I made the mistake of assuming a status change wouldn't affect processing time last year. Changed from HOH to MFJ and my refund took 78 days instead of the usual 14. The IRS verification system has specific triggers for life changes that require manual review in many cases. The system flags address changes combined with status changes as potential indicators of identity verification needs. I would strongly suggest pulling your full tax transcript (not just the account transcript) to check for TC 570 or 971 codes which indicate specific holds. The 0605 alone doesn't tell the whole story.

The community wisdom on this is pretty clear - status changes + address changes often = delays. But there's a silver lining: these verification delays usually don't result in audits or problems, just slower processing. Most people in your situation report receiving their refunds eventually without any action needed. The consensus seems to be that if you're past 45 days, it's worth trying to contact the IRS, but before that, it's normal processing for your specific situation. Hang in there - almost everyone gets their refund by early April even with these delays.

After three days of portal-checking hell, my July payment magically appeared this morning! It's like watching water boil - the moment you stop obsessively checking, it happens. The IRS systems are like an old car with a finicky starter - sometimes it roars to life immediately, other times you have to sweet-talk it and cross your fingers. Check your bank account directly rather than trusting the portal - mine showed up there first.

Just a heads up - I've seen a few cases where people who changed banking info recently had their July payment sent as a paper check instead of DD, even though the portal didn't indicate this change. Happened to my neighbor who updated her bank info in June. The portal showed nothing processing, but a paper check showed up in her mailbox about a week after the usual payment date. Might be worth checking your mailbox regularly just in case.

I successfully resolved almost this EXACT situation last year! Here's what worked for me: • Called the IRS amendment-specific hotline (866-464-2050) instead of the general number • Asked specifically for a "rejection explanation code" for the amendment • Requested to speak with an amendment processing specialist • Cited Publication 501 page 4 which explicitly states marital status is determined on December 31st • Requested a formal reconsideration with supervisor review The key was getting to someone who actually worked in the amendments department. The general call center folks often don't have the training or system access to properly handle amendment issues. I went from a flat rejection to getting our full refund plus interest within 60 days. Don't give up - you are 100% correct on the tax law here!

I feel I should perhaps warn you that amendment processing is, unfortunately, somewhat of a disaster currently at the IRS. My brother-in-law, who is possibly in a similar situation, filed an amended return in early 2023 and is still waiting for resolution. The IRS seems to be prioritizing original returns over amendments, which might explain why they quickly resolved the HSA issue but not the filing status change. You might want to consider that, if you file a new amendment now, you could potentially be looking at another 12+ month wait. It might be worth weighing whether the additional refund amount justifies the continued effort and waiting period. Sometimes, as frustrating as it is, accepting the current outcome and moving forward is the most practical approach.

Did you file with any credits like Child Tax Credit or Earned Income Credit? Those automatically go through additional verification that delays processing. Also, have you checked whether Credit Karma actually transmitted your return successfully? Sometimes there can be transmission errors that aren't immediately apparent.

Be careful about checking WMR too frequently! Last year I checked multiple times daily and my account got temporarily locked for "security reasons." Had to wait 24 hours to try again, and then had to verify my identity which added another 2 weeks to my processing time. The system flags frequent logins as potential unauthorized access attempts. The irony is that my obsessive checking actually CAUSED the delay I was worried about! 😭

I had this exact situation on February 17th, 2024. My Child Tax Credit payment was supposed to be direct deposited like always but suddenly switched to a mailed check. I had moved on January 28th, 2024. The check went to my old address, and even though I had mail forwarding set up on January 30th, 2024, the check was returned to the IRS instead of being forwarded to me. It took until April 3rd, 2024 to get the payment reissued to my new address. The IRS told me on March 15th that certain government payments have special handling instructions that can override normal forwarding. I'm still waiting for my March payment too.

I went through this last summer and found that checking the IRS website FAQ section (https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-topic-e-advancing-child-tax-credit-payments) actually had good information. According to their guidelines, USPS should forward your check, but there's a specific process. What worked for me was calling the IRS Child Tax Credit hotline directly (different than the main IRS line) and explaining my situation. The representative was able to place a hold on my paper check and redirect it to my new address. I also filed Form 8822 for change of address online through my IRS account portal which helped with future payments.