FYI - those referrals aren't what most ppl think. They're just internal notes saying you called. They don't actually escalate anything 99% of the time. The 30-day wait is just their way of getting you off the phone. Been there 2x and both times nothing happened till I got a Tax Advocate involved.

I went through this exact process last year. My first referral did nothing, but my second referral actually worked. I learned from the second agent that referrals need specific information to be effective. Make sure they note the reason for your inquiry and any financial hardship in the referral notes.

Thx for the update! FYI - there's a faster way to check than waiting for Fridays. If u have access to ur acct transcript (not just return transcript), u can check daily around 3am EST. That's when the overnight batch processing finishes. I've been tracking this for yrs and it's way more reliable than WMR. Just look for TC150 (return filed) followed by TC570 (hold) and then TC571 (hold released) and finally TC846 (refund issued). Saved me tons of time vs waiting for weekly updates!

Just a heads up for business owners - if you have Schedule C income, the IRS seems to be taking extra time this year. My theory is they're still catching up from the pandemic fraud cases. I filed on February 10th and just got my DDD yesterday - a whopping 86 days later! It's like the IRS is using dial-up internet while the rest of us have fiber, haha. But seriously, if you claimed any business expenses over $5,000, especially home office or vehicle deductions, they seem to be giving those returns an extra look.

I'm wondering if you might have better luck with the Taxpayer Advocate Service instead of the main IRS line? It appears they sometimes can help with refund delays, though they generally prefer cases with financial hardship. Have you perhaps tried checking the transcript by mail request rather than online?

I filed on exactly March 18th this year with a similar situation (new head of household status) and had the same issue with WMR stuck on accepted. Called the IRS at 800-829-0582 ext 652 on April 12th at 7:03am EST, waited 47 minutes, and spoke with an agent who confirmed my return was in manual review due to the filing status change. She released the hold while I was on the phone, and my transcript updated 3 days later. Refund deposited exactly 5 days after that. Don't panic - the 45-day mark is when you should start actively pursuing it, and you're just about there.

I might have a somewhat different approach that's working for me. I filed through TaxAct on February 3rd and was also stuck for weeks. I requested an account transcript rather than just a return transcript, which seemed to show more information. Then I went to my local Taxpayer Assistance Center (had to make an appointment, which took about a week). The in-person agent was actually able to see that there was a discrepancy between my reported 1099-NEC and what the IRS had on file from one client. Probably would have taken months to resolve by mail, but she helped me submit documentation on the spot.

Filed through TurboTax on January 24th and just got my refund yesterday! I was in the same boat as everyone here - transcript showed codes 570/971 since early March with zero movement. I was checking WMR twice a day like a crazy person. Last week my transcript suddenly updated with code 846 (refund issued) and the money appeared in my account yesterday. No explanation for the delay, no letter ever arrived explaining what happened. So there's hope for you all - sometimes they just randomly start moving again!

I'm not entirely convinced the holiday weekend is the only factor here. There might be additional verification processes happening. The IRS has been implementing enhanced fraud detection measures this tax season, which can cause delays even after a DDD is assigned. I'd be careful about assuming it will arrive automatically without further action. Have you received any notices by mail recently? Sometimes they send verification requests that don't show up on your transcript right away.

Just got my deposit this morning! Same situation - 5/30 DDD on Emerald Card. It's like watching water boil - the more you stare at it, the longer it seems to take. The banking system is like a series of tubes with various checkpoints, and holiday weekends create traffic jams in those tubes. Your money is in transit, not lost. The fee deduction from your state refund is actually a great sign - it means everything is set up correctly on their end. I was refreshing my app every hour yesterday, and then boom - 3:17 AM today it appeared!