OK, I'm on board with getting rid of public unions now
I mailed my federal tax return (my circumstances require me to file a paper return) about a week ago, after hours, using one of the Automated Postal Centers -- certified mail, electronic receipt. For the next few days the online tracking system said something like "we have been notified by the APC to expect your shipment for mailing" (this is standard). It was worrisome that it *kept* saying that day after day though.
And today I get an email from the tracking system (I'd requested updates via email) saying "we regret to inform you that we were unable to locate any delivery information in our records regrading your item number [...]" OFFS. Again? The "3 pieces at the same time" mentioned in that linked entry were handled by an employee at the counter, so the problem seems to be at the receiving center (IRS Fresno in this case), not my local post office.
I have received various excuses, in the past and also today, that the IRS centers receive an enormous volume of mail (naturally) and the pieces don't always get scanned properly or some bullshit like that. They also advised me "you can go on the IRS web site and check 'where's my refund?' to see if it got there." Yeah, but you're missing the point. I paid you, the USPS, to provide proof of delivery. If I have to go to the IRS web site to obtain that proof, then the USPS has failed to provide me with a service that I paid the USPS for. I've submitted a complaint and refund request via the web site. They promise a contact in 2-3 days, so I'll see what happens.
Meanwhile the IRS web site says it can take weeks to process a mailed paper return. The best case scenario is that my refund gets direct deposited to my checking account soonish and then obviously I know they received the return.
rcfox, does this happen to you a lot?
UPDATE: "Where's my refund" says they've received my return, yay.
And today I get an email from the tracking system (I'd requested updates via email) saying "we regret to inform you that we were unable to locate any delivery information in our records regrading your item number [...]" OFFS. Again? The "3 pieces at the same time" mentioned in that linked entry were handled by an employee at the counter, so the problem seems to be at the receiving center (IRS Fresno in this case), not my local post office.
I have received various excuses, in the past and also today, that the IRS centers receive an enormous volume of mail (naturally) and the pieces don't always get scanned properly or some bullshit like that. They also advised me "you can go on the IRS web site and check 'where's my refund?' to see if it got there." Yeah, but you're missing the point. I paid you, the USPS, to provide proof of delivery. If I have to go to the IRS web site to obtain that proof, then the USPS has failed to provide me with a service that I paid the USPS for. I've submitted a complaint and refund request via the web site. They promise a contact in 2-3 days, so I'll see what happens.
Meanwhile the IRS web site says it can take weeks to process a mailed paper return. The best case scenario is that my refund gets direct deposited to my checking account soonish and then obviously I know they received the return.
rcfox, does this happen to you a lot?
UPDATE: "Where's my refund" says they've received my return, yay.