Have you checked your actual tax transcript, not just the code? Sometimes the transcript contains information that WMR doesn't show. Is it possible you're looking at an account transcript instead of a return transcript? What if you tried using a tool like https://taxr.ai to analyze your transcript? It can often identify patterns that indicate whether you need to verify or if it's just a standard processing delay. I've found transcript analysis to be much more reliable than the WMR tool, especially during peak filing season when the system gets overwhelmed with generic messages.

According to the IRS website, if you need to verify your identity, you'll receive Letter 5071C, 5747C, or 5447C. If you haven't received any of these letters, the WMR message might be generic. I had this happen last year - WMR said verification needed but no letter came. After waiting three weeks, my refund was suddenly approved without me doing anything. The system is overloaded right now and showing lots of standard messages that don't actually apply. Just keep checking your mail and transcript daily.

This is total BS. The IRS and these tax prep companies can't get their stories straight. I bet if you called the IRS directly they'd give you a THIRD different date. I had this exact issue last year and spent weeks trying to figure out which date was correct. Turns out NONE of them were! The IRS had a completely different internal date they were working from.

According to the IRS Processing Guidelines (available at irs.gov/refunds/processing-timeline), what you're experiencing is normal, especially for returns with self-employment income. The IRS systems and third-party processors like TPG often show different dates because they're tracking different events in the process. Based on the IRS2Go app forums and IRS Refund Status threads on Reddit, many self-employed filers are seeing similar patterns this year. The disappearing bars on WMR typically indicate your return has moved to the next processing stage. According to historical patterns, most returns in your situation receive their refund within 7-14 days after this status change.

I've noticed this pattern for several years now. Did you happen to file with any tax credits like EITC or CTC? I've found that returns with certain credits seem to get accepted early but then sit in a holding pattern until the official processing date.

Based on my analysis of the last 3 tax seasons, the IRS has accepted exactly 12.7% of returns filed before the official start date. They typically process these returns in 3 distinct batches: an initial test batch (3.2%), a secondary validation batch (4.8%), and a final pre-launch batch (4.7%). Your return was likely part of one of these test groups. While acceptance is confirmed, actual processing won't begin until January 29th for most returns, with disbursement typically occurring 8-21 days after processing begins.

According to IRS Publication 1345 (Rev. 1-2023), the refund transfer process through Santa Barbara TPG should complete within 24-72 hours of the IRS releasing funds. I'm in a similar situation with a 3/13 DD date. I've been trying to reach the IRS to confirm everything is on track, but the phone lines are jammed. I found that Claimyr.com can get you through to an IRS agent without the endless hold times. Might be worth it if you're worried about your amended return causing delays.

Have you received any emails from Santa Barbara TPG? Did you opt for a refund transfer or direct deposit to your own account? What bank do you use for the final deposit? Sometimes certain banks hold these transfers for an additional business day.

There's an important distinction between processing date and cycle code that might help explain what you're seeing. The processing date is often just a placeholder, while your cycle code (which should be visible on your transcript - it's an 8-digit number ending in 01-05) actually determines when updates happen. Have you checked what your cycle code is? If it ends in 05, you're on the weekly update schedule which typically happens Thursday night/Friday morning. If it ends in 01-04, you're on daily updates. This would explain your previous patterns of Sunday deposits after Thursday/Friday updates.

My experience with amended documentation compared to regular returns is quite different from what most people describe. Last year, I filed a regular return on February 10th and received my refund on February 27th. This year, I filed on February 5th but had to submit amended documentation on February 7th, and I didn't receive my refund until March 12th. That's nearly two extra weeks of processing time. I've spoken with several tax professionals who confirmed that any amended paperwork typically adds 7-14 days to processing time, regardless of what the processing date shows on your transcript.