While I understand the skepticism, TurboTax actually uses the IRS's Refund Status API to generate these notifications. The SBTPG (Santa Barbara Tax Products Group) - TurboTax's banking partner - often receives the ACH file from Treasury before it hits your personal bank. This can create a situation where they know it's been released but hasn't completed the full ACH transfer process. The implications here are that your refund is definitely on the way, but final posting time depends on your bank's ACH processing schedule.

I went through this exact scenario last month! My DDD was 1/27, TurboTax sent me that same "tomorrow" email on 1/27, and the money hit my account at 3am on 1/28. The ACH transfer protocol typically processes overnight batches, so what's happening is the IRS initiated the EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) on your DDD, but it's now in the interbank settlement process. I was so relieved when it finally showed up - I'd been checking my account every hour like a madman!

Based on the IRS processing calendar for February 2024, refunds with deposit dates of 2/25 are part of Batch Cycle 20240708. This batch was released to financial institutions on February 23rd but since that's a Friday, most banks won't process until Monday February 26th. I've tracked this pattern for 6 tax seasons, and Navy Federal typically posts Treasury deposits within 48 hours of the batch release date, excluding weekends. You should see your deposit by Tuesday February 27th at the latest.

I've seen numerous cases where people assumed their refund was delayed when it was actually offset to pay past-due federal debts. According to Treasury Regulation §1.6402-3(a)(6)(i), the IRS can reduce your refund to satisfy outstanding tax liabilities, child support, or federal student loans without prior notice. If your refund amount changed or doesn't appear by 2/28, you should request an account transcript to verify if code 898 appears, indicating an offset. Many people don't realize this until weeks of waiting for a deposit that was already redirected.

It might be worth noting that this approach tends to work best for relatively straightforward tax situations. If you have complex issues like foreign income, multiple schedule C businesses, or potentially questionable deductions, they may still require in-person verification in some cases. Also, the success rate seems to vary somewhat by region and office staffing levels. Eastern region offices appear to be processing these verifications more efficiently than some Western region offices, based on what I've observed in various tax forums.

I had a similar situation but with an audit verification rather than identity verification. Compared to your experience, mine was even faster - only took about 12 minutes on the phone. The agent asked for specific line items from my Schedule C and verified my mortgage interest deduction to the penny. This is definitely more efficient than what my brother went through last year - he waited 6 weeks for his verification letter, then another 8 weeks for processing after he responded. Phone verification cut the total time by more than half in my case.

Check your SBTPG account. Not just WMR. Not just transcripts. SBTPG shows when they receive the money. They're the middleman. They take the fees. Then send to Chime. Many people see it there first. Worth checking daily. Might give you peace of mind.

Just got my refund this morning! Filed 2/25 with TT, fees taken out, deposit to Chime. • Filed 2/25 in the evening • WMR showed one bar until 3/10 • Bars disappeared 3/11 • Transcript updated 3/18 with DDD of 3/21 • SBTPG showed "funded" last night • Money in Chime at 4:17am today Hang in there everyone. The system is working, just slowly.

Have you considered opening an account with another bank just for receiving tax refunds? I know it sounds like overkill (like bringing a spare car on a road trip just in case!), but some of my clients maintain accounts at banks known for early deposits specifically for this purpose. Credit unions often process faster than traditional banks, and online banks like Current or Chime advertise 2-day early deposits as a feature. Might be worth it if timing is critical for your business operations.

The r/TruistBank community has a pinned thread about this exact issue. According to multiple reports there, Truist has never released IRS refunds early in the last three tax seasons. The IRS Where's My Refund tool (https://www.irs.gov/refunds) will show the official DDD, but according to community data, Truist customers should always plan for that exact date. Some users reported that deposits sometimes don't appear until late afternoon on the DDD, so don't panic if you don't see it first thing in the morning.