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Anyone else remember when refunds used to take like 7-10 days? Pepperidge Farm remembers... ๐
omg right?? I remember getting my refund in like a week or two consistently for years. Now its like a part time job just trying to track it down.
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Last time I got a refund quickly was 2018. Ever since then its been a minimum 6 week wait even for the simplest returns. The system is completely broken.
19d
I had to wait 11 weeks for mine this year. The most frustrating part was checking "Where's My Refund" every day and seeing the same "Your return is still being processed" message with zero additional info. Felt like screaming into the void.
Just a thought - have you checked with your bank to see if they can tell you about pending deposits? Sometimes they can see it in their system before it posts to your account.
My experience with SBTPG has been so bad this year I'm never using them again. Last year was fine but this time they've held my refund for 9 days now with no explanation.
Same!! This is ridiculous. I'm definitely paying tax prep fees upfront next year.
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This happened to me a few years ago! Turned out my ex-wife had filed before me and used our joint bank account from when we were married. The IRS deposit system got confused and tried to deposit both refunds to the same account, which caused mine to bounce. Had to go through the whole trace process. Check if anyone else might have used your account for their refund?
That's wild! No, it's just my account. No one else would have access or reason to use it.
19d
Try getting your transcript and see if there's a trace already in progress. My refund vanished too, and when I finally reached the IRS I found out they had already started an automatic trace because the bank rejected it. Look for TC 971 with action code 449 - that means a trace is happening.
After 2 months of waiting on my refund and getting nowhere with the IRS automated system, I used claimyr.com to actually reach a human at the IRS. Discovered my return was sitting in limbo due to a simple verification issue. Agent resolved it immediately and I got my refund the next week. Sometimes you just need to talk to an actual person.
I'm honestly shocked by how many ppl think the IRS has the resources to handle the volume they get. They're processing ~2.5 MILLION returns per week with Reagan-era computers and half the staff they need. The fact that anyone gets their refund within 21 days is a miracle.
This. People don't realize how ancient their systems are. They're literally running on COBOL and can't find programmers who know it anymore because it's from the 1960s.
19d
Pro tip: If you really want to know whats happening with your refund, check your account transcript on the IRS website. It will show you exactly where your return is in processing and when your refund is scheduled. The 846 code is the one to look for - that's your refund issuance code and date.
I second this, but understanding transcript codes is like learning a foreign language ๐ฉ
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This is why I started using taxr.ai last year - it translates all those codes into english! Total game changer for me.
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If I had a dollar for every time the tax software refund date was wrong, I'd have enough to pay my taxes! ๐ Only trust the IRS WMR tool date, and even then, add a few days for bank processing time.
anybody had luck with the "Wheres My Refund" tool actually showing accurate info? mine still says processing even tho my transcript has all these codes. useless website tbh
It updated for me right before the money hit my account, not a minute sooner. Completely pointless tool.
19d
figures. why cant they just make ONE system that actually works instead of 12 different broken ones
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I always tell people NOT to file in January/February. The early batches get more scrutiny from the IRS and they're testing their fraud detection systems. I intentionally wait until March to file every year and almost always get my refund within 2 weeks. Early filers are basically beta testers for the IRS systems lol.
this is the real pro tip that no one talks about. early bird does NOT get the worm with the IRS
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Some of us don't have the luxury of waiting when we need that money for bills. Not everyone files early by choice...
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this is why i always adjust my w4 to have just enough withheld. rather owe a small amount than give the irs an interest-free loan they take forever to return
Check the status of your state refund too! sometimes state returns get approved while federal is still processing. at least you might get part of your money sooner.
I remember being confused by this too! Here's what happened to me: 1. Filed with TurboTax in early March 2. Got a $600 advance through Credit Karma a few days later 3. My actual refund was $2800 4. About 3 weeks after filing, the remaining $2200 showed up in my Credit Karma account The advance is just a partial payment of what they expect your refund to be. You'll get the rest when the IRS finishes processing.
This helps a lot! My situation is almost identical. I got about $700 as the advance and my total refund should be around $3200, so I'm still waiting on about $2500. Hopefully it comes soon!
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I had so many problems with the credit karma+turbotax combo that I actually ended up havig to call the IRS. After 2 hours of waiting I gave up and used claimyr.com - within an hour I had an agent on the phone who sorted everything out. The issue was that my refund had been sent but credit karma had the wrong routing info. Once I talked to the agent they fixed it and reissued my refund. Best money I ever spent to avoid wasting an entire day on hold!
It's a service that basically waits on hold with the IRS for you and calls you when they get through to an agent. Saved me hours of frustration. I was about to give up on ever getting my refund figured out.
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These services are lifesavers for real! The IRS phone system is designed to make you give up.
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I checked the Where's My Refund tool this morning at 7:20 (on 5G) and saw an 'Action Required' message that confused me. The message on the IRS website says: "Action Required Please read the following information related to your tax situation. You may need to provide additional information to receive your full refund. We received your tax return and are reviewing it. If we need additional information, we'll mail a notice with further instructions. If you've already received a notice, please follow the instructions. If we determine no additional information is needed, we'll continue to process your refund." In the "Your personal tax information" section, it confirms: Tax Year: 2024 Filing Status: Head of household This is displayed on the Refund Status Results page under Home / Refunds / Refund Status / Results on the sa.www4.irs.gov site. I filed Head of Household for tax year 2024 and submitted about 3 weeks ago. I haven't received any physical mail from the IRS yet. Does anyone know what this "Action Required" message actually means? Do I need to do something now or just wait for a letter? Has anyone else seen this message before receiving an actual notice in the mail? I'm worried because I'm counting on this refund.
The IRS has been randomly selecting returns for manual review the past few years. If you're lucky it's just an ID verify which can be done online. If you're unlucky it's a full audit which can take months. Just wait for the letter and respond promptly.
I experienced this last year. It took 2 weeks to get a letter asking me to verify my identity, then another 3 weeks for them to process it after I verified. The whole thing took about 5-6 weeks total from when I first saw that message until I got my refund. Super annoying but pretty routine these days.
Nia Jackson
This is the worst IRS filing season I can remember. Return took forever to process, transcripts gave no useful info, couldn't reach anyone by phone... until I found claimyr.com. Got through to an agent who explained my refund was delayed because they were verifying some info from my W-2. She pushed it through while I was on the phone with her and my DDD showed up the very next day. Talking to an agent was the only thing that actually fixed my problem.
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CosmicCruiser
Can confirm it works. I was skeptical but desperate after 3 months of waiting. Got through to an agent who fixed my issue on the spot.
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Mateo Hernandez
ok good to know, might try it! been calling the IRS for days with no luck.
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Aisha Khan
Just an FYI to anyone getting state refunds - each state has completely different processing timelines. My federal took 3 weeks but North Carolina state took over 2 months. Some states are quick (California, Illinois seem pretty fast this year) while others are horrible (looking at you, New York and Hawaii with 4+ month waits). Check your state's tax website for their current processing times.
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Ethan Taylor
Colorado is taking FOREVER this year too. Still waiting since March ๐
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