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I'm in exactly the same situation and getting really anxious! According to Internal Revenue Code Section 6402(m), the PATH Act specifically prohibits the IRS from issuing refunds before February 15th for returns claiming EIC or ACTC. The IRS publication 596 states that the earliest EITC refunds should be available in taxpayer bank accounts or debit cards is February 27, 2024, assuming direct deposit was selected and there are no other issues with the return. I filed January 5th and my transcript just updated this morning with an 846 code and a DDD of 2/21. Check your transcript again tomorrow - many EIC filers are seeing updates now!
Instead of calling the IRS, try checking your account transcript online. Last year my WMR showed nothing but my transcript updated with a direct deposit date while WMR was still on the first bar. The IRS tools don't always sync up. I've also had better luck checking transcripts early morning (around 3-5am) when their system updates. If you don't have online transcript access, you can also try the automated refund hotline at 800-829-1954. It sometimes has updates before WMR does.
Have you received any letters in the mail? Sometimes they'll send a verification letter but your transcript will still show blank until you respond. It's so frustrating when you're waiting for your money!
Last year my transcript stayed blank for 58 days after filing with 1099 income and EIC. Then suddenly updated with a DDD for the following week. No explanation, no contact from IRS, just suddenly processed. 2023 was 37 days, 2022 was 42 days. It's definitely taking longer each year for us independent contractors.
I'm not convinced this is normal. Filed same day as you. Got transcript updates within 2 weeks. Something else might be wrong. Did you have any credits? Any identity verification issues before? Previous year returns still pending?
I understand your frustration completely. Have you checked if you have any letters from the IRS? Did you file with any special credits or deductions that might trigger additional review? Sometimes blank transcripts can indicate your return is in a specific review queue, especially if you filed right before the deadline when volume is highest.
Have you verified if your return includes any credits that might trigger additional review? The Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Credit typically add exactly 7-10 days to processing time. Also, did you receive the full acceptance confirmation or just the initial transmission acceptance? There's a difference between the two that impacts the 21-day timeline by approximately 48-72 hours.
This is an excellent point! I didn't realize there were different types of acceptance notifications. Just checked my email and I do have the full acceptance, not just transmission. That's a relief!
I've been helping folks with tax questions in this community for years, and the 05 cycle is pretty predictable. Last year, my return was accepted on March 10th with an 05 cycle code, and my deposit hit on March 26th. My sister filed on March 12th and got hers on March 29th. This year seems to be running on a similar schedule. The weekly cycles are more reliable than daily cycles in my experience - you can almost set your watch by them unless there's an issue that triggers a manual review.
Angel Campbell
I might be the good luck charm you need! My Chime deposit just hit about an hour ago (around 3:15pm EST). Same situation - 2/25 DDD, TurboTax with fees taken out yesterday. Seems like they're processing them in batches today. Probably depends somewhat on when you filed and which processing center handled your return, but there's definitely movement happening.
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Payton Black
SUCCESS! Just received my ACH deposit notification from Chime at 4:22pm PT. The Transaction Detail shows "IRS TREAS TAX REF" with my full expected amount (minus the TurboTax fees that were already deducted). For anyone still waiting, make sure your Chime notifications are enabled so you don't miss it. The deposit posted exactly 2 days before my official DDD of 2/25.
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