Tax pro here! Let me break down what's happening with your "5 days sooner" option (which is what we in the industry call a Refund Anticipation Loan or RAL): 1. Your actual IRS refund is still scheduled for 2/26 - that hasn't changed 2. Your tax preparer's bank partner is fronting you the money now 3. When the IRS releases your refund on 2/26, it goes to them, not you 4. They keep the refund as repayment for the advance they gave you The "fee" you paid is essentially interest on a very short-term loan. It's like paying the pizza guy to run a red light to get your pepperoni there 5 minutes sooner... except the pizza place charges you $20 for the privilege! 😂 Check your account today - you should see the deposit already there or coming very soon.

I believe I may have some insight into your situation... I also used the early refund option last year. From what I understand, the money should appear in your account within 1-2 business days from when you received notification, possibly even today. The tax preparation company essentially provides a short-term loan against your expected refund, and they collect their fee from the total amount. When the IRS processes your actual refund on 2/26, that money goes to the tax preparer to cover the advance they gave you. I would suggest checking your account periodically throughout the day.

When did you file? What filing method? Any credits claimed? Foreign income? These details matter.

It's like being the only house on the block with no Christmas lights while everyone else is fully decorated! I filed on February 3rd and had ZERO transcript activity until March 22nd - felt like I was in the IRS witness protection program or something. Then suddenly everything appeared at once and my refund was deposited 5 days later. The silence doesn't necessarily mean something's wrong - sometimes you're just in a different processing lane.

Just to clarify a common misconception: The DDD (Direct Deposit Date) shown on your transcript with code 846 is the date the IRS releases funds to your financial institution, not necessarily when you'll see it in your account. Financial institutions like Intuit with the Turbo Card often process these payments early as a customer benefit, but they're not required to. The PATH Act requires the IRS to hold EITC/ACTC refunds until February 15th, but once released, the standard ACH processing window is 1-3 business days.

Be careful with those prepaid cards. According to multiple posts on r/tax and the IRS subreddit, some people have had their accounts temporarily frozen when large deposits hit. The anti-fraud systems can sometimes flag tax refunds as suspicious transactions. I'd recommend checking your Turbo Card app daily and having their customer service number handy just in case. Nothing worse than seeing your money is there but not being able to access it.

According to IRS Publication 1345 (Handbook for Authorized e-File Providers), refund anticipation check (RAC) providers like SBTPG must adhere to specific timing requirements when processing tax refunds. They are permitted to hold funds for verification purposes to prevent fraud, which is why they typically wait until the day before the official Direct Deposit Date to release funds. The IRS actually encourages taxpayers to file Form 14157 (Complaint: Tax Return Preparer) if they believe a RAC provider is unnecessarily delaying refund disbursement beyond these guidelines. However, the one-day hold before DDD is considered standard practice and within regulatory compliance.

Pro tip from someone who's been thru this many times: next yr just pay the TT fees upfront w/ a CC and avoid SBTPG completely. The $39 or whatever for deluxe isn't worth the extra wait IMO. Also check out the SBTPG FB group - ppl post when deposits start hitting and you can get a better idea of timing. GL w/ your biz inventory!

Has anyone noticed if using TurboTax with SBTPG is slower than filing directly with the IRS and getting your refund sent straight to your bank? This is my third year using TT but first time having the fees taken out of my refund. Wondering if that's why it seems to be taking longer compared to previous years?

Success! Just checked my account and my refund landed exactly 28 hours after my SBTPG status changed to funded. I have a DDD of 3/24, didn't pay for early deposit, and used a regional credit union. The refund amount was exactly $4,378.23 after TT took their $89.99 fee. Worth checking your SBTPG account - mine updated before my bank showed any pending deposits.