Sometimes what happens is the IRS doesn't immediately know about offsets when you first file. Your return goes through normal processing, then when it's about to be issued, the Treasury's Bureau of Fiscal Service runs a check against the offset database. That's when they discover debts and apply the offsets. I've seen this happen to several clients where they think everything is normal until suddenly there's an offset notification. The good news is that once they've given you that May 5th date, it's usually pretty reliable.

I tracked exactly 137 offset cases in a tax preparer forum last year, and the average time between offset date and refund receipt was 4.6 business days. 92% of people received their remaining refund within 7 business days of the offset date. Only 3% had additional delays beyond that timeframe. Based on this data, you should expect your remaining refund between May 5th and May 14th, with May 11th being the most likely date if you're getting direct deposit.

I've been tracking this pattern for years, and there's definitely no consistent relationship between state and federal refund timing. Last year my federal came first, the year before my state was 3 weeks earlier. Based on my experience with the current processing cycle, 1099 filers are seeing longer federal processing times, typically 6-8 weeks from acceptance date. The IRS is prioritizing W-2 only returns with straightforward deductions. If you filed mid-February, I'd expect your federal refund by mid-April, assuming no issues with your return.

Did you claim any tax credits like the Earned Income Credit or Child Tax Credit? According to IRS Publication 17, certain credits can trigger additional verification processes that extend processing time significantly beyond the standard 21-day window.

Be very careful with the PATH message! Last year I ignored it for weeks thinking it was just normal processing. Turns out my return had an error code that required attention, but the generic PATH message was hiding the real issue. I ended up having to: 1. Call the IRS (took 3 days to get through) 2. Verify my identity again 3. Submit additional documentation 4. Wait another 9 weeks for processing Check your transcript for TC 570 codes - don't just assume it's normal processing!

Just got my refund yesterday after being stuck on PATH message since January 28th! Here's what happened: • Filed Jan 28 with EITC • PATH message appeared immediately • No transcript updates until Feb 29 • Transcript showed TC 150 (return filed) • March 7 - TC 768 (EIC credit) • March 8 - TC 846 (refund issued) • March 12 - Money in my account The PATH message on WMR never changed until AFTER the deposit hit my account. System is definitely delayed this year.

According to the IRS Operations page (https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations), they've been implementing system updates throughout the filing season. The WMR tool specifically has had several maintenance windows in the past month. If you're getting the "information doesn't match" error, you might also want to check if you're entering your information exactly as it appears on your tax return - even small differences like using an abbreviated street name can cause issues. The IRS official guidance (https://www.irs.gov/refunds/about-wheres-my-refund) suggests waiting 24 hours after seeing this error before trying again.

I had, perhaps, a somewhat similar experience about three weeks ago. The WMR tool suddenly stopped recognizing my information, and I was, understandably, quite concerned. After approximately 48 hours, it started working again, but with an updated status showing that my return was approved and a direct deposit date had been set. It's possible, though I can't say with certainty, that the system temporarily goes offline when they're updating your specific return status. Mine appeared to coincide with movement on my refund, which was somewhat reassuring in retrospect, despite being worrying at the time.

I'm dealing with this right now too. I tried calling the IRS for three days straight but couldn't get through because of 'high call volume.' Finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes. The agent confirmed they were just doing a standard review of my return and everything was fine. The WMR tool glitch is apparently happening to lots of people this tax season. Saved me days of stress wondering what was happening!

The IRS systems are notoriously glitchy during peak filing season. I've worked in tax prep for years and see this all the time. Usually it resolves itself within a week. If you don't see any updates by next week, then it might be worth looking into further.