Federal Government: Average Would be a Great Improvement

4 months to process, lucky
I'm not going anywhere

In the coronavirus era everyone must allow extra time to get anything done, which is especially true if one has to deal with the U.S. Government.

One prominent example: taxpayers have been granted an extra three months to file their returns--and I am grateful for the extra time--but the IRS isn't held to a deadline, relaxed or not.

We mailed Mom's paper return in March and have not yet gotten her four-figure refund. (The IRS2Go app says the IRS has not even received her return.)

The passport check cleared on March 18th.

Also in March I sent in my passport renewal application. The renewal was straightforward---no new documents were required except for an updated photo--because the last passport was issued less than 15 years ago.

Today the new passport arrived, four months and three days later. Yes, the safety of employees is paramount, but somehow other public and private organizations are managing to operate safely, with only a moderate diminution in speed. For the Federal Government just being average would be a great improvement.

[Note - June 6, WSJ:

“If you mailed us something, especially in February, it’s gonna be a while,” said Chad Hooper, an IRS worker in Philadelphia and president of the Professional Managers Association, which represents the agency’s supervisors.