What's the amount on the check? Is there any reference number or tax year mentioned? Did your husband have any loan forbearance during COVID? Was there any recent loan consolidation or servicer changes? These details would help determine the exact source of this refund.

Be very careful with unexpected IRS checks. It's like finding money in an old coat pocket - exciting but potentially complicated. I deposited what I thought was a legitimate refund check last year, only to receive a notice six months later saying it was sent in error. The IRS then wanted the money back with interest. Think of it like borrowing from a friend who suddenly remembers the loan - except this friend charges penalties. I recommend setting the money aside in a separate account until you're absolutely certain it's yours to keep.

The state tax departments are basically underwater right now 🌊🏊‍♂️. Everyone wants their money yesterday (me included, lol). I've filed in the same state for 8 years and it's always a different timeline. My neighbor filed the same day as me and got hers 2 weeks ago. Tax karma, I guess? But seriously, unless you're past 8-10 weeks, it's probably just normal processing. The good news is state refunds usually hit your account with zero warning - like finding $20 in your pocket you forgot about, except hopefully much more!

State refund processing times vary significantly by state and filing method: - Electronic returns: 2-8 weeks (average 21 days) - Paper returns: 8-12 weeks (average 63 days) - Returns with credits: Add 2-4 weeks If you've waited more than 45 days and need your refund for medical expenses, you can request an expedited processing by submitting Form XYZ-123 (varies by state) with documentation of your medical hardship. In 73% of cases, this reduces wait time by 7-10 business days. Alternatively, contact your state taxpayer advocate office directly - they can often help prioritize hardship cases.

You're definitely not alone! I was in the exact same boat - it was like being stuck in tax purgatory. My return was like a letter dropped into a black hole - confirmation it was mailed but no idea where it went after that. Filed Jan 25, accepted Feb 14, and nothing but crickets until March 18. The transcript situation is actually a good sign - it's like the IRS computer system knows you exist but hasn't fully processed your paperwork yet. Mine suddenly updated all at once after about 5 weeks.

Based on what I've seen in this community over the past few months, your situation follows a common pattern this tax season. Many filers from late January are experiencing extended processing times. Several factors might be influencing this: 1. The IRS implemented new verification protocols for 2023 returns 2. Returns with certain credits are taking longer to process 3. The transcript system updates separately from the WMR tool Most people in your situation are seeing movement around the 35-45 day mark. The inability to view current year transcripts while being able to access previous years is actually a normal part of the process - it indicates your return is in the system but hasn't completed initial verification yet.

This happened to me with both my 2022 and 2023 returns. The IRS has completely separate processing systems for different payment types. In my case, I tracked both payment streams using the Account transcript (shows the CTC payment) and the Return transcript (shows refund status). Here's what I found: the CTC payments are automatically generated based on your previous year's return data, while your current refund goes through multiple verification stages including fraud detection, math verification, and sometimes manual review. My CTC hit 12 days before my refund last year and 9 days before my refund this year.

Got same thing last month. CTC came first. Refund came 8 days later. Different systems. Different timelines. Nothing wrong with your return. Just wait.

Back in 2022, I spent nearly 4 hours trying to reach someone about my missing Child Tax Credit. After multiple disconnects, I found Claimyr (https://www.claimyr.com) and they got me connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes. Saved me hours of frustration. They basically navigate the phone tree and wait on hold for you, then call you when they've reached an agent. It costs a few bucks but was absolutely worth it to get my $3,600 credit issue fixed.

Last month I was in the same situation with my CTC after getting married. I tried calling at different times of day, different days of the week, even tried the Spanish line and using the translator (I'm somewhat conversational). What finally worked was calling the tax practitioner priority line and explaining that I had already tried the regular channels multiple times without success. They transferred me to someone who fixed the issue in about 15 minutes. Sometimes you just have to be persistent and try different approaches.