this is getting rediculous... its MY money and I need it NOW! 😤

I'm in the same situation - filed on 1/25 and still showing "processing" on FTB. Really appreciate the tax professional's insight about the 4-6 week timeline due to fraud prevention. At least now I know it's not just me and there's a legitimate reason for the delay. Hoping we all see some movement soon!

The whole cycle code system is actually pretty organized once you understand it. Here's what you need to know: Weekly cycles (05): - Updates happen Thursday night/Friday morning - Most returns fall into this category - Can check WMR Saturday morning Daily cycles (01-04): - Can update any day - Less common - Usually for amended returns or certain credits Best way to track this is actually using taxr.ai - it reads your transcript and tells you exactly what's happening and when to expect updates. Saved me hours of stress trying to figure this out myself! Also remember - N/A usually means initial processing, nothing to worry about yet. Just keep checking those Friday updates! 🤓

Great info! I've been checking my transcript obsessively since filing 2/15 with cycle code 05. It's reassuring to know there's actually a pattern to when these update. The waiting game is brutal but at least now I know to focus my energy on Friday nights instead of checking every single day like I have been 😅

Hot tip: go to https://irs.gov/refunds and check your status there. It's the most accurate source for refund status. TurboTax estimates are just that - estimates. Your return hasn't been fully processed yet.

Don't panic! This is actually super common this year. The "RETURN NOT PRESENT" message just means your return hasn't been fully processed into their main system yet, even though it was accepted. Think of it like your return is sitting in their inbox but hasn't been filed into the cabinet yet. A few things that might help while you wait: - Check the IRS Where's My Refund tool daily (it updates more frequently than transcripts) - If you claimed EITC or Child Tax Credit, there's an automatic delay until mid-February that can extend processing - The IRS is processing returns in batches, so yours might be in a queue waiting for the next batch run I know it's frustrating when you're counting on that money, but unless you get an actual notice from the IRS saying there's a problem, your refund should come through. Most people in your situation see their transcript update within 2-3 weeks, then get their refund within a week after that. Hang in there - you're definitely not alone in this!

I dealt with this exact same code 6657 penalty situation last year and successfully got it removed! Here's what I learned: **Most important tip**: Request abatement under BOTH "reasonable cause" AND "First Time Penalty Abatement" if you qualify. Many people don't realize you can use both arguments in the same letter. **For your letter, include**: - Clear statement that you're requesting abatement of IRC Section 6657 penalty - Explanation that payment was properly set up through TurboTax with sufficient funds - Bank statement showing available balance on the scheduled payment date - Copy of your TurboTax payment confirmation/screenshot - Statement that the same account worked when you paid manually later **Key phrase to use**: "The payment failure was due to circumstances beyond my control and not due to willful neglect or intentional disregard of tax obligations." **Important**: Send to the correspondence address on your CP14 notice (usually in the upper right corner), NOT the payment address. Use certified mail with return receipt. The whole process took about 45 days for me, and I got the full $235 penalty refunded plus interest. Don't give up - these technical payment failures are often the IRS system's fault, not yours. You have a strong case for abatement!

I went through almost the identical situation last year! The IRS direct debit system definitely has technical glitches that aren't the taxpayer's fault. Here's my step-by-step approach that worked: **For your abatement letter, include these key elements:** - Your personal info (name, SSN, address, tax year 2023) - CP14 notice number and date - Specific request for "abatement of Internal Revenue Code Section 6657 penalty" - Clear explanation that you had sufficient funds and payment was properly set up through TurboTax - Attach bank statement showing available balance on the scheduled payment date - Include TurboTax payment setup confirmation/screenshot - Emphasize that the same account worked when you paid manually afterward **Critical language to use:** Request abatement under "reasonable cause due to circumstances beyond my control" AND mention "First Time Penalty Abatement" if you've had clean compliance for the past 3 years. **Logistics:** Send to the correspondence address on your CP14 (not the payment address), use certified mail with return receipt requested. The fact that your bank account had sufficient funds and the payment worked later strongly supports that this was a system error, not your fault. I got my $190 penalty completely removed in about 6 weeks using this exact approach. Don't pay the penalty upfront unless you're worried about interest - if they approve abatement, you'll avoid the penalty entirely. Good luck! This is definitely worth fighting since it wasn't due to your error.

has anyone actually received their ertc refund yet??? filed 941-x last february and still nothing. getting worried the money will never come at this point :

I can confirm what others have said - your accountant is definitely wrong about claiming ERTC on current year taxes. As a small business owner who went through this process last year, you absolutely must file Form 941-X amendments for each qualifying quarter. I made the mistake of trusting my original CPA's advice (similar to yours) and almost filed incorrectly. The ERTC is specifically tied to payroll taxes from those pandemic quarters, not income taxes. There's no mechanism in the tax code to shift it to current year filing. My advice: find a new accountant who understands ERTC rules properly, or at minimum get a second opinion from someone who specializes in employment tax credits. The penalties for filing incorrectly could be severe, and you don't want to deal with that headache later. The extra paperwork for proper 941-X filings is worth doing it right the first time.