I fought with the IRS for 7 months last year over an error they made. Couldn't I have used that time better? Absolutely. Did I finally get a taxpayer advocate? Yes. The key was persistence and documentation. I called every Tuesday at 7:58am exactly - that's when my local office opened. Wouldn't you know it, I finally got through? The advocate fixed everything in 3 weeks that I couldn't fix in 7 months. Worth every minute of effort.

According to irs.gov/taxpayer-advocate, you can qualify for TAS if you're experiencing financial hardship or if the IRS hasn't resolved your issue through normal channels. I'm also new to this process and trying to figure it out. Has anyone actually submitted Form 911 online? The website says you can fax it, but I'm not sure if that's faster than mailing.

I filed on January 29th, 2024 and was stuck in the error department until April 4th, 2024 - exactly 9 weeks and 2 days. Called on March 15th and was told to wait the full 10 weeks. Called again on April 1st and was told it was being worked on. Received my deposit on April 8th. If you don't see movement by April 13th (which will be your 10 weeks), call immediately on April 15th to request they expedite. The fiscal quarter just ended and they're clearing backlogs now!

Based on what I've seen in this community over the past few years, this "no errors but in error department" situation happens to thousands of gig workers each filing season. It's essentially a random selection for additional verification. I've tracked patterns in the community and noticed most people receive their refunds between weeks 8-10, with a small percentage going longer. The best approach is to: 1) Check your transcript weekly, not daily, 2) Call only after your 10 weeks are up, and 3) Remember that nearly everyone eventually gