I'm not convinced the PATH Act is even working as intended anymore. Seems like it just delays EVERYONE's refunds with these credits rather than actually stopping fraud. My friend filed with just standard deductions (no EIC) and got her refund in 8 days, while I'm still waiting after 6 weeks. 🙄 Is this really stopping fraud or just punishing people who qualify for EIC?

The PATH Act specifically targets EITC, CTC, and AOTC claims due to historically high improper payment rates. According to Treasury Inspector General data, approximately 25% of EITC payments were improper before PATH implementation. The mandated verification period allows for cross-referencing of W-2 and 1099 data against claimed credits. While frustrating for legitimate claimants, the hold period is a procedural necessity within the IRS's Refund Fraud Assessment System (RFAS) and Return Review Program (RRP) frameworks.

Before panicking about identity verification, try checking your tax transcript! Back in 2022, I had the same PATH message, but my transcript showed cycle codes that indicated normal processing. The WMR tool is notoriously vague compared to what your actual transcript shows. Look for codes 570/971 which might indicate an actual issue, versus just seeing the standard PATH delay codes. If you filed early in the season, you're probably just in the standard queue that started moving after February 15th.

I filed on January 29th this year. Got PATH message immediately. Stayed that way until March 2nd. Then it changed to approved. Got my deposit on March 7th. No verification needed. The PATH message is normal. It's just frustrating. The IRS won't even look at returns with certain credits until February 15th. Then they process in order received. Your date matters.

Based on my experience helping others in this community, here's what I've observed: - 78% of e-filed returns show on transcripts within 21 days - Another 15% appear between days 22-35 - The remaining 7% can take 36+ days, especially during peak season Since you filed on March 12, you're currently at day 21. I'd give it another 7-10 days before getting concerned. The fact that WMR shows "Return Received" is a good sign - the systems just haven't synced up yet. I understand the anxiety of waiting, especially when planning finances.

Mine took 25 days. Filed February 5. Transcript updated March 2. Refund deposited March 5. No issues with return. Normal processing time. Don't worry yet. Check weekly not daily.

I believe I may have figured this out after experiencing it myself. The TurboTax advance approval and IRS processing are completely separate systems. What's probably happening is: 1. Your return was accepted by the IRS (transmission successful) 2. TurboTax's bank partner approved your advance based on their criteria 3. Your return is likely in the IRS processing queue but hasn't been assigned to a processing batch yet I would suggest checking your transcript weekly rather than daily. In my experience, it might not show any updates for 3-4 weeks, then suddenly update with everything at once. Unless you receive a specific notice from the IRS, this is most likely just normal processing delays during peak season.

I'm sort of in a similar situation, I think? I was approved for the advance but only received about half of what they estimated. My transcript finally updated yesterday after about 35 days of waiting, and it looks like they might be making some adjustments to my return. Maybe check if you qualified for the full advance amount? Sometimes if there's an issue with certain credits, it could possibly delay processing, but I'm not entirely sure if that's always the case.

I'm skeptical of anyone saying there's a consistent timeline for paper returns this year. Have you checked if your local Taxpayer Assistance Center is taking appointments? When did you mail it exactly? What forms did you include? Some paper returns are taking 12+ weeks this season, especially with the staffing issues the IRS is still facing. I always recommend e-filing whenever possible for this exact reason.

Paper returns are absolutely the slowest option. Period. The IRS is still digging out from their pandemic backlog. Most paper returns are taking 8-12 weeks minimum before they even show up in the system. Certified mail only proves they received it - doesn't speed up processing at all. You should be checking your account transcript, not your return transcript. The account transcript will update first. Don't waste time calling until it's been at least 8 weeks.