I'm with Bank of America and my experience differs from Chime users. For example, my last refund showed a deposit date of April 3rd, 2023, but didn't hit my account until April 5th. This year's refund is showing March 31st like yours, but still nothing in my account. BOA seems to consistently take 1-2 business days longer than the online banks like Chime and Varo.

Great news about your Chime deposit! I'm also a March 31st filer and just checked my account after seeing your post - mine hit this morning too! It's such a relief after weeks of obsessively checking the Where's My Refund tool. I've noticed over the years that Chime and other online banks tend to release these deposits a day or two earlier than traditional banks. My spouse banks with Wells Fargo and theirs usually takes an extra 2-3 days to show up even with the same deposit date. Thanks for sharing the good news - it prompted me to check and made my day!

pro tip: turn on notifications in the chime app. way better than checking manually every 2 seconds (speaking from experience lmao

Mine usually hits around 11am-2pm EST with Chime, but like everyone said it's pretty random. Last year I got one at 6am and another at 8pm same week 🤷‍♂️ The early deposit thing is real though - always get it 3-4 days before the official date

I had this exact situation last month! Here's what I learned: • No codes doesn't always mean no adjustments • Some adjustments happen silently at first • WMR updates AFTER transcripts in most cases • Small adjustments (under $25) sometimes happen without notice • Larger adjustments require a formal notice Anyone else notice that the IRS seems to be processing returns differently this year? My return was accepted February 2nd and I just got my deposit yesterday.

I understand your anxiety about the refund - I'm in a similar boat with my amended return! From what I've learned lurking in this community, the general rule is that no specific hold codes (like TC 570, 971, etc.) on your transcript usually means you're in the clear, but it's not 100% guaranteed. One thing that helped ease my mind was checking both my Account Transcript AND my Record of Account Transcript. Sometimes adjustments show up on one before the other. Also, if you amended paperwork, those typically take 16-20 weeks to process completely, so there's still time for codes to appear. Have you tried calling the Practitioner Priority Service line if you have a PTIN? I've heard it has shorter wait times than the regular taxpayer line. Otherwise, just keep monitoring your transcripts weekly - any major adjustments should show up there first before hitting your refund amount. Fingers crossed we both get our full amounts! 🤞

Quick question for anyone who's done this before - do I need to attach my wife's ITIN application to my actual tax return if I'm filing electronically? Or do I need to mail everything?

I went through this exact situation two years ago when I married my Canadian wife while we were both living in Toronto. Even though I was filing separately and she had zero US income, the IRS absolutely requires you to identify your spouse on your return - you can't leave it blank. The key thing to understand is that when you select "married filing separately" status, the IRS system needs to verify that person exists in their database, which requires either an SSN or ITIN. It's not about tax benefits - it's about identifying who your spouse is for tax purposes. For the W-7 application from abroad, you'll want to use Exception 1(d) as mentioned earlier. The documentation requirements are different when you're overseas - you don't need proof of US entry. Her passport should be sufficient as primary identification. I'd strongly recommend using a Certified Acceptance Agent (CAA) at your nearest US embassy or consulate rather than mailing original documents. They can verify her identity documents on the spot, which is much safer and faster than mailing her passport internationally. One important note: you'll need to paper file your return with the W-7 attached - no e-filing when applying for a first-time ITIN. Plan extra time for processing since everything goes through regular mail.

As someone who works as a tax preparer, PLEASE DO NOT try to claim your girlfriend. Her income is too high anyway, but more importantly, attempting to claim someone who's legally married to someone else is a huge red flag. I've seen the IRS come after people for less. Just file Head of Household with your son as your dependent, take the child tax credit if he qualifies, and leave your girlfriend's tax situation separate.

I'm going through a similar situation with my partner who's been separated for years but not legally divorced. After reading through all these responses, it sounds like your girlfriend's income of $11,000 would disqualify her anyway since the limit for qualifying relatives is around $5,000. Even if her income was lower, the marriage complication makes this risky. I'd definitely recommend following the advice about just filing Head of Household with your son - that's already a significant tax advantage compared to filing single, and you'll get the child tax credit too. If you really want a definitive answer about your specific situation, it might be worth using one of those services mentioned to get through to an actual IRS agent. But honestly, it sounds like the safest and most beneficial approach is to keep things simple and just claim your son while filing HOH. The tax savings from that status change alone should be substantial.