I tracked my Tax South refund check using the TPG Taxpayer Portal (sbtpgrefund.com). This is the official website for Santa Barbara Tax Products Group that processes Tax South refunds. My timeline was: IRS approved February 9th, TPG received funds February 13th, check mailed February 15th, delivered February 18th. The check will arrive in a plain white envelope with an Austin, TX return address. The TPG portal will show exact status including when they've mailed your check with the exact amount after fees are deducted.

Think of Tax South's refund process like ordering from a restaurant through a delivery app instead of directly. Your food (refund) first goes to the delivery service (Tax South's bank), they take their cut (fees), then deliver what's left to you (check). Just like delivery can take longer than pickup, this process takes longer than direct deposit from the IRS. Most people see their checks arrive 10-14 days after IRS approval, but it can sometimes stretch to 21 days during peak tax season - like how food delivery takes longer during rush hour.

I'm... not sure if this will help everyone, but I eventually got through by... um... calling their international line instead? I think it might route to the same agents but possibly has less traffic? I waited about 45 minutes but actually spoke to someone. Just be aware that if you don't actually need identity verification and need something else, they might transfer you and you could end up waiting again. Maybe have a backup plan just in case this doesn't work...

Last year I was in the same boat trying to reach them for 2 weeks straight! What finally worked was calling on a Wednesday at exactly 7:01am Eastern. I got through after only a 20-minute wait. The agent told me Wednesdays are typically their lowest volume day. Also, have a copy of your previous year's return handy - they asked me random questions like line 11 from my 2022 return and the exact amount of my state tax refund from 2021. Good luck!

I'd be careful about assuming everything's fine. Here's what I learned the hard way: 1. Check that your verification was actually completed successfully 2. Make sure you verified through the official IRS channel, not a scam site 3. Look for an email confirmation from ID.me if that's what you used 4. Check your spam folder for any IRS communications 5. If it's been more than 9 business days, you might need to call I waited patiently for two weeks only to discover my verification wasn't properly recorded in their system. Had to start over.

I might have some insight on this... I went through verification back in February. In my experience, it took about 9 business days before I saw any movement. I would suggest being patient a little longer, perhaps until this Friday or next Monday. The IRS systems tend to update overnight, so checking first thing in the morning might show changes. I was very concerned when mine didn't update right away too, but it did eventually process correctly.

Last year I filed on March 14th and didn't receive my refund until April 29th. The IRS never notified me of any issues, but when I finally got through to them, they said my return had been selected for a random review. Nothing was wrong with it - just bad luck. This seems to happen more with returns filed during peak periods. The agent told me they have internal quotas for random reviews based on filing date ranges.

Are you checking your transcript or just Where's My Refund? The transcript will show cycle codes that indicate exactly where your return is in processing. Many people don't realize that WMR only updates at certain intervals, while the transcript updates more frequently and contains specific Processing Transaction Codes that explain what's happening. The difference between the two tracking methods is quite significant.

This means your return is in process. Not fully processed yet. System lag. Different databases update at different times. Acceptance just means they received it. Not that they processed it. Keep checking every few days.

The IRS began processing returns on January 29, 2024, and has been experiencing higher than normal volumes. Typically, transcript updates occur on Thursday nights/Friday mornings between 12am-6am EST. If you filed in February, you should see movement within the next cycle date. The "as of" date on your account transcript is often the most telling indicator of when your return will complete processing.

For those still waiting on DDD, check your transcript for TC 570/571 sequence. TC 570 indicates a temporary hold, while TC 571 shows the hold was released. If you see 570 without a subsequent 571, your return is still under review. Many February filers are experiencing TC 570 with a later TC 971 (Notice Issued). According to the Internal Revenue Manual section 21.5.6-4, this pattern typically resolves within 21 days of the 971 date code.

Has anyone tried comparing their "as of" date changes on their account transcript? It's like watching the weather forecast - sometimes it means a storm is coming, sometimes it means absolutely nothing. Anyone seeing their "as of" date jump forward and then actually get their refund shortly after?

I'm not sure two weeks is really enough time to be concerned. The IRS might say 21 days, but that's more of a guideline than a rule. Many returns with investment income get additional scrutiny. Have you considered that your capital gains might have triggered additional verification? Maybe your return is just in a queue waiting to be processed. The system isn't always transparent about these things.

I've seen this happen dozens of times with investment income. Last year, I had a client with significant capital gains whose return didn't show up on transcripts for nearly three weeks. Then it suddenly appeared with all processing steps completed at once. The IRS batches certain types of returns for efficiency. Your timeline isn't unusual at all. Have you checked your Return Transcript specifically? Sometimes that updates before the Account Transcript does.

Louisiana has been doing this a lot more this year. It's not just you. They're targeting independent contractors specifically because of increased fraud in that category. The verification is legitimate but their communication about the process is terrible. Don't expect any updates - it will just suddenly complete one day. Make sure you're checking your status online at least weekly because they won't notify you when it's done.

One thing nobody mentioned yet - if you're verifying business expenses as an independent contractor, make sure you've included your Schedule C from your federal return in what you sent them. I forgot to include mine last year and it delayed my verification by an extra month! 😅 Also, if you used any special credits like the Earned Income Credit or education credits, those tend to trigger verification more often. Good luck! *crosses fingers you get your money before hurricane season preparations start*

One important clarification - when you file the amended return, you'll need to report ALL income again, not just the missing W2. Form 1040-X requires you to show the original amounts, the changes, and the corrected amounts. Processing time for amended returns is currently averaging 16-20 weeks according to the IRS website, though I've seen some processed in as few as 8 weeks.

Think of an amended return like correcting a recipe after you've already started cooking. You don't throw everything out - you just adjust what's needed to fix the dish. I filed an amended return in March 2023 to add a missing 1099. Used TaxAct to e-file it, and the process was pretty straightforward. The software pulled in all my original info, I added the missing form, and it recalculated everything automatically. Got my additional refund direct deposited 14 weeks later.

Congressional inquiry worked for me. Called my rep. Filled out form. Waited 9 days. Got a call. Problem identified. Return processed. Money received 3 days later. Total time: 2 weeks. Much faster than waiting for IRS response. Would do again if needed.

I reached out to my congressman last tax season when my refund was stuck with those mysterious hold codes. It was like being stuck in traffic with no explanation - you can see you're not moving but have no idea why or how long it'll take! Their office was surprisingly helpful, like having a special pass to the express lane. They got me an answer within 10 days when I'd been waiting for 2 months on my own. Has your rep's office given you any timeline for when they might get back to you?