to wait for the first bill, then they can go into their own personal IRS online account and set up the payment plan.