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I went through this last year and the year before. What helped me was setting up direct deposit verification alerts with my bank. This way I didn't have to obsessively check WMR - my bank would text me the moment the deposit hit. I've seen returns come through as quick as 10 days and as long as 8 weeks. The variance is surprising! I never expected tax returns to be so complicated until I started following this subreddit. The waiting game is the worst part.
Have you verified whether your return included any credits subject to additional review under the PATH Act? Also, did you receive any CP05 notices or see any TC 570/971 combination codes on your transcript? The specific delay factors can often be identified through transcript analysis if you have access to your account.
In my experience, transcripts update in exactly 2 distinct timeframes: 1) Simple returns with no credits: 7-14 days after acceptance, 2) Returns with credits or deductions: 21-35 days. Mine updated in precisely 9 days this year with a basic return. Last year with EITC it took exactly 27 days. The IRS batch processes on specific days, so you'll often see updates on Thursday or Friday mornings.
I waited 32 days for my transcript to update this year, compared to only 8 days last year with nearly identical returns. When I called, the agent said they're dealing with a massive backlog compared to previous years. Apparently returns filed in late January are taking longer than those filed in early February in some cases - something about processing centers balancing workloads differently this year.
Same situation here! Filed January 25th and waited 29 days for transcript update. My neighbor filed February 10th and got her transcript updated in just 11 days. Makes absolutely no sense, but the IRS rarely does.
The IRS implemented a new workload distribution system this year that routes returns to different processing centers based on current capacity rather than geographic location. This can result in earlier filers sometimes experiencing longer wait times if they were routed to centers that became backlogged.
NGL I've been stuck in IRS limbo for weeks now and finally got fed up w/ the constant busy signals. Used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) to get thru to an actual human at the IRS yesterday. Took like 20 mins instead of the 3+ hrs I wasted last week trying to call myself. Agent confirmed my return was just in normal processing queue but flagged for a quick review bc of a math error they fixed. Tbh kinda worried still but at least I know what's happening now instead of just staring at that stupid bar not moving.
Did the agent mention anything about manual review? I was in a similar situation last year and thought everything was fine, but my return actually got pulled for manual review which added 8 weeks to processing! Have you checked if you have any letters in the mail from the IRS? Sometimes they send verification requests that don't show up in the online portal right away. What about your state refund - has that processed yet? Sometimes state delays can indicate federal issues too.
Isn't it strange how the IRS expects us to file perfectly on time, but then they can take months to process our returns with no transparency? I've been watching my transcript for weeks and it just switched from N/A to showing my return yesterday. Could they make this process any more stressful? Has anyone noticed that returns with dependents seem to take longer than those without?
Be careful about assuming everything is normal. On March 12th last year, my transcript showed N/A for weeks. I ignored it thinking it was normal processing. On April 18th, I finally called and discovered my return had been flagged for identity verification but the notice had never reached me. Lost almost 6 weeks of processing time because I assumed the N/A status was normal. If you don't see movement by 30 days after filing, I strongly recommend calling to confirm everything is actually processing correctly.
GalaxyGazer
I filed with TurboTax Free on February 3rd and got my refund on February 18th. Here's what I did step-by-step: 1. Filed electronically using TurboTax Free 2. Verified my return was accepted (not just submitted) 3. Checked WMR every 2-3 days 4. Saw the progress bar move to approved on day 12 5. Received direct deposit on day 15 I was surprised by how many verification steps the IRS seemed to add this year! My return was super simple too - just W-2 income, standard deduction, no credits.
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Oliver Wagner
I filed on January 29, 2024 using TurboTax Free and received my refund on February 12, 2024 - exactly 14 days later. My friend filed on February 15, 2024 with the paid version and is still waiting. I don't think the free vs. paid version makes any difference in processing time. The IRS doesn't even know which version you used since the data format is identical.
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