This exact same thing happened to me two years ago! Super frustrating when you're expecting direct deposit and suddenly get switched to a paper check with no clear explanation. From my experience and what I learned after digging into it, the most common reasons are: - Bank account name doesn't exactly match your tax return name (even one letter or punctuation difference can trigger it) - Your bank rejected the deposit for security reasons (large amounts, new account, etc.) - If you used tax software and paid fees from your refund, it creates a temporary bank account that sometimes causes issues - Random IRS system glitches (their systems are notoriously outdated) The waiting game is the worst part - you really can't do anything until their stated timeframe passes. I'd suggest calling your bank to see if they have any record of rejecting an ACH transfer, just to get some peace of mind about what might have happened. At least you know the refund is approved and on its way! Hang in there - the check should hopefully arrive closer to the February 27th date rather than taking the full month some people experience.

This is such a common frustration! I went through the exact same thing last year. The IRS switched my refund from direct deposit to paper check despite having the correct banking information. From what I've learned, there are several reasons this can happen - your bank might have rejected the deposit due to security protocols, there could be a tiny mismatch in your name between your tax return and bank account (even one letter or hyphen can trigger it), or it could just be their ancient computer systems glitching out. The most frustrating part is how the "Where's My Refund" tool gives you basically no useful information about WHY it happened. Just that vague "couldn't be fulfilled" message that tells you nothing. Since you mentioned you used TurboTax and paid fees from your refund, that's very likely the culprit. When you do that, they create a temporary bank account to handle the transaction, and if there's any processing delay, that temporary account gets closed before the IRS tries to deposit your refund. Unfortunately, there's really nothing you can do but wait for the paper check. The good news is your refund is approved and on its way! Most people seem to get their checks within 2-3 weeks of the mail date, so hopefully yours arrives closer to February 27th rather than taking the full month. Just make sure your mailing address is current with USPS in case you need to forward mail.

Just to reinforce what others have said - the official IRS website at irs.gov is absolutely the safest and most reliable source for Form W-9. You should never have to pay anything or provide credit card info for basic tax forms. I've been helping people with tax prep for years and I always tell them to bookmark the IRS forms page directly so they don't accidentally end up on one of those misleading third-party sites that show up in search results. Those sites prey on people who need forms quickly and don't realize the government provides them for free. If you ever have doubts about whether you're on the real IRS site, just check that the URL starts with "https://www.irs.gov" - that's your guarantee you're getting the official form without any hidden fees or data collection schemes.

I just wanted to thank everyone who contributed to this thread! As someone who was completely lost when I first needed to fill out a W-9 for my consulting work, this conversation has been incredibly helpful. I ended up going straight to irs.gov like many of you suggested and was able to download the current form without any hassles. It's frustrating how many scam sites show up when you're just trying to get a basic government form, but the direct approach definitely works. I also appreciated the tips about keeping copies and making sure you have the most recent version - those are things I never would have thought about as a newcomer to freelance work. This community is awesome for sharing real experiences and practical advice!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Filed February 5th with EITC and got 570 code on March 14th and 971 code on March 21st. I've been checking my transcript obsessively every day hoping to see some movement. What really resonates with me is hearing about the 30% increase in reviews this year - that explains why so many PATH filers are dealing with these codes. I was starting to think I made some major error on my return, but it sounds like this is just the new normal for EITC claims. The most frustrating part is not knowing whether they need something from me or if it's something they're handling internally. I haven't received the 971 notice yet either, which seems to be a common theme here. Part of me wants to call the IRS, but based on what others have shared, it sounds like the agents basically tell you the same thing - wait 45-60 days and see what happens. I'm really hoping to see a 571 code appear soon. This refund was supposed to help with some unexpected medical bills, so the delay is causing real financial stress. But reading everyone's experiences here gives me hope that this will eventually resolve itself. Thanks for creating this space where we can all commiserate and share information!

I'm in the exact same situation and feeling so relieved to find this thread! Filed February 12th with EITC and have been seeing 570 code dated March 16th and 971 code dated March 24th. I've been losing sleep over this thinking I did something wrong on my return. Reading about the 30% increase in reviews this year really helps explain what's happening. It's frustrating that we're all essentially guinea pigs for their increased scrutiny, but at least we know it's not personal to our individual returns. What gives me the most hope is hearing from people like @CosmicCrusader who actually got more money back after the review. I keep telling myself that if they were going to deny my EITC completely, they probably wouldn't take this long - they'd just reject it outright. The hardest part is the complete lack of transparency in the process. I wish they would at least update the "Where's My Refund" tool to give us some indication of what stage of review we're in. Instead we're all here trying to decode these cryptic transcript codes like we're breaking some kind of IRS cipher! Has anyone noticed if their account transcripts update at specific times during the week? I've been checking randomly but wondering if there's an optimal time to look for changes.

lol irs making everything complicated as usual 🤡

Just went through this exact situation last year! Your 18-year-old definitely qualifies as a dependent since they're still in high school. The key things are: they lived with you more than half the year (check!), you provide more than half their support (sounds like it), and they're under 19 OR a full-time student under 24. High school senior absolutely counts as a student. You're totally fine to claim all 4 kids!

I'm dealing with code 474 on my transcript right now too, and reading through everyone's experiences here has been really reassuring. It's frustrating when you're waiting for money you need, especially for medical expenses like you mentioned. From what I've gathered from this thread and my own research, the key things to remember are: • This is specifically for Injured Spouse processing - your refund is being manually reviewed to separate what belongs to each spouse • The timeline is typically 11-14 weeks from filing, though some people have reported shorter or longer waits • The IRS won't provide much communication during this time, which is the most stressful part One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned much - if you filed jointly but didn't submit Form 8379 (Injured Spouse Allocation), definitely call the IRS to make sure this code isn't an error. Sometimes returns get flagged incorrectly. Also, since you mentioned medical expenses, you might want to contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service if you're facing financial hardship. They can sometimes help expedite processing in urgent situations, though there's no guarantee. Hang in there - the waiting is brutal but you will get your portion of the refund eventually!

I went through code 474 last year and completely understand your frustration, especially when you're counting on that refund for medical expenses. The waiting period is really tough because there's so little communication from the IRS during the process. Here's what I learned from my experience: • Code 474 means your refund is on hold for Injured Spouse processing - the IRS is manually determining how to split the refund between spouses when there's a debt offset involved • The timeline is typically 11-14 weeks, but I've seen it vary from 8-16 weeks depending on the complexity • Your transcript will update weekly (usually overnight between Sunday-Monday), so checking daily won't show changes • The "Where's My Refund" tool won't be very helpful during this period since your return is in specialized processing A few practical tips: • If you didn't file Form 8379 with your return, call the IRS to verify this isn't an error • Keep records of which income/payments belong to which spouse in case they need documentation • Consider reaching out to the Taxpayer Advocate Service (1-877-777-4778) if your medical expenses create a financial hardship - they may be able to help The lack of updates during this process is maddening, but you will eventually receive your portion of the refund. In my case, it took 13 weeks and I received about 60% of the original refund amount. Hang in there!