When your refund has been delayed for weeks or months, the most frustrating part is getting nothing but generic answers from IRS phone agents.
But once your case is accepted by the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS), everything changes—because TAS assigns something the main IRS phone system does not give you:

A Taxpayer Advocate Case Identification Number.

This Case ID is your personal tracking number inside the IRS system, allowing TAS to pull up your file immediately and give you specific, real updates—not the vague messages from the standard call center.

Here is how the Case ID works, how to get one, and how it helps you finally track the progress of your delayed refund.

What Is a TAS Case Identification Number?

Once TAS approves your request for assistance, they create an official case file.
This file is assigned a unique:

Case Identification Number (Case ID)

This number functions like a:

• Tracking code for your refund issue
• Direct reference inside the TAS internal system
• Shortcut that bypasses the standard IRS call center queue

Any TAS employee can use your Case ID to immediately:

• Pull up your file
• Review the history
• Check which IRS department is handling it
• Provide the exact next action date
• Confirm whether the issue is resolved or still pending

This tracking number is the key to getting meaningful updates.

Why You Need a Case ID

If your case has been accepted by TAS, your problem is beyond what the IRS call center can resolve.

Without the Case ID, you would spend weeks hearing the same messages:

• “Your return is still being processed.”
• “Allow 120 days.”
• “We cannot provide additional information at this time.”

With a Case ID, TAS can give you:

• The exact freeze code holding your return
• The IRS department currently working your file
• The date the IRS is scheduled to take the next action
• Any missing documents slowing your refund
• A realistic timeline for release

This is the level of transparency the normal IRS line cannot provide.

When Do You Get a TAS Case ID?

A Case ID is assigned only if TAS accepts your case.
To qualify, you usually must meet one of the following:

✔ Your refund delay is causing economic hardship

Examples: eviction notice, utility shutoff, inability to afford medicine.

✔ Your refund has been delayed far beyond normal timelines

Many TAS offices accept cases when:

• The IRS gives a 120-day review
• A freeze code (570/420) has lasted longer than expected
• A notice was sent but no further action happened
• WMR has been stuck for 60+ days

✔ You received multiple IRS notices with no resolution

If the IRS keeps mailing letters but no progress occurs, TAS often steps in.

Once accepted, TAS issues a Case ID during your intake appointment or by mail.

Where Do You Find Your Case ID?

You can locate your Case ID in one of three places:

1. Your TAS Welcome Letter

The letter from TAS confirming acceptance will include:

• Case ID number
• Your assigned Advocate’s name
• A contact phone number
• Action steps

2. Your TAS Agent’s Email or Voicemail

If TAS reaches out, they often reference the Case ID verbally.

3. Calling TAS and Asking Directly

If you’ve already spoken to TAS in the past, call your local TAS office and request:

“I need my Taxpayer Advocate Case Identification Number so I can track my refund issue.”

They will verify your identity and provide it.

How to Use Your Case ID When Calling

When you call TAS for an update, here’s exactly what to say:

“I have an open case and would like a status update using my Taxpayer Advocate Case Identification Number.”

You will bypass:

• Long explanations
• Generic IRS scripts
• Hold transfers

Instead, the TAS representative will immediately pull up your case.

They can then tell you:

• Whether the IRS has completed its review
• Whether additional documentation is needed
• If a notice was generated
• When the refund is scheduled for release
• Whether a freeze code was lifted (TC 571)
• The next required IRS action date

This is the fastest way to get accurate information on a delayed refund.

Why TAS Updates Are Better Than IRS Call Center Updates

The IRS phone line cannot see internal case notes. TAS can.

The IRS phone line cannot override or intervene. TAS can coordinate with the processing team.

The IRS phone line cannot give specific dates. TAS can view internal timelines.

In short:

IRS Call Center = Surface-level status
TAS Case ID = Full-access file review

This is why getting a TAS Case ID is so valuable.

When to Contact TAS for a Case ID

TAS may accept your case if:

• More than 21 days have passed with no movement
• A 60- or 120-day review has stalled
• You received CP05 or CP05-L with no follow-up
• TC 570 has been on your transcript longer than 8 weeks
• Your identity was verified but your return is still frozen
• Your refund was offset incorrectly
• You are experiencing financial hardship

If TAS accepts you, your refund problem becomes a tracked case—not a forgotten file.

The Taxpayer Advocate Case Identification Number is your personal tracking code for a delayed refund.
Once assigned, it gives you:

• Faster updates
• Direct access to TAS
• Accurate timelines
• Insight into exactly why your refund is delayed
• A clear pathway to resolution

If your refund has stalled and the IRS keeps giving you generic answers, a TAS Case ID is the single most powerful tool you can get.