I had exactly this situation on March 12, 2023. All codes present except 846, with a hold status. Thought it would resolve quickly. Ended up waiting until May 27th before getting my refund. The IRS never sent any explanation, and when I finally reached someone on June 3rd, they said it had been a random verification hold related to education credits. The agent admitted they were overwhelmed with verification cases and many were sitting untouched for weeks. Don't count on this resolving soon without intervention.

I just went through this exact scenario last month. Had all codes but 846, with a hold status for 6 weeks. Called the IRS, got through after multiple attempts, and found out it was stuck in education credit verification. Asked for a taxpayer advocate referral due to financial hardship (needed money for tuition). Got my 846 code 3 days later and refund the following week. Don't just wait - be proactive and specifically request hardship consideration if you need the funds urgently.

The transition from 'No Return Filed' directly to a DDD is actually much more common than you'd think compared to seeing all the intermediate steps. Last year, about 60% of my clients experienced this same pattern. It's like the IRS system doesn't bother updating the status until everything is approved and ready to go. When comparing this to paper filers, they typically see more status updates but wait 8-12 weeks for processing. E-filers often see fewer updates but faster processing. Your 5-week timeline from filing to DDD is actually right in line with this year's average processing time for returns with standard deductions and credits.

I'm feeling your excitement! 💰 When I saw my 846 code appear after weeks of nothing, I literally did a happy dance in my living room! The waiting game is THE WORST part of tax season. One thing I've learned from years of watching these patterns - the deposit timing depends heavily on which bank you use. Credit unions and online banks tend to release funds as soon as the ACH notification comes in (often 1-2 days early). Traditional big banks typically hold until the exact date. Chase and Wells Fargo are notorious for waiting until the exact DDD even when they receive the funds early. Either way, you're almost there! The 846 code is basically the IRS saying "we've approved your money and it's on the way!

If you were accepted on February 11th, 2024, and you're on a weekly cycle, you should expect updates on either March 14th or March 21st based on current processing patterns. I've been tracking multiple tax forums, and returns filed between February 8th-12th with PATH Act credits are just now starting to see movement. The IRS officially began processing PATH Act returns on February 15th, but they work through them in batches. Weekly cycles update Thursday night/Friday morning around 3:00 AM Eastern Time, so check your transcript then.

I was in your exact shoes last tax season! Filed early February, got stuck on PATH, weekly cycle, no WMR movement... the whole frustrating package. My refund finally came exactly 31 days after acceptance. The pattern I've noticed over the years is that the first batch of PATH returns takes the longest, then they speed up. I'm slightly worried about your amended return from last year though - sometimes that can flag your current year return for additional review, especially if it was recently processed.

Used FreeTaxUSA this year. No advance needed. Filed February 12th. Full refund deposited February 21st. No fees. No hassle. No special card required. Just my regular bank account. Couldn't be happier.

If you need your refund quickly, avoid advances completely. They add exactly 5-12 days to processing time in my experience. The "advance" is usually only 25-50% of your expected refund anyway. Better option: file electronically, use direct deposit, and don't claim certain credits that slow processing. I've tracked this for 6 years straight with precise filing dates. Simple returns without advances consistently arrive faster.

I work with tax clients, and here's what typically happens with deposit delays: 1. First, verify your transcript hasn't changed (sometimes a hold gets placed after DDD is issued) 2. Next, understand that the IRS sends payment files to banks in batches, not individually 3. Then, realize that banks process these batches according to their own schedules 4. For Chime specifically, they usually post within 1-3 business days of receiving the file 5. If it's been more than 5 business days since your DDD, then it's time to contact the IRS 6. Remember that weekends don't count as business days for processing Most delays resolve themselves within 5 business days without any action needed.

Just wanted to share a success story! I had the exact same issue with a 2/17 DDD to Chime. After checking the IRS2Go app and https://www.irs.gov/refunds daily with no updates, I finally got my deposit yesterday (2/27). According to what I found on the IRS website (https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions), they consider it on time if it's within 5 business days of the DDD. Hang in there - it's probably coming soon!