I've been tracking these outages for the past 3 tax seasons. The IRS website typically experiences 42% more downtime during the 14 days before and after April 15th compared to other periods. Last year, there were exactly 17 reported major outages between March 1st and April 30th. I understand your frustration - many of us are waiting on refunds that represent significant portions of our annual budget. The system limitations affect millions of taxpayers every year.

It's a server capacity issue. Happens every year. Try different times. Early morning works best. Late night too. Avoid lunch hours. Weekend mornings are worst. System can't handle peak volume. They never upgrade enough.

I researched this extensively when I used TurboTax this year. Here's what happens: • IRS approves your refund • Full refund amount goes to a temporary bank account managed by TurboTax • TurboTax deducts their fees from this account • Remaining balance transfers to your personal account • Process typically takes 1-2 business days after IRS releases funds Worth noting: if you check your bank account frequently, you might see a pending deposit for the full amount briefly before it's replaced with the actual (reduced) amount. This confused me at first!

I tracked this process exactly with my refund this year. The IRS released my $3,247 refund on February 27th at 12:01am. TurboTax received it in their temporary account within 24 hours. They deducted exactly $119.98 ($49.99 for federal filing, $54.99 for state, and $15 for the refund processing option). The remaining $3,127.02 was deposited in my checking account on March 1st at 3:17am. So it took approximately 51 hours from IRS release to my account. I'm a bit concerned about your timeline - if your deposit date is April 3rd and you need the money by April 5th, you might be cutting it close.

I think I can help with this one. I had an 810 code from February until April last year. It was nerve-wracking because I needed that money for car repairs. I finally called the specific IRS identity verification number (not the main line) and they confirmed there was a flag on my account due to unusual investment activity. Since I had started trading stocks for the first time, it triggered a review. Once I verified my identity and confirmed the investments were legitimate, the freeze was lifted within 10 days.

810 codes are serious. Not always identity theft. Could be income verification. Might be investment reporting issues. Check all 1099 forms. Compare against transcript. Look for CP01 notices. Try ID verification online. Call Tax Advocate if desperate. Patience required. System is backlogged.

OMG I'm so relieved to see I'm not the only one!!! My cycle 05 transcript hasn't updated in TWO WEEKS and I've been freaking out!! I literally need this money to pay my car insurance by next Friday or they'll cancel my policy. I've been checking WMR and my transcript like 5 times a day and driving myself crazy. Last year my refund came exactly 21 days after filing but this year it's already been 31 days and NOTHING!

I might be able to provide some possibly helpful information. My cycle 05 transcript usually updates around 3:00 AM Eastern on Fridays, but occasionally it seems to update later in the day on Friday, perhaps around noon or so. I've been tracking this somewhat methodically for the past three tax seasons, and I've noticed that approximately every 4-5 weeks, there seems to be what I'd call a "skip week" where many cycle 05 people don't see updates. It's quite possibly related to internal IRS processing schedules or perhaps system maintenance.

I'm not convinced these services are necessary. If you just filed this week, there's literally nothing that calling the IRS would tell you that you don't already know. Compared to previous years when processing took months, the current IRS systems are much faster. People are too quick to spend money on solutions for problems that don't exist yet.

Think of tax return processing like a restaurant kitchen. Your return is the order that just got placed - it's in the system, but the chef (IRS) hasn't even started cooking yet. The transcript is like the order status board that only updates at certain points in the process. Using services like Claimyr isn't about getting your return processed faster - it's about getting information when you actually need it. When there's a legitimate delay or issue, having direct access to an agent can save weeks of uncertainty. Just because someone just filed doesn't mean they won't need assistance later if things don't progress normally.

