Don't wait for the letter! Go to irs.gov and make an appointment at your local Taxpayer Assistance Center right now. Call 844-545-5640 to schedule it. Bring your driver's license, Social Security card, and a complete copy of the tax return in question. I've helped three family members through this process this year alone. The appointments are actually quick - usually 15-30 minutes once you're seen. Just make the appointment today because slots fill up fast with tax season ending soon.

I had to do this last year when my return got flagged. Compared to my experience with getting a passport, the ID verification was much more strict about documentation. I brought my driver's license, passport, social security card, birth certificate (overkill but I was paranoid), utility bill, bank statement, and complete tax return with all attachments. The agent was impressed I was so prepared, unlike the person before me who got turned away. The whole verification took about 20 minutes, and my refund was direct deposited exactly 9 days later.

Let me explain how the SBTPG process actually works, since there's a lot of misinformation: Step 1: IRS approves your refund and assigns a DDD (in your case 2/22) Step 2: IRS releases funds to SBTPG (usually midnight of your DDD) Step 3: SBTPG verifies the amount matches what they expected Step 4: SBTPG deducts their fees and TurboTax fees Step 5: SBTPG initiates ACH transfer to your bank/Cash App Step 6: Your bank/Cash App processes the incoming ACH Cash App is typically faster at Step 6 than traditional banks. Some people get lucky and SBTPG processes them a day early, but don't count on it.

Warning from someone who's been through this: Never pay TurboTax fees from your refund if you can avoid it! I paid $39 extra last year for the "privilege" of having SBTPG hold my money for 2 extra days. This year I paid TurboTax directly with a credit card and my refund came straight from IRS to my bank - got it 3 days BEFORE my official DDD! The SBTPG middleman just adds delays and their website never shows accurate info. Check https://igotmyrefund.com/forums for real-time reports from others with your same DDD.

I might be able to provide some insight here. I received a Refund Advantage loan through Pathward just last month, and there was probably about a 36-hour window between when they said they "got it" and when it actually appeared in my account. If I remember correctly, they told me they received it on a Tuesday, but the money didn't show up until early Thursday morning. It seems like their messaging could be clearer about what these dates actually mean, but in my experience, the funds did eventually arrive without any issues.

Based on Pathward's Refund Advance Service Terms (Section 4.3 of their service agreement), "processing notification dates do not guarantee same-day deposit, as final transmission depends on recipient financial institution's processing protocols." I processed over 200 tax returns last year, and approximately 35% of my clients who used Chime with Refund Advantage experienced a 24-hour delay between Pathward's stated processing date and actual deposit. Another 50% saw funds appear within 48 hours, while 15% experienced delays of 3+ business days. The timing appears to be affected by processing volume and the time of day when Pathward initiates the transfer.

The IRS website actually has a page that explains these transcript codes: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-tax-record. The 570 is definitely a hold, but it's often temporary. You can also check the Tax Time Guide on IRS.gov which mentions that many returns this year are being selected for additional review due to identity theft prevention measures. Most of these reviews are resolved automatically without any action needed from you.

Is there possibly a date associated with the 971 code on your transcript? I'm wondering if that might indicate when the notice will be sent or when the issue might be resolved?

This identity verification process is much more streamlined now compared to 2022. Back then, it would take 3-4 months after verification to get a refund. Now most people see movement within 2-3 weeks. Unlike the amended return process, which still takes 6+ months, the identity verification pathway is relatively quick. Similar to how the CP14 notice resolution improved this year, the identity verification process has been optimized as well. If you're coming from a divorce situation like I did, make sure all your personal information matches exactly across all documents.

I got the verification letter in February. Completed it online immediately. Checked WMR daily. Nothing changed for two weeks. Then suddenly updated to approved. Got my direct deposit three days later. Total time was 16 days from verification to deposit. The online process was simple. Took about 10 minutes. Needed my ID and cell phone. Used ID.me system. Much better than calling.

I would recommend they also contact their state tax agency immediately. On January 12th this year, I discovered someone filed federally using my info, and three days later they tried filing a state return too. By February 3rd, I had contacted my state tax department and they flagged my account. When the fraudulent state return came in on February 17th, it was automatically rejected. Your friends should do this by April 15th at the latest, before fraudsters try to hit state taxes too.

This happened to me last filing season and it was terrifying. I kept thinking about how someone had all my personal information. Beyond the tax stuff everyone's mentioned, make sure your friends change ALL their passwords and enable two-factor authentication everywhere. The thieves who got my tax info also tried to access my bank accounts and credit cards. I remember checking my credit report obsessively for months afterward. I'm still a bit nervous every time I get mail from the IRS, wondering if there's more problems coming.

According to IRS Publication 1345 (Rev. 1-2023), when a taxpayer selects a Refund Transfer product, the financial institution must make funds available within 5 business days after receipt from the IRS. Your son has grounds to file a complaint with the CFPB if it exceeds this timeframe. I recommend documenting all communication attempts with SBTG as evidence. Time is critical - file the complaint today at consumerfinance.gov/complaint/.

I was in the same boat last week - DD date of Feb 16 through SBTG and nothing for 8 days! 😂 Called my bank thinking they were holding it, nope! Called the tax place, they just shrugged. Then suddenly on day 9 - BOOM - money appeared! No explanation, no warning, just magically showed up. The whole system feels like playing financial roulette sometimes. Hang in there, it's probably just days away!

Be very careful with this situation. While most people here are saying it's no big deal, I had a family member get turned away from their verification appointment specifically because of an address mismatch. The particular IRS office they went to was extremely strict about documentation matching exactly. They ended up having to rush-update their driver's license, which delayed their refund by over two months. Different IRS offices seem to have different levels of flexibility on this issue. If possible, I would recommend calling ahead to your specific appointment location to confirm their policy rather than assuming it will be fine. The inconsistency in how these policies are applied is incredibly frustrating.

Just had my verification appointment last week with the same issue! I was worried sick about it, but everything went perfectly fine. The agent just asked me when I moved and why my ID hadn't been updated yet. I explained I was waiting until my license renewal date in June to avoid paying for a new one twice. He laughed and said that made perfect sense! I showed him my mortgage statement and a utility bill with my current address, and he was completely satisfied. Isn't it amazing how we build these things up in our minds to be such huge problems? The whole appointment took maybe 15 minutes, and most of that was just waiting for their computer system to update.

I filed 2/20 with TaxSlayer. Got my refund on 3/4 to my Chime account. Exactly the same experience as you. No fees taken out. Simple return with just W-2 income. No credits or deductions beyond standard. Chime always posts early when they get the notification from the federal reserve. Been using them for three years now just for this feature.

Be careful assuming everyone will have the same timeline! Last year I filed on 2/15, used TaxSlayer, had Chime, and still waited 47 days for my refund. Turns out there was an income verification issue that nobody told me about until I called after 6 weeks of waiting. My friend who filed the same day got hers in 2 weeks. The IRS works in mysterious ways, and just because one person gets a quick refund doesn't mean everyone will.

I've tracked SBTPG processing times for exactly 3 years now. 2023: received 2 days early. 2024: received 1 day early. 2025: nothing yet despite DDD being in 48 hours. Their processing window has extended from 24 hours to 72 hours according to their updated terms. This is ridiculous when we need our money on time! I'm skeptical about this whole "early deposit" marketing they do since it seems completely random.

I've been through this process multiple times as a non-resident filer. Here's what's actually happening: 1. The IRS assigns your DDD (02/20/2025) 2. The IRS releases funds to SBTPG 1-3 days before DDD 3. SBTPG deducts any filing fees you authorized 4. SBTPG initiates ACH transfer to your bank 5. Your bank processes the incoming ACH The variation you're seeing year-to-year comes from steps 3-4. SBTPG processes in batches, not individually. Some batches go out morning, some evening. There's no guarantee of early processing despite what some experience. Their terms only promise delivery by the DDD, not before.