The community consensus this season is that simple returns are processing in 10-14 days while complex returns (multiple schedules, credits, or business income) are taking 21-30 days. Paper returns remain the slowest at 6-12 weeks minimum. If you've passed the normal processing window for your return type, calling the IRS is your best option, but be prepared for long wait times during peak season.

Have you checked your tax transcript yet? That often updates before WMR does. Also, did you claim any credits like EITC or CTC? Those automatically take longer due to the PATH Act. What about your state refund - has that processed yet? Sometimes state processing can give clues about federal status.

From what I've gathered from various posts here and on other forums, it seems that most people are starting to see these refunds come through, though the timeline varies quite a bit. It might be worth checking your tax transcript weekly rather than daily, as the process appears to be moving steadily but not particularly quickly. Many users report receiving a letter about 7-14 days after the deposit explaining the adjustment. I was pleasantly surprised to find my adjustment processed last week - it's nice to see the system is actually working, even if it's taking some time.

REFUND RECEIVED! Just got mine this morning - $862 direct deposited with zero notification beforehand. I filed on February 17th as a single filer with relatively simple taxes. The transcript updated with code 846 exactly 3 days ago. For those still waiting, there's definitely movement happening NOW! Check your transcripts ASAP as the Where's My Refund tool isn't showing these adjustments at all. My advice: set up transcript alerts and check your bank account daily because they're not sending advance notices before deposits.

When I couldn't reach the IRS for 3 weeks about my paper return, I used Claimyr (https://www.claimyr.com). They got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 30 minutes when I'd been trying for days with no luck. The agent confirmed they had my return but it was in the backlog. At least I got peace of mind knowing it wasn't lost in the mail.

Paper returns are a disaster this year. My mom mailed hers in February and it only just processed last week. E-file is the only way to go now unless you absolutely have to paper file for some reason.

Did your return include any foreign tax credits via Form 1116? I'm in a similar situation and wondering if that specific form triggers additional review cycles? My tax preparer mentioned something about FATCA compliance checks for international filers, but wasn't clear if that applies to all non-resident returns or just those with foreign financial assets above the reporting threshold?

What most people don't realize about March filings is they hit during the IRS's peak processing period. You think you're avoiding the early February rush, but you're actually landing right in the middle of their busiest time, aren't you? International returns add another layer of complexity. I've been filing with international components for years, and I've learned to expect my refund approximately 14-21 days later than the standard timeline. The 1042-S form specifically routes your return through the Specialized Processing Unit in Austin, which has been running about 3 weeks behind schedule this year based on what I've seen.

The May 5th cycle should potentially update tonight, though in my experience, amended returns sometimes follow a slightly different pattern than regular returns. I had an amended return last year with cycle code 20231805, and while my transcript technically updated on the Thursday night/Friday morning schedule, the actual amended return processing seemed to operate on its own timeline. It might be worth checking both tonight and tomorrow morning, as I've seen cases where the update appears at various times throughout the 24-hour window.

My amended return had the exact same cycle code as yours last month! I was obsessively checking every night until I finally saw movement. The transcript updated at 2:17am on Friday morning (I was up with my newborn and decided to check). My refund hit my bank account exactly 6 days later. The relief was incredible - I had been waiting to pay for some car repairs. Just hang in there, the 05 cycle is definitely tonight/tomorrow morning and you should see something soon!