Tax professional here. There's an important distinction to understand between Refund Anticipation Loans (RALs) and Refund Anticipation Checks (RACs). RALs are typically only available during the filing process, while RACs are essentially bank accounts set up to receive your refund with the tax preparation fees deducted. Neither option is generally available post-filing. If your grandson's return has been accepted and shows a refund is coming, he might consider: 1. Personal loan from a credit union (typically lower interest than tax advances) 2. Family loan (if possible) to be repaid when refund arrives 3. Requesting an advance from employer 4. Negotiating delayed payment with whoever he owes money to I'm slightly worried about the timing though - if his refund is subject to PATH Act verification (for certain credits), it could be delayed until mid-February at earliest.

Let me clarify something about these tax advance loans compared to other options. A typical tax advance loan might charge a "facilitation fee" of $39-89 plus interest rates between 36-199% APR. For a $1,500 advance, that's potentially $150+ in fees for a 3-week loan. By comparison, even a high-interest credit card cash advance (not recommended, but better than tax loans) might be 25-29% APR, which on $1,500 for 3 weeks would be around $30 in interest. A personal loan from a credit union might be 8-15% APR, or less than $15 for the same period. The tax advance loans are designed to prey on desperation and lack of options. There are almost always better alternatives.

Have you checked if your bank processes government deposits differently than regular ones? Some banks make government deposits available immediately while others hold them for a day or two, don't they? And what about weekends - does March 14th fall on a weekend this year? If it does, wouldn't that push your deposit to the following Monday? I'd recommend calling your bank to ask about their specific policies for IRS direct deposits, wouldn't that give you more peace of mind?

I've been through this many times, and here's what I've learned about code 846: • It's 99% reliable as your deposit date • Some banks release funds early (Capital One and Chime often do) • Most major banks deposit exactly on the date shown • Credit unions can vary widely in processing time • If you filed with a tax preparer who takes fees from your refund, add 1-2 days • The "Where's My Refund" tool typically updates to "Approved" status within 24 hours of the 846 code appearing For medical bills, if you absolutely need the money by a certain date, call the medical billing office. Many will hold off on collections if you can prove the refund is coming (screenshot of transcript).

Word of caution from someone who's been there - don't wait until the last minute with this. Back in 2022, I needed my transcript for a student loan application and thought I could just quickly download it. My credit was frozen (which I'd forgotten about), and that blocked the ID.me verification. Had to thaw the credit, wait 24 hours, then try again. By then, I'd missed my deadline and had to pay a late application fee. The transcript system works great when everything aligns, but have a backup plan for your mortgage application just in case.

Isn't it amazing how something that should be simple becomes so complicated? I was in your exact situation last month with a mortgage refinance. After trying the online method and getting stuck in verification loops, I called the dedicated transcript line at 7:00 AM exactly when they opened. Got through in 15 minutes, and the agent faxed my transcript directly to my mortgage broker. Would you believe they received it before I even hung up the phone? Sometimes the old-fashioned method works better than fighting with the online system. Worth trying if you're really in a time crunch.

Compared to my previous returns with EIC, my non-EIC return this year processed dramatically faster. While my EIC returns typically took 25-30 days even after the PATH Act hold lifted, my current return took just 9 days from acceptance to direct deposit. Without code 768, your return bypasses the special compliance review process that EIC returns undergo. It's such a relief not having to deal with that extra waiting period! Your processing should be significantly quicker than the standard 21 days, assuming there are no other review codes on your transcript.

YES! You absolutely will process faster! I'm a tax preparer and I'm seeing non-EIC returns processing in 7-14 days consistently this season while EIC returns are taking 21-30 days minimum. The 21-day guideline is the IRS's way of managing expectations, but without refundable credits, you're on the fast track! So excited for you to get your refund sooner than expected! Just keep checking your transcript for the 846 refund issued code - that's when the money is on its way!

Tbh this happens way more than TT admits. Had a client last yr whose entire Sch C got mangled during upload. Fed accepted it (which was worse!) and we didn't catch it til months later. My advice: always ALWAYS download the final PDF after filing and compare it line by line w/ your actual docs. Waiting for fed rejection is like waiting for a time bomb - just fix it now and save the headache.

Another option worth considering is to file a superseding return rather than an amended return if the April 15 deadline hasn't passed. According to the IRS website (https://www.irs.gov/faqs/irs-procedures/amended-returns/amended-return-frequently-asked-questions), a superseding return completely replaces the original return and is treated as the original filing. This avoids the longer processing time of an amended return and prevents potential penalties for the incorrect information.