To clarify some technical aspects of what's happening: When the IRS initiates an ACH transfer (Automated Clearing House), they include what's called an "effective entry date" in the transaction data. This is essentially an instruction to the receiving financial institution about when to post the funds to your account. While some banks choose to make funds available upon receipt rather than waiting for the effective date (especially credit unions and online banks), others like Pathward strictly adhere to this date. This practice is compliant with NACHA (National Automated Clearing House Association) rules, though consumer-friendly institutions often provide earlier availability as a customer benefit. The IRS generally sends these ACH transfers 1-2 business days before the intended deposit date to ensure timely processing.

I'm dealing with this exact same frustration right now! My transcript shows Pathward received my refund 3 days ago, but they won't release it until 2/28. What's really annoying is that my friend with Chase got her refund yesterday with the same official deposit date. I called Pathward this morning and the rep was polite but firm - they said it's their policy to hold all tax refunds until the exact date regardless of when they receive the funds. She did mention that the funds typically post around 3 AM Eastern on the deposit date, so at least I know when to check my account. Definitely considering switching banks after this experience - this policy feels unnecessarily rigid when other banks are more customer-friendly about early releases.

i swear the irs website is held together with duct tape and prayers lololol

Update: just tried again and it's working now! Seems like the maintenance window is over. For anyone still having issues, try incognito/private browsing mode - sometimes cached login tokens can cause problems even after clearing cookies.

Isn't it interesting how we all have different experiences with the same system? Most credit unions release funds as soon as they receive notification, while traditional banks often hold until the official date. Have you checked if your bank has a specific policy for government deposits? Community wisdom suggests calling your bank directly if the deposit doesn't arrive within 24 hours of your DD date. They can see pending deposits before they post to your account.

Same DD date here (2/22)! I'm with a local credit union and nothing yet as of this morning, but based on what everyone's sharing, it sounds like it could hit anytime between today and Thursday. Really helpful to see the variety of experiences - some getting it exactly on the date, others a day or two later. I'll keep checking throughout the day and update if mine comes through. Thanks for asking this question, @Jayden Reed - was wondering the same thing myself!

Ok, tax preparer here with some ACTUAL facts: 1. No, people checking accounts doesn't "shut down the system" - that's not how banking works 2. The IRS sends refunds in batches throughout the day 3. Banks typically process ACH deposits in batches (usually 3-5 times daily) 4. Weekends and holidays don't count as processing days 5. Some banks place holds on large deposits If your WMR shows sent, it's almost certainly just regular processing delays. If it's been more than 3 business days, call your bank's ACH department specifically (not just regular customer service).

I'm having the exact same issue with Chase! My deposit date was 3/15 and still nothing as of this morning. I called Chase customer service and they said they don't see any pending ACH deposits from the Treasury Department, which is weird because my Where's My Refund tool shows it was sent yesterday. I'm starting to wonder if there's something wrong with my account info or if Chase is just being slow this year. Going to try calling their ACH department directly like someone suggested above. This waiting game is so stressful!

One thing to consider is how long you plan to keep the house before selling. If the probate process takes a while and you expect significant appreciation in your area, you might want to consider selling sooner rather than later to minimize capital gains after the stepped-up basis. We held onto my father's house for almost 2 years after he passed while deciding what to do, and the market in his area went crazy - ended up with about $70k in capital gains we had to pay taxes on because the value increased so much after his death.

I'm going through something very similar with my mother's estate right now. One thing I learned that might help - make sure you document EVERYTHING related to the property's condition and any unique factors that might affect its value at the time of your father's death. When I got my appraisal done, the appraiser asked detailed questions about renovations, the neighborhood market conditions, and even things like whether there were any known issues with the property. Since you mentioned it's been 12 years since the last appraisal, the market dynamics in your area have probably changed significantly. Also, if your father made any improvements or if there were any problems with the house around the time he passed (like needing a new roof or having foundation issues), make sure the appraiser knows about these. They can affect the FMV determination either positively or negatively, and you want the most accurate picture possible for your stepped-up basis. The good news is that stepped-up basis really is designed to help heirs avoid being penalized for appreciation that happened during the original owner's lifetime. Getting that current appraisal is definitely the right move - it protects you and gives you solid documentation if the IRS ever has questions.