While I understand the frustration, there are legitimate reasons for these delays. The IRS is operating under significant constraints with outdated technology systems and staffing shortages. According to the National Taxpayer Advocate's 2023 Annual Report to Congress, the IRS had a backlog of over 3.2 million unprocessed amended returns at one point. The term "referral" in IRS parlance (specifically a Form 911 TAS referral) does have a tracking mechanism, but the 30-day timeline is aspirational rather than guaranteed. Your best option is to request a specific referral to the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) if you're experiencing financial hardship due to the delay.

I'm dealing with something similar - filed my amended return in March 2024 and it's been radio silence since then. The frustrating part is how the messaging keeps changing. First they say "16 weeks," then "no timeline," then you hear about these mysterious "referrals" that may or may not actually exist. What I've learned from this thread is that we're basically stuck in a broken system where outdated technology meets bureaucratic inefficiency. The suggestions about congressional representatives and the Taxpayer Advocate Service seem like the most legitimate routes if you're truly experiencing hardship. Has anyone here actually had success with TAS? I'm wondering if it's worth the effort or if it's just another layer of bureaucracy to navigate.

ugh the irs is such a joke. good luck getting anyone on the phone these days 🙄

I've been through this nightmare before! Here's what finally worked for me: Try calling the IRS Practitioner Priority Service line at 866-860-4259 early in the morning (around 7 AM). Even though it's technically for tax professionals, they sometimes help taxpayers with urgent transcript issues. Also, if you have a local Taxpayer Advocate Service office, they can be a lifesaver for situations like this. They're independent within the IRS and specifically help when normal channels aren't working. Don't give up - transcript errors are more common than you think and they do get resolved eventually!

The IRS has been extra slow this year. I got that same TurboTax email in March, but it took 12 days for the money to actually hit my account. My sister filed around the same time and got hers in 3 days. There's no rhyme or reason to it honestly.

I've been through this exact situation multiple times. The TurboTax email usually means the IRS has accepted your return and approved the refund, but there are still several steps before it hits your account. With direct deposit, you're typically looking at 5-7 business days from that email notification. However, I'd strongly recommend checking your IRS transcript online rather than relying on the WMR tool - it's much more accurate and will show you if there are any holds or issues. You can create an account on IRS.gov to access it. The transcript will have specific codes that tell you exactly where your refund stands in the process. If everything looks clean on your transcript, you should see the money within a week for direct deposit.

Based on tracking responses in this community for exactly 47 days, roughly 65% of people who verify online see transcript updates within 14 days without calling. The remaining 35% needed to call for various reasons - identity verification not properly linking to their account, additional verification requirements, or system glitches. If it's been more than 15 business days since verification, calling is probably your best option. I know it's frustrating, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel for everyone eventually.

I verified online through ID.me on February 28th and my transcript updated on March 14th without needing to call - so about 10 business days. The waiting was nerve-wracking because I kept reading horror stories about people waiting months. What helped me was checking the transcript at the same time each day (Friday mornings around 6 AM) instead of obsessively refreshing throughout the day. One thing I noticed is that my Account Transcript updated first, then my Return Transcript showed up about 2 days later. If you're at the 10-day mark, I'd give it until day 15 before considering calling. The system really does work for most people, it's just agonizingly slow during tax season.

Anybody have recommendations for how to handle expenses when you're doing both freelance and a part-time W-2 job? I'm still at my design agency 20 hrs/week but building up freelance clients too.

Hey Giovanni! Welcome to the freelance tax world - it's definitely overwhelming at first but you'll get the hang of it. A few quick points to add to the great advice already given: Since you're 8 months in and haven't made quarterly payments yet, you'll likely owe a penalty when you file. For 2025, you can avoid penalties by paying 100% of last year's tax liability (110% if your AGI was over $150k) or 90% of this year's liability through quarterly payments. Since you missed the first few quarters, calculate what you should have paid and make a catch-up payment ASAP. One thing I learned the hard way - keep separate business and personal bank accounts even if you're not formally incorporated. It makes tracking income and expenses SO much easier come tax time. Also, consider getting a business credit card for all your freelance expenses - the statements become your expense records. For your monthly income range ($4,800-5,500), you're definitely going to want to bump that savings rate up to at least 30%. Don't forget about state taxes too if you're in a state that has them. And seriously, start tracking EVERYTHING now - mileage, client meals, software subscriptions, even that new ergonomic chair for your home office. The IRS loves documentation, so keep those receipts!