Have you tried contacting TurboTax directly about this instead of SBTPG? Sometimes TurboTax can see information about your refund that isn't showing up on SBTPG's system yet. Also, did you check if your bank account information is correct in your TurboTax account? Sometimes the issue is that SBTPG has your information but there's a mismatch with what you're entering on their website.

I went through this exact same thing when I filed my taxes last month! SBTPG's system is honestly terrible at updating in real-time. Here's what I learned from my experience: The SBTPG website often doesn't show your account information until AFTER they've already processed and sent your refund. It's backwards, I know! What helped me was checking the IRS "Where's My Refund" tool first - if that shows your refund has been approved and sent to a bank product, then SBTPG definitely has it even if their site says otherwise. Also, make sure you're entering your information exactly as it appears on your tax return (SSN, refund amount, etc.). Sometimes even small differences in how you format numbers can cause their system to not find your account. Don't panic - from what I've seen in this community, the money usually shows up in your bank account within the 5-day timeframe even when SBTPG's tracking is completely unhelpful. Their processing system works better than their customer-facing website!

This is an incredibly serious situation that your sister and her coworkers are facing. What happened to them is absolutely illegal - employers are federally mandated to withhold income taxes, Social Security, and Medicare taxes from employee paychecks, period. There's no legal way around this requirement. The fact that this happened right after switching to direct deposit and affected multiple employees suggests either a major payroll system configuration error or gross negligence. Either way, the company has violated federal employment tax laws and could face severe penalties from the IRS. Here's what they need to do immediately: **Preserve all evidence** - Collect every paystub, direct deposit notification, W-4 form, and any communication about the payroll system changes. This documentation will be essential for IRS penalty relief and potential legal remedies. **File returns on time** - Even without ability to pay, filing prevents much harsher failure-to-file penalties. The IRS distinguishes between filing late and paying late. **Act as a unified group** - Multiple affected employees approaching management together has far more impact than individual complaints. The company can't easily dismiss or minimize this when it's affecting their entire workforce. **Demand immediate remediation** - The company must fix withholding going forward AND should provide financial assistance for the tax burden they created. Some employers offer emergency advances or bonuses in these situations. **File official complaints** - Report this to both the IRS and Department of Labor. The company faces substantial penalties for employment tax violations, giving them strong motivation to cooperate. **Pursue penalty relief** - With proper documentation showing employer error, they have an excellent case for IRS penalty abatement under "reasonable cause" provisions. This isn't a simple mistake - it's a serious violation that's causing real financial hardship. The company needs to take full responsibility and help make this right.

This is absolutely outrageous and your sister needs to take action immediately. As everyone has mentioned, employers are legally required to withhold taxes - there's no gray area here. What really bothers me about this situation is that the company let this go on for MONTHS without anyone in payroll or management noticing. That's not just a mistake, that's gross negligence. Your sister and her coworkers should definitely band together on this. When multiple employees owe $7k-$15k each because of the company's screw-up, that's a collective problem that needs a collective response. The company should be scrambling to help these employees, not leaving them to figure it out on their own. I'd also suggest they document any conversations they have with management going forward. If the company tries to downplay this or shift blame to the employees somehow, having written records of what was said could be really important later. This kind of payroll violation can have serious consequences for the business, so they have strong leverage if they work together. The IRS payment plans others mentioned are definitely the way to go for the immediate tax problem, but the company should absolutely be helping with this situation they created. Don't let them off the hook easily!

FYI - there's another issue ppl aren't mentioning. SBTPG sometimes has a diff processing date than the IRS. My WMR showed approved on 4/2 but SBTPG didn't receive it til 4/4. Then they take 1-2 biz days to process. So even if you get the right amt entered, the status might not show anything if you check too early. Also, if you paid for audit defense or any other add-ons, those fees get taken out too, not just the prep fees.

I went through this exact same frustration last month! You definitely need to use the full $3,247.00 amount (before fees). The SBTPG system matches against what the IRS originally approved, not what you'll actually receive. A few tips that helped me get through: make sure you're entering your SSN exactly as it appears on your return (with or without dashes - try both ways), and double-check that you're using the same ZIP code. Their system times out frequently too, so if you get an error, wait about 10 minutes before trying again. Also, since it's been 16 days and your IRS status shows approved, SBTPG should definitely have received it by now - their processing usually only takes 1-2 business days once they get it from the IRS.

I work at a local library and we often help people with genealogy research that involves finding old records. A few additional resources that might help: 1. The National Archives (NARA) sometimes has employment records from federal agencies or contractors that worked on government projects in the 1970s. If your father worked for any federal agency or major defense contractor, they might have personnel records. 2. Many universities keep alumni records going back decades. If your father attended any college or university during that time period, their registrar's office might have enrollment records showing his address. 3. Old phone directories are often archived at local libraries and historical societies. These can show residence addresses by year and are sometimes available online through sites like Ancestry.com. 4. If your father served in the military at any point, his DD-214 discharge papers or military personnel records might reference his civilian address during the 1970s. The combination of Social Security earnings records plus one of these other sources usually provides sufficient proof of residency for most applications. Good luck with your search!

Just wanted to add another resource that helped me in a similar situation - old bank records! If your father had a checking or savings account during that time period, some banks (especially credit unions) keep customer records going back decades. I was able to get statements from a credit union that showed my mother's address and regular deposits from 1976-1978, which proved both residency and employment. You'll need to contact the bank directly and may need to provide a death certificate or power of attorney if you're requesting records for someone else. Some banks charge a fee for historical records research, but it's usually much less expensive than some of the specialized services mentioned here. Also, don't overlook old insurance records - homeowner's, renter's, or auto insurance policies from that era would definitely establish residency. If you know what insurance company your dad used, their records department might be able to help.

I've been with Navy Federal for about 5 years now and they've consistently released my tax refunds early - usually 24-48 hours before the IRS direct deposit date. What I really appreciate is that they don't hold your money once they receive the ACH file from the IRS. Since you mentioned caring for your mom, I completely understand needing to plan finances down to the day. My suggestion would be to set up mobile alerts in their app so you get instant notifications when deposits hit. Also, definitely check your IRS account transcript rather than just relying on Where's My Refund - the transcript gives you the actual direct deposit date which is usually more accurate. Navy Federal has been super reliable about this in my experience, but I always budget assuming the money will arrive on the official IRS date just to be safe. The early deposit is a nice bonus when it happens, but don't count on it for critical timing. Hope this helps with your caregiving financial planning!

I just joined Navy Federal a few months ago and had my first tax refund experience with them this season. My refund hit my account exactly 1.5 days before the IRS direct deposit date - it showed up on Thursday morning when the IRS said Friday. What really impressed me was that I could see it as a pending deposit in their mobile app about 12 hours before it actually posted, which was super helpful for planning. Since you're managing your mom's care and need precise timing, I'd definitely recommend setting up their mobile alerts and also checking your IRS account transcript for the most accurate date (it's usually more reliable than Where's My Refund). Navy Federal seems to genuinely release funds as soon as they process the ACH file rather than holding it unnecessarily. Just budget for the official IRS date to be safe, but you'll likely get that helpful early access. The transparency in their app really takes the guesswork out of the waiting game!