Be careful with Republic Bank! I had exactly 3 friends who used them this year, and 2 of them had their deposits delayed by exactly 5 business days with no explanation. Republic claimed they were "verifying the funds" but couldn't explain why it was taking so long. One friend ended up having to file a complaint with the CFPB to get movement. If you don't see your money within 3 days after they take their fees, start making noise immediately!

According to the TaxAct website's FAQs (https://www.taxact.com/support/), if you selected to have your preparation fees deducted from your refund, Republic Bank creates a temporary account to receive your refund, deducts their fees, then forwards the remainder to your designated account. The timing can vary, but most users report 1-3 business days after fee deduction. You can check your refund status through Republic Bank's portal if you saved your login information from when you filed.

According to the IRS website (https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc504), you technically don't need Form 1098 to claim mortgage interest deduction. The form is an information return that lenders are required to send both to you and the IRS. If you don't have it, you can still claim the deduction if you can prove the interest paid. Most mortgage statements show YTD interest paid, especially December statements. Print those out and bring them to your tax preparer. If they still refuse, you might want to try a different preparer or use tax software that doesn't arbitrarily require the actual form.

I remember when I was stationed at Camp Pendleton and had a similar issue with missing tax documents. I figured I'd just file without claiming the mortgage interest deduction and then amend later when I got the form. BIG mistake. The amendment process took almost 8 months, and I ended up missing out on using that refund money when I needed it. If I were you, I'd do everything possible to get that 1098 now, even if it means pushing your preparer to file an extension. The military extension gives you until October, but that doesn't help if you're counting on that refund money sooner.

Ugh, the PATH Act is such a pain but tbh it's pretty predictable. Most ppl w/ dependents + EITC/CTC won't see $$$ until after Feb 15th at the earliest. IRS usually starts releasing those refunds in batches around Feb 18-22. Last yr mine hit DD on Feb 21st even tho I filed Jan 2nd. Don't count on anything before V-day is my advice. WMR will prob update for you around Feb 10-12 if everything's normal.

I think it might be helpful to know that there are actually several factors that could influence your timeline. While the PATH Act is often mentioned, it's not the only consideration. Your filing method (electronic vs. paper), whether there are any discrepancies that require manual review, and even which processing center handles your return could potentially affect timing. I would suggest, perhaps, preparing for a mid-February to early March timeframe, just to be safe.

The Automated Underreporter (AUR) unit handles most discrepancy cases for prior years, and they absolutely can resolve 2019 issues by phone. Form 8822 might be required if your address changed since filing. The Collection Statute Expiration Date (CSED) for 2019 returns isn't until 2026 for most cases, giving you plenty of time to resolve this. Phone contact is definitely more efficient than correspondence for these situations.

Getting through to the IRS about older returns is like trying to find water in a desert - seems impossible until you find the right oasis. I was in a similar boat with my 2018 return last year. After trying for weeks, I finally got through using the Practitioner Priority Service line (866-860-4259) even though I'm not a tax pro. Something about the way their phone system was set up let me get through. It's like finding the secret passage in a maze - might be worth trying if all else fails!

Have you verified whether your transcript shows a Transaction Code 846 with a direct deposit date yet? The cycle code 04 indicates processing day, but TC 846 is the actual refund issuance code that confirms your payment is scheduled. Also, are you seeing any pending transactions in your banking portal? Some financial institutions will show pending IRS deposits 1-2 days before the official date.

I've been tracking my refund timeline for the past three years. Filed on January 31st this year, got cycle code 05 on February 14th, and received my refund on February 21st. Last year when I filed on February 7th, I didn't get my refund until March 17th. The daily cycles definitely seem to process faster in my experience, especially early in the tax season before the bigger rush hits around mid-February.