Be very careful with these access issues. According to IRS Publication 5199, repeated failed access attempts can trigger automated security flags on your account. I experienced this personally and it delayed my refund by 8 weeks while they conducted a review. The IRS has implemented stricter authentication protocols under IRC section 6103 for privacy protection. If you continue having issues, I recommend requesting an Identity Protection PIN for next year's filing to prevent these verification problems.

I went through this exact same frustration two weeks ago! The "access denied" followed by "information doesn't match" is maddening when you know you're entering everything correctly. Here's what finally worked for me: I was using the refund amount from my tax software's summary, but I needed to use the exact amount from line 35a of my actual 1040 form. Even a $1 difference will cause it to fail. Also, double-check that you're not accidentally including your spouse's SSN if you filed jointly - use only the primary filer's SSN. Give it 24 hours between attempts to avoid getting locked out. The system can be finicky but it's usually something small like this!

This situation is like when your GPS recalculates after a wrong turn - it takes a moment but usually gets you there. Unlike last year when rejections almost always meant a paper check, this year I've seen about 60% of cases get successfully redeposited electronically within 5-7 business days. The pending status in TurboTax is actually a good sign compared to if it showed "rejected" or "error." Just make sure you don't have any bank issues like daily deposit limits or account restrictions that might cause a second rejection.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My direct deposit was scheduled for last Friday but never showed up. When I called my bank, they confirmed they never received anything from the IRS. My TurboTax status also switched back to "pending" over the weekend. This is so stressful because I was counting on that money. I've been checking my transcript obsessively but it still just shows the original 846 code with last Friday's date. Has anyone found that calling the IRS directly actually helps speed this up, or do they just tell you to wait? I'm worried about getting stuck in the paper check queue since I really need the funds electronically for automatic bill payments.

Be careful with amended returns. I filed mine last year. No updates for months. Then got a letter. They needed more documentation. Clock started over. Took 8 months total. Keep copies of everything. Check your mail daily. Don't miss their deadlines.

I'm curious, did you file your amendment electronically or by mail? I've heard that might affect processing times, but I'm not entirely sure if that's still true with the current backlog situation.

I had this EXACT same issue last April! My refund amount vanished from WMR and I freaked out. Turned out I had an old state tax debt from 2019 I completely forgot about. After the offset, I still got the remainder of my refund (about $780 out of my original $1,340) deposited exactly 6 days after the amount disappeared from WMR. The offset notice came in the mail about a week after the deposit. So don't panic - you'll likely still get whatever's left after they take what you owe!

As someone new to the US tax system, I can understand how confusing this must be! Based on what everyone's shared here, it does sound like your refund amount disappearing from WMR is likely indicating an offset situation. Since you mentioned this is your first time filing in the US, you might not be aware of all potential debts that could trigger an offset - these can include federal student loans (even from before you became a US taxpayer), unpaid state taxes from any state you've lived in, child support, or other federal debts. I'd recommend calling the Treasury Offset Program at 800-304-3107 as Logan suggested - they can tell you immediately if there's an offset and which agency is claiming the debt. This will give you answers much faster than waiting for the mail notice. Don't worry too much though - as Jade mentioned, you'll likely still receive whatever portion of your refund remains after the offset is applied!

Has anyone had experience with updating EINs with credit card processors like Square or PayPal? That's the part I'm most worried about since they're tied to your bank accounts.

I just went through this exact situation with my bakery business! The stress is real, but it's totally fixable. One thing I'd add to the great advice already given - when you contact your state's Department of Revenue about updating your Retail Merchant Certificate, ask them if they can expedite the process given your opening timeline. Many states have rush processing for situations like this, especially when you can show you have a legitimate business opening date. Also, create a master spreadsheet of everywhere you've used the old EIN (bank, vendors, state registrations, etc.) and systematically work through updating each one. I found it helpful to prioritize by importance - state tax registrations first, then bank accounts, then vendors. Some vendors are more flexible about EIN changes than others. Don't forget to update your business insurance policies too - they often reference your EIN and you want everything to match for coverage purposes. You've got this! Ten days is tight but definitely doable if you tackle it systematically.