Many people are still waiting to receive their federal tax refund

Seventy percent of taxpayers who file individual income taxes get a refund, which averages about $2,800, according to The Washington Post. But the Internal Revenue Service has left many people waiting to receive their money.

The National Taxpayer Advocate, which is the independent consumer watchdog group within the IRS, recently released a report stating that the IRS still had 35 million tax returns to process.

ALSO READ: Here’s why your federal tax refund may be delayed

Jennifer Bemis told Action 9′s Jason Stoogenke that she filed her taxes in February and she’s still waiting on her refund.

“I’m expecting with the stimulus that I didn’t receive, it’s $2,833,” she said. “I’ve pretty much been hogtied in this … I can’t do anything.”

In addition to processing tax returns, the IRS has been busy with stimulus checks, the child tax credit payments that start next week, and other changes. The agency also hasn’t been operating at full strength because of the pandemic.

But the National Taxpayer Advocate states, “Not everyone can afford to be patient.”

What makes it more frustrating is that some people have tried to contact the IRS but they’re unable to talk to a real person at the agency.

The National Taxpayer Advocate found that only 3% of callers were able to reach a customer service representative.

The IRS has defended itself in national news reports stating that it is making progress reviewing returns and that it is receiving a higher volume of calls than ever before. The National Taxpayer Advocate doesn’t argue with those statements, saying that at one point, the IRS was receiving about 1,500 calls per second.

Stoogenke contacted an accountant for advice on how to successfully contact the IRS. CPA Amy Northard offered several tips here, including the best time to call and what options to select when the automated system prompts.

She said there’s no guarantee that you will get through to a live person but if you try it enough times, you should eventually succeed.

(WATCH BELOW: What you need to know about the child tax credit)