I went through this exact situation in February. Filed on 2/1, got the ID verify message on 2/20. I was also newly married and filing jointly for the first time. Here's the step-by-step solution that worked for me: 1. Don't wait for the letter if you're in a hurry. Call the dedicated ID Verification line: 800-830-5084 2. If you can't get through (very likely), try calling right when they open at 7am Eastern 3. When you reach an agent, explain you're calling about the ID verification message on WMR 4. They'll ask for your SSN, name, address, filing status, and verify information from your current and previous year's returns 5. If everything matches, they'll mark your verification as complete while you're on the phone 6. Your WMR status won't update immediately - mine took exactly 8 days to change from "being processed" to showing a direct deposit date 7. From verification to refund was exactly 14 days for me The marriage/filing status change definitely triggers additional verification. It's an anti-fraud measure, not a problem with your return.

Finally got my refund yesterday after the ID verification nightmare! Filed 2/5, got the verify message 2/22, verified 3/15, refund 4/1. The secret to success? I called at 7:01am exactly when they opened. 😂 Still waited 45 minutes, but at least got through. The agent was super helpful and verified me right on the call. For anyone still waiting - hang in there! The system is definitely backed up this year, but they're working through it. One weird thing - my "Where's My Refund" never updated after verification. It stayed on the verification message until the day before the money hit my account. Oh, and my issue was also marriage-related. First time filing jointly, and the agent specifically mentioned that triggers extra verification this year.

Does your WMR tool show the same DDD as your transcript? Sometimes there's a discrepancy between the two systems that could indicate processing delays.

I've had both the Serve card and direct deposit to my credit union. With my credit union, I consistently get the refund 2 days before the DDD. With Serve, it's been exactly on the DDD or occasionally 1 day early. It's similar to how some people with Chime or Cash App get their regular paychecks 2 days early, while traditional banks stick to the official payday. For what it's worth, my brother-in-law who also uses Jackson Hewitt with the Serve card got his refund yesterday when his DDD was set for tomorrow.

Your patience paid off! Tax season is like a marathon, not a sprint. I was in the exact same boat - filed 2/5, stuck on "still processing" until just last week. The IRS system is like an old computer that needs time to warm up - you can't rush it or force it to go faster. I've found that the people who check obsessively (like my husband who checked 5x daily) and those who check once a week (like me) get their refunds at exactly the same time. The system moves at its own pace regardless of our anxiety levels!

For anyone still waiting, the IRS has published some interesting statistics about the current tax season at https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/filing-season-statistics. As of March 29, 2024, they've processed 81.3 million returns but received 88.5 million - meaning about 7.2 million returns are still in the processing pipeline. Average refund amounts are down 3.8% compared to last year. The "Where's My Refund" tool receives approximately 493 million visits per tax season, showing how many people are constantly checking their status.

Offset details appear in transcript. Look for code 898. It shows agency. It shows amount taken. WMR gives general notice. Not specific amounts. Check both sources. Transcript is more reliable. Call TOP hotline for confirmation. Number is 800-304-3107. Have your SSN ready. Automated system works well. No long waits.

Back in 2023, I had a similar concern when I saw my 846 code. In my experience, if there's an offset, your transcript should show both the 846 code (with the amount after the offset) and potentially a 898 code (showing the offset itself). However, sometimes there's a delay between when these codes appear. Have you checked your transcript more than once? I'd recommend checking again in 24-48 hours to see if any additional codes appear. I'm slightly worried that the systems don't always sync perfectly.

Is anyone else skeptical about the reliability of these deposit dates? My transcript showed 846 on February 10th with a DDD of February 15th, but the money didn't actually hit my account until February 22nd. No explanation from IRS or my bank. How can we trust these codes when they're consistently inaccurate? Has anyone else experienced significant delays beyond what's considered "normal"?

I've been tracking my tax refunds meticulously for the past 7 years, and I can tell you that the 846 code is actually extremely reliable in predicting the deposit window. Last year, my deposit came exactly on the date specified. The year before, it was one day early. Back in 2020 during the height of COVID processing delays, it was still only 2 days late despite all the chaos. What most people don't realize is that delays are usually caused by the receiving bank's processing schedule, not the IRS. Some banks (especially credit unions) hold ACH deposits for 24-48 hours as standard policy. I'm genuinely impressed with how consistent the 846 code timing has become in recent years.