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Be careful assuming everything is fine. I had a similar situation last year and it turned out there was an issue: ⢠My return was accepted on 1/28 ⢠Transcript showed no filing for 6 weeks ⢠WMR just said "still processing" ⢠Eventually received a letter requesting identity verification ⢠Took another 8 weeks after verification to get my refund Not trying to alarm you, but "acceptance" only means the return passed basic validation checks. It doesn't mean everything is proceeding normally. I'd suggest checking WMR daily and watching your mail carefully for any notices. The IRS is notoriously slow at updating their systems to reflect actual status.
Just to provide some hope - I filed on January 23rd (exactly 1 day before you) and had the exact same issue. My transcript showed no record of filing for precisely 32 days. Then on February 24th, everything updated at once and my refund was deposited 6 days later. The system is definitely backed up this year, but as long as you have your acceptance confirmation, you should be fine. For what it's worth, my filing status also changed this year (from HoH to MFJ) and I suspect that triggered additional verification. The transcript lag seems to be affecting exactly 36% of early filers based on the poll in another thread.
Got my AZ refund last wk - $188 for MFJ w/ ~90k income. Fed was $2100+. AZ's flat tax system makes small refunds totally normal. Btw, they're super fast w/ processing - filed 3/15, DD hit 3/29. The ADOR website is actually decent for checking status too.
The Arizona Form 140 instructions specifically state that the average processing time for e-filed returns with direct deposit is 8-12 business days, which aligns with your experience. The state's implementation of the flat tax rate of 2.5% (reduced from 2.98% in 2022) has actually streamlined processing considerably compared to prior years.
Did you have to do anything special to get your refund that quickly? I filed on 3/20 and still waiting... starting to worry something's wrong with my return. Is there a specific status page for Arizona refunds like the Where's My Refund tool for federal? š¬
According to the ADOR website (https://azdor.gov/individual-income-tax-information), Arizona's average refund for 2023 tax year is around $200 for individuals and $250 for joint filers. Your $174 is within normal range. The AZ Department of Revenue has a refund status checker at https://aztaxes.gov/Home/CheckRefund that usually updates within 5-7 days after filing. I'm slightly concerned it might take longer this year since we're getting closer to the April 15 deadline.
I would say that, in my experience, transcript updates typically take around 3-4 weeks during peak filing season, though it might possibly be longer depending on various factors. The IRS seems to prioritize actual return processing over updating their information systems, which is probably a reasonable approach given their limited resources. If you're concerned about your business financing, you might want to contact your lender to see if they'll accept alternative documentation temporarily.
OMG I was literally in the SAME situation last year and it was so stressful! I needed my tax info for a mortgage application! What worked for me was going to my local Taxpayer Assistance Center - I made an appointment online and brought my filing confirmation. They printed a statement confirming my return was in processing which my lender accepted! Might be worth trying if your loan timeline is tight!
According to Internal Revenue Code Section 6402(m) and the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 (PATH Act), the IRS is REQUIRED to delay these refunds, but that doesn't mean you should delay filing. The problem is the IRS's implementation of these requirements creates unnecessary complications. Their systems flag approximately 35% of EIC/CTC returns for manual review even when there are no actual issues. This is inefficient and creates artificial delays beyond what the law requires. I've analyzed the IRS Data Books from 2018-2022, and the audit rate for returns with these credits is 1.4% - but the manual review rate is 25 times higher!
I've been filing with both credits for 7 years now, and I've developed a system that works every time. I gather all my documents by January 20th, double-check everything twice, file electronically the first week of the season, and always get my refund the last week of February. Last year I filed on February 2nd and had my refund on February 28th. The year before, I filed January 29th and got it February 26th. The PATH Act delay is annoying but predictable. Just make sure your information matches what the IRS already has on file to avoid verification delays!
QuantumQuasar
I'm a tattoo artist too. Filed my taxes last year. Got the Child Tax Credit. Claimed my business expenses. Received a nice refund. Used TurboTax Self-Employed. It walked me through everything. Wasn't that complicated. Just needed my 1099s and expense receipts. Definitely worth doing.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
Would your friend possibly qualify for the Earned Income Credit as well? I believe the income thresholds are somewhat higher for those with qualifying children, aren't they?
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Liam Fitzgerald
ā¢I had no idea the income limits were that high! I thought EIC was only for people making under $25,000 exactly. I've been missing out on claiming this for my 4-year-old for the past 2 years! š±
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Amara Nnamani
ā¢While the EITC thresholds appear generous, be aware that phaseout ranges significantly reduce the credit amount at higher income levels. Many self-employed individuals with substantial net earnings may find their actual EITC benefit minimal despite technically qualifying based on AGI parameters.
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