I wanted to share my refund experience with the IRS this morning, because who doesn’t love a good “where is my money?” story?

I filed my return in early February and selected direct deposit. About a month later, I get a letter from the IRS basically saying, “We’re going to mail you a check.” Kewl! The letter said the check was mailed March 2nd and if I didn’t have it by March 30th, to give them a call. Well… March 30th showed up but my check did not. So, I called.

To spare you the full hour-and-a-half episode (which felt like a limited series on Netflix), I spoke with two representatives, and honestly, both were incredibly kind and helpful. The first one did some digging and confirmed a check had been sent on March 2nd. She also mentioned something about the Bureau of Fiscal Services, which sounded important and slightly intimidating. But because I had received a letter on March 9th (because apparently the IRS loves a good sequel), she had to transfer me to someone else.

The second representative cleared things up and told me the refund was not sent to the Bureau of Fiscal Services, so that’s one mystery solved. Instead, my check is officially classified as… “missing.” Not lost. Not delayed. Just… missing. Like a sock in the dryer.

The solution? They’re putting a trace on it, which takes up to six weeks. SIX. WEEKS! So now I wait yet again. If it hasn’t been cashed, they’ll cancel it and reissue it. If it has been cashed, then I get to fill out paperwork and unlock a whole new level of this adventure.

My brain immediately went to “someone has stolen my identity and is living their best life with my refund.” So I checked both my husband’s and my credit reports. Thankfully, everything looked normal. No mystery shopping sprees.

While I still don’t have my money, I feel like I made some progress today. And honestly, huge shoutout to the two IRS employees, they were patient, kind, and way more pleasant than I expected during what has to be their busiest season.

Moral of the story:

If you have an issue with the IRS, don’t be afraid to call them. They’re not nearly as scary as you think… just maybe grab a snack and clear your schedule first.