I work in accounting. Just helped a client with this. Michigan is sending these in alphabetical order. First batch: A-F. Second batch: G-L. Third batch: M-R. Final batch: S-Z. Each batch has specific mail dates. July 13-15 for first batch. July 16-19 for second. July 20-22 for third. July 23-26 for final batch. No direct deposit option available. Paper checks only. Keep this in mind for planning.

Heads up MI peeps - these refunds are part of the state surplus distribution program. Not everyone qualifies! You need to have filed a 2023 MI return by April 15th. Eligibility depends on income too. Lots of confusion abt this on FB groups. Don't panic if you don't get one! Check michigan.gov/treasury for official eligibility info. Better to know now than to keep waiting for something that might not come. FWIW the phone agents can confirm if you're on the distribution list.

I might be able to provide some insight, though I'm not an expert by any means. My return was stuck in "preparing" for about 18 days, which was making me pretty nervous since I'm trying to catch up on some bills. From what I understand, the IRS is dealing with staffing shortages and a larger than usual volume of returns this season. When I finally got through to someone on the phone (took several attempts), they explained that my return was selected for a random review - nothing was wrong, just part of their fraud prevention measures. The agent mentioned that many returns are taking the full 21 business days (not calendar days) to process this year, and some are taking even longer. So it's possibly normal, but definitely frustrating when you're counting on that money.

Just wanted to share a positive outcome - I was in exactly your situation three weeks ago! Filed in early March, stuck on "preparing" for 17 days straight. I was checking WMR obsessively every morning. Then suddenly last Tuesday, it jumped straight to "refund approved" and the money was in my account the next day. No explanation for the delay, no interim status updates. My theory is that they batch process certain returns, especially during peak season. So hang in there - sometimes these things resolve themselves without any action needed on your part. The system is definitely backed up right now with the April rush, but it's still working... just slowly.

I've been tracking IRS processing patterns for several years, and here's what I can tell you about your situation: • Early-season filers (Jan 29-Feb 10) are currently seeing 17-23 day processing times • Returns without dependents are processing 30% faster on average • Transcript updates often lag 1-4 days behind actual refund issuance • The WMR tool updates more frequently than transcripts during peak season • Gig worker returns with multiple 1099s but no complex deductions typically fall in the "standard" processing timeline Based on your January 31st filing date, I'd expect your refund to arrive between February 17-24, potentially before your transcript shows any update. This is completely normal and matches the patterns we're seeing this tax season.

Same thing happened to me. Transcript didn't update. Refund showed up anyway. IRS systems don't talk to each other well. Nothing to worry about. Check your bank account daily. That's more reliable than transcripts this time of year.

According to the latest data from the IRS (https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/filing-season-statistics), the average refund this year is about $3,011, and most direct deposits are being issued within 21 days. Credit Karma's advance is essentially a no-fee bridge loan, which is rare in financial products. One thing to consider that hasn't been mentioned: if you're eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit, your refund will be delayed until at least mid-February due to the PATH Act regardless of when you file. In those cases, an advance might make more sense since there's a mandated delay.

Let me share my cautionary tale from 2022. I took the Credit Karma advance, got $1,500 on their card, and then my actual refund was adjusted down by the IRS due to a math error. CK had already given me the advance based on my expected refund, so when the actual refund came in $800 lower, they still took back the full advance amount from what the IRS sent. I ended up owing them the difference, which they eventually wrote off, but it created a big headache. Just remember that if anything changes with your refund amount after you take the advance, it can create complications.

Have you checked if your bank information was entered correctly? I had a similar situation last year where my return went from "processing beyond normal timeframe" to PATH status, but then it got delayed again because my routing number was off by one digit. Did you file with a foreign bank account or a US-based account? Foreign accounts sometimes trigger additional verification steps that can add weeks to processing time. Have you received any notices in the mail from the IRS?

Just went thru this exact thing! Had the "processing beyond normal" msg for like 6 wks, updated to PATH last Thurs, and boom - got my DDD yesterday for next Monday. IRS is def moving faster now that the initial rush is over. FWIW, I'm also an intl filer (expat in Canada) and they always take longer with our returns bc of the extra forms and verifications. Hang tight - you're in the home stretch now!