Per Internal Revenue Manual 21.5.6.4.7, EITC claims require additional verification procedures before refund issuance. For Tax Year 2023 returns, the IRS implemented enhanced due diligence under IRC §6695(g), requiring income and relationship verification for certain EITC claims. In practical terms, this means approximately 35% of EITC returns are selected for Income Document Matching, which typically adds 14-21 days to processing time. If your return shows code 1242 on your account transcript, you're in this verification queue.

I've claimed EITC for five years straight and this is the longest I've ever waited. Filed January 28th and just got my deposit yesterday! What's interesting is how the system seems completely random - my sister filed a week after me with almost identical circumstances (same employer, similar income, both claim one dependent) and she got her refund two weeks ago. Doesn't the IRS use some kind of automated system? How can two nearly identical returns have such different timelines?

I've been through this twice in the past three years. According to IRS Publication 1345, the transmission acknowledgment should occur within 24 hours, but the reality is that during peak filing periods, this can extend significantly. In my case, both times the returns were eventually processed normally despite the initial delay. No need to resubmit unless explicitly instructed by your tax software provider.

I waited exactly 6 days for my acceptance notification in March. Called my tax preparer on day 4 who confirmed it was transmitted correctly. Got my refund of $3,247 exactly 18 days after the acceptance finally came through. System worked eventually, just slower than expected. Thanks to everyone here who helped me understand what was happening!

If you're really concerned, you could try calling the IRS directly to check on status. But fair warning - I tried calling last week and spent 3 hours on hold before getting disconnected. My friend recommended Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) which got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes. They confirmed my return was just in normal processing queue with no issues. Saved me a ton of stress and wasted time.

Just FYI, the 'accepted' status just means your return passed the initial validation checks (correct SSN, name matches, math adds up, etc). The real processing - where they check your credits, compare to employer records, etc. - happens after that. Based on your codes, you're in normal processing with no obvious issues. Most returns with no complications are processed within 6 weeks max, even during busy season.

I've seen this scenario play out many times, and it's not always as simple as "just wait longer." Last year, my brother had a similar timeline to yours, and it turned out there was a name mismatch between his tax return and Social Security records that he never would have known about if he hadn't called. By the time he resolved it, he'd waited three months compared to what could have been three weeks. Not saying that's your situation, but sometimes these delays indicate an issue that needs addressing rather than just more patience.

According to Internal Revenue Manual 21.4.1, the standard processing time for electronic returns is 21 days, but IRC Section 6402(a) allows for additional review periods when necessary to verify return accuracy. Based on the current processing data from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), approximately 15% of returns filed in late January are experiencing extended processing times due to heightened fraud detection measures implemented this tax season. This is actually a protective measure, not an indication of problems with your specific return.

Filed Feb 19th and nothing yet. Called the IRS yesterday after using Claimyr.com to get through (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) - saved me hours of redial hell. The agent told me my return is still in normal processing and there are no flags or issues. She said they're just backed up and to keep waiting. At least now I know nothing's wrong!

Tax pro here. This tax season has been particularly slow for processing. If you filed electronically on 2/17, you're just now hitting the 5-week mark which is still within normal processing time for 2024, especially if you claimed any refundable credits. Unless you get a specific notice from the IRS, I wouldn't worry yet.