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The AOTC is almost certainly what's causing this. I've been through this three years in a row now. The IRS has been heavily scrutinizing education credits since 2021 after they found widespread errors and fraud. They don't process these returns in strict date order - they batch them by credit type and review status. My tax professional explained that returns with certain credits get sorted into different processing tracks. It's infuriating but unfortunately normal. Last year my return took 63 days to process with AOTC while my partner's basic return (filed same day) took 11 days.
Anyone else remember when the IRS actually processed returns in the order received? Those were the days. I was in your exact situation last year - filed 2/1, had AOTC, and watched as later filers got their refunds. Know when mine finally processed? April 11th. Why? Because they were doing extra verification on the education credit. But here's the good news - once it cleared that verification, the refund came within 4 days. And this year? Filed 2/5, got my refund on 2/14. The difference? No education credits this time.
I filed on February 10th and didn't get my refund until March 2nd despite having a DDD of February 28th on my transcript. Called the IRS on March 1st and they said there was a delay with the banking system. WMR is completely useless this year - it never updated past the first bar for me. My advice: stop checking WMR every 5 minutes like I did and just wait for either your transcript to update or the money to hit your account.
Has anyone tried using the IRS2Go app instead of the website? Last year I found it updated slightly faster than the web version of WMR. Also, I've noticed that checking transcripts after the daily update time (usually around 3-4am EST) gives the most accurate information. My wife and I both filed on the same day (2/11), but her refund came through Chime 3 days before mine did through a traditional bank.
According to IRS Publication 1345 and the PATH Act provisions, returns claiming EITC or ACTC cannot be issued before February 15th of the filing year, regardless of when they were filed. Your state refund timing is consistent with normal state processing, which operates independently of federal refund timelines. Most states do not have equivalent PATH Act restrictions, allowing for faster processing of state returns even when credits are claimed. The federal system is likely still processing your return within their normal 21-day window.
Anyone notice how state refunds seem to be processing faster this year? Is it just me, or have others experienced this too? I wonder if the states have implemented new processing systems while the IRS continues to struggle with their outdated infrastructure. Either way, don't count on your federal refund arriving with the same speed, especially with those credits. The PATH Act delays are real, folks!
Have you tried checking your Account Transcript rather than just the Return Transcript? Sometimes the Account Transcript will show pending actions or TC 570/971 codes that indicate what's happening with your return even when the Return Transcript shows N/A. You can access it through the IRS website under the 'Get Transcript' option.
Has anyone who filed around 2/15 with mortgage interest deductions (like OP) received their refund yet? I'm wondering if there's a specific delay related to Schedule A deductions this year. My return included exactly $12,463 in mortgage interest and I'm still waiting after 58 days.
I think it might be related to first-time homeowner status rather than the Schedule A itself. My situation was similar to yours but this is my 3rd year claiming mortgage interest. Last year my return took 21 days, this year it's been 49 days and counting. When I compare our situations to others on this forum, it seems like new homeowners are facing longer reviews.
Thanks for bringing this up! I've been tracking patterns in the tax subreddits and noticed the same thing. First-time Schedule A filers seem to be getting extra scrutiny this year. Almost like the IRS has some kind of new verification system in place. š My neighbor and I filed the same week - I've had a mortgage for years (processed in 3 weeks), she's a new homeowner (still waiting after 7 weeks).
Jason Brewer
Had 570 code. Had 401k withdrawal. Was verified. Took 31 days. Got full refund. No changes made. Seems common this year. Check transcript weekly. Look for 971 next. Then 571. Good luck.
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Kiara Fisherman
My 570 code had nothing to do w/ 401k stuff. Was because I accidentally entered my W2 info twice (facepalm). IRS caught it, fixed it, adjusted my refund down a bit. Took about 5 wks total. IMO the 570 is just their generic "we need to look at something" code - could be 401k withdrawal, could be something else entirely. My bro had one for his student loan interest deduction last yr. Just how the IRS rolls these days tbh.
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