UpdatedThu, Jul 1, 2021 at 3:27 pm ET Replies(11) The current IRS backlog consists of 17 million paper tax returns that aren't processed yet, 16 million other returns that require a review, and an additional 2.7 million amended tax returns that are still not processed. (Shutterstock/Mega Pixel) WASHINGTON, DC — The Internal Revenue Service is drowning beneath an unprecedented backlog of nearly 35 million unprocessed tax returns, according to a government watchdog report released this week. The report was issued by National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins, whose office is an independent agency within the IRS, according to Business Insider. So far this year, the IRS has processed 136 million individual income tax returns and issued 96 million refunds totaling $270 billion, the report said. The figures that are in line with 2019 and a typical filing season. You can read the full advocacy report online.