I'm concerned about the efficacy of faxing returns to the IRS given their document processing backlog. According to the National Taxpayer Advocate's 2023 Annual Report, the IRS still had approximately 3.1 million unprocessed returns from previous years as of October 2023. The 570/971 combination typically indicates a manual review requirement, which could extend processing time significantly beyond the anecdotal experiences shared here.

While there is certainly a backlog for general processing, the IRS appears to be prioritizing what they call "dependency cases" - where current year refunds are held pending prior year filings. It seems, from most reports, that these are processed somewhat faster than standard late filings, possibly because they already have an open case file. Of course, individual experiences may vary based on complexity and other factors.

Mail theft of tax refund checks has increased by exactly 32% over the last 2 years according to USPS Inspection Service data. However, the average delay between Informed Delivery and actual delivery for government checks is now 8.4 days. I'd recommend waiting exactly 14 calendar days from the Informed Delivery notification before taking action. If nothing arrives by April 5th, call the IRS at 800-829-1040 and be prepared with: 1) The exact date the check was mailed (March 18th), 2) The exact date it appeared in Informed Delivery (March 22nd), 3) Your sister's tax information. The IRS can place a trace on the check and reissue it after verification, which typically takes 6 weeks.

I think you might want to check with neighbors to see if perhaps the mail carrier delivered to the wrong address. It seems like there could possibly be a delivery error rather than theft, especially if your sister hasn't had mail issues before. In some cases, the check might have been accidentally sorted into a different route or could be held at the post office if there was an issue with delivery. It might be worth visiting the local post office in person, as they sometimes have better information than what they provide over the phone.

Did anyone here have their refund amount change after getting these codes? I just got the 570 code yesterday and I'm freaking out because I'm counting on the exact amount I calculated. I claimed education credits and I'm worried they'll disallow them or something. This is my first time filing with education expenses.

I had the exact same sequence in February. Got 570 on Feb 8, then 971 showed up Feb 15. My 846 code with DDD appeared on March 2, so about 2 weeks after the 971. The notice was just telling me they adjusted my refund by $17 (apparently I can't do math 🙃). Refund hit my account exactly on the DDD. Seems like the IRS just likes to keep us on our toes with these little review periods.

Be careful about checking too frequently. According to the IRS website FAQs, transcripts typically update once per week, usually on Friday nights/Saturday mornings. I've been tracking this for several years and found that obsessively checking doesn't make it go faster. In fact, some have reported being temporarily locked out of their accounts for too many login attempts. Best to check once per week, preferably on Saturday mornings when the weekly cycle completes.

OMG I was freaking out about this exact thing last month! After verification, my transcript updated in 7 days - I was so happy I actually cried! The relief was incredible. My husband thought I was crazy but he didn't understand how stressful the waiting game was. Just hang in there - it WILL update, and when it does, the refund usually follows pretty quickly after that. Sending good vibes your way!

Forget the 5-day early access headache - it's rarely worth the trouble. I've been down this road before and found a better solution. Just set up direct deposit with the IRS directly using your actual bank account on your tax return. Then use the Where's My Refund tool on IRS.gov to track the actual refund. No middleman, no hunting through random bank portals, no "is it there yet" anxiety. The "5 days early" thing is just a marketing gimmick that often ends up taking longer than direct deposit anyway. It's like taking a "shortcut" that actually adds an extra stop. Just my two cents (which, unlike your refund, you can actually find).

As of April 11th, TurboTax is still having issues with their refund advance tracking. I spent 3 hours on their customer service line yesterday and finally learned they're using multiple banking partners this year, not just Green Dot. Depending on when you filed and which advance option you selected, you might need to check Credit Karma Money, Green Dot, or their new TurboTax Spending Account. The rep told me they're aware of the confusion and are supposedly sending clarification emails by April 15th. For next year, I'm definitely just doing direct deposit to my regular bank account.

Be careful about counting on state refunds for immediate expenses. NJ is worse than most states I've dealt with. Pennsylvania processed mine in 2 weeks, New York took about 3 weeks, but NJ consistently takes 10-12 weeks. Last year they had a system upgrade that delayed some refunds until June, even for people who filed in February. Better to adjust your expectations and budget accordingly.

The NJ Division of Taxation officially states that e-filed returns take approximately 4 weeks to process, while paper returns take a minimum of 12 weeks. However, these are best-case scenarios. If your return was selected for additional review or if you claimed certain credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit, processing can take significantly longer. The 'in process' status on their Where's My Refund tool simply means they've received your return and it's in the queue for processing - it doesn't indicate where in the process your return actually is.

I've worked with taxpayers in similar situations. Here's what you need to know about audit path selection: • Code 420 indicates selection for examination, but letters are batched and sent in waves • Current IRS correspondence backlog is affecting notification timelines • Student returns are frequently flagged for education credit verification • Moving during an audit requires Form 8822 (Change of Address) • Your 60-day response clock starts when you RECEIVE the letter, not when the 420 code appears • Approximately 35% of education credit audits result in no changes The letter will eventually arrive, but your concern about timing is valid.

Instead of waiting anxiously for a letter that may be delayed, here's an alternative approach you can take right now: 1. Call the IRS main number (1-800-829-1040) first thing in the morning (7am Eastern) 2. Select options for "personal tax questions" 3. When prompted for SSN, don't enter anything (this routes you to a human) 4. Ask the representative to verify your current address on file 5. Request information about any pending correspondence 6. If moving soon, submit Form 8822 online immediately This proactive approach gives you control rather than waiting in uncertainty. As a student, you have enough stress already without tax worries!

Is anyone else noticing that the PATH Act processing seems especially slow this year? I filed on February 12th, got the PATH hold as expected, but I'm still waiting with no updates whatsoever. No letters, no transcript changes, nothing! I'm starting to wonder if there's an unannounced delay affecting everyone or if it's just bad luck for some of us?

Don't assume no letter means you're in the clear. The IRS has been severely understaffed this season, and I've seen cases where review letters were sent 8-10 weeks after filing. Some taxpayers never receive a letter at all until they get a CP05 notice saying their refund is being held pending review. If you filed MFJ for the first time and claimed refundable credits, your return has a higher statistical chance of being pulled for review. Check your transcript weekly and don't count on that refund money until it's actually in your account.

Just got my refund yesterday! Filed MFS with two kids on Feb 20th through TurboTax, so almost exactly your situation. It took exactly 6 weeks and 2 days from acceptance to deposit. Did you claim any credits like Child Tax Credit? That seemed to be what caused my delay based on what the transcript showed. Have you checked your transcript for any codes? My WMR never updated beyond the first bar until suddenly showing approved, but my transcript updated weekly.

I might be able to provide some insight based on what I've gathered from others in similar situations. When filing MFS with dependents, it seems the IRS may be taking approximately 6-8 weeks this season, particularly for returns filed in February. This appears to be longer than the typical processing time, but it's not necessarily an indication that anything is wrong with your return. If you're approaching week 7 without updates, it might be worth checking your tax transcript online if possible, as it sometimes shows processing steps not visible on the WMR tool.

I don't think location actually matters for processing speed. The IRS doesn't prioritize by state - they process returns based on filing method, credits claimed, and verification needs. I verified my identity last year and it took exactly 9 weeks to get my refund, just like they said it would. All these "faster in Texas" claims seem like coincidence rather than actual IRS procedure.

I must respectfully disagree with the previous comment. While the IRS doesn't officially acknowledge regional prioritization, there is substantial evidence suggesting processing variations by service center. The TIGTA report from December 2024 indicated that the Austin Service Center (handling Texas returns) had a 22% faster processing time for post-verification returns compared to the national average. This isn't coincidental - it's related to staffing levels and workload distribution across centers.