has anyone else noticed the irs is super quick to cash checks but takes forever to process refunds? lol typical government efficiency at work 🙄

Just wanted to share my experience from last year that might help ease your anxiety. I was in almost the exact same situation - freelance web developer who owed about $4,200 and mailed in a paper return with a check. The IRS cashed my check within a week, but I didn't hear anything else for almost 2 months. I was starting to panic thinking something went wrong, but then I got a simple notice in the mail confirming my return was processed and accepted. No issues, no additional payments needed - just confirmation that everything was handled correctly. The key thing I learned is that payment processing and return processing really are separate departments with different timelines. Your check being cashed is actually a positive sign - it means they received your package and the payment amount matched what you indicated you owed. If there were obvious problems with your return, they typically wouldn't process the payment. For peace of mind, you can check "Where's My Refund" on the IRS website even though you're not getting a refund - it will eventually show your return status once it's fully processed.

Has anyone else noticed that the TPG PRODUCTS SBTPG LLC fee has increased this year? Last year it was $39.95 but this year they charged me $44.95! That's a crazy increase for literally the same service.

I went through this exact same situation last year and it was so frustrating! The TPG PRODUCTS SBTPG LLC charge is indeed the refund transfer fee that TurboTax charges when you choose to have their preparation fees deducted from your refund instead of paying upfront. Here's what I learned: TurboTax does disclose this fee during the payment selection process, but it's buried in the fine print and easy to miss when you're rushing through the filing. The fee has gone up over the years - it used to be around $35 but now it's closer to $45. For your current situation, you can try calling TurboTax customer service and explaining that you didn't realize you were agreeing to this additional fee. Some people have had success getting a one-time courtesy refund, especially if you explain that the disclosure wasn't clear to you. For next year, definitely pay the preparation fees directly with a credit card to avoid this charge entirely. The "convenience" of having fees deducted from your refund really isn't worth the extra $40+ they charge. I also started keeping much better track of all the fees during the filing process - it's amazing how they add up when you're not paying attention!

mine switched from still processing to processing after 8 weeks and got my ddd 2 days later! there is hope yall!!

This is such a helpful breakdown! I've been seeing "still processing" for 3 weeks now and was starting to panic. Based on what everyone's sharing here, it sounds like I just need to be patient and maybe check for any letters on my transcript. Really appreciate all the real experiences being shared - way more helpful than the generic IRS website info!

been waiting since February... welcome to the party 😭

I feel your pain! Been there myself and the waiting is brutal. Just to confirm what others said - you definitely won't get your refund before the 846 code shows up. That code literally means "refund issued" so it has to appear first. 3 weeks isn't too bad yet though - the IRS says to allow 21 days for e-filed returns. If you hit the 21 day mark and still nothing, then you can start digging deeper into what might be causing the delay. Hang in there!

Does she provide more than half of her own support? Thats another thing to consider besides just age

Just to add some clarity - the key tests for a qualifying child are: age (under 19 or under 24 if full-time student), relationship (your child), residency (lived with you more than half the year), and support (didn't provide more than half their own support). Sounds like your daughter meets all of these! The December birthday actually works in your favor since she was still 18 on Dec 31st.