If it's been more than 21 days, you can actually call the IRS to check on your return status. After spending THREE DAYS trying to get through the regular IRS number with no luck, I used Claimyr.com and got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes. The agent was able to tell me exactly what was happening with my return and when to expect my refund. Best $20 I've spent this tax season considering how much time and frustration it saved me!

The IRS is saying 21 days is the standard processing time, but that's honestly just their best-case scenario. I'm a tax preparer and I've seen returns take anywhere from 8 days to 10+ weeks this season. As long as your WMR doesn't show an error message, you're probably fine - just caught in the backlog. This time of year is peak filing season, so everything slows down.

I was in EXACTLY the same situation on February 12th this year. Had my 846 code but my "5 days early" refund was nowhere to be found. Tried calling my tax preparer but was on hold for 1 hour and 45 minutes before giving up. Finally used Claimyr (https://www.claimyr.com) to get through to the IRS directly. They confirmed my refund was actually sent on the 846 date (not 5 days early) and that my tax preparer should have explained this better. Called the preparer again using Claimyr and got through in 20 minutes - they fixed it same day.

These "5 days early" options are basically marketing gimmicks. I fell for it last year. What they don't tell you is it's actually a loan against your expected refund, not your actual refund arriving early. My experience: I had an 846 date of 3/17, opted for the "early" refund, and got absolutely nothing until 3/19 - two days AFTER my scheduled date. When I called to complain, they said the advance was "declined" but never bothered to tell me. Then my actual refund came through normal IRS channels. Check your tax prep paperwork carefully. There should be a separate disclosure about the refund advance with specific terms.

Have you checked if you have any past due debts that might cause an offset? Sometimes your refund gets held up because it's going to pay something else (student loans, child support, etc.). Not saying that's what's happening to you, but it's worth considering... unless you're one of those rare unicorns with no debt! *laughs in student loans*

According to IRS Publication 2043, normal processing time for e-filed returns should be 21 days. However, during peak filing season, this can extend significantly. I filed February 9th and just received my refund yesterday. The IRS representative I spoke with confirmed they're experiencing higher than normal verification rates due to identity theft prevention measures implemented for Tax Year 2023 returns.

This situation involves several different tax issues that need to be untangled: • Dependency claims - He cannot claim you unless you lived with him ALL year and meet other tests • Child Tax Credit - Advanced payments went to whoever claimed the kids in the previous year • Third stimulus (EIP3) - Also went to whoever claimed the kids previously • Newborn child - Special rules apply for children born in 2023 The IRS actually has a pretty robust system for handling conflicting claims! They don't just automatically give credits to whoever files first anymore. They look at who received advance payments and who has legitimate claim to the dependents.

My sister went through this exact scenario last tax season. Her ex claimed their two kids despite them living with her full-time. You know what happened? The IRS froze both refunds and sent both parents a letter requesting documentation. She sent in school records showing her address, medical bills she paid, and their custody agreement. Guess what? Her ex's tax return was adjusted, the kids were removed from his return, and he had to pay back the refundable credits he'd incorrectly received. The IRS actually handles these situations pretty effectively, don't you think? The key is responding quickly to any IRS notices and having your documentation ready.

If you're still not seeing updates by the end of this week, here's exactly what you can do: 1. First, check your transcript for any hold codes like 570 or 971 2. If you see those codes, you may need to contact the IRS directly 3. Instead of waiting hours on hold, I recommend using Claimyr (https://www.claimyr.com) 4. They'll call the IRS for you and only connect when an agent is on the line 5. The agent can tell you specifically what's happening with your return I was in the same situation last year and wasted three days trying to call myself. Claimyr got me connected in about 30 minutes, and the agent was able to release my return that had been held for simple verification.

Think of the IRS processing system like a crowded highway during rush hour. Your 2/23 return is like a car that entered the highway at a particularly busy on-ramp. Some cars (returns) filed earlier or later might move through faster because they hit less congestion at their particular entry point. I filed and was accepted on 2/24, just a day after you, and my transcript updated Saturday night with a DDD of 3/20. The seemingly random nature of processing is concerning because you never know if you're just in normal traffic or if there's an actual problem with your return that needs attention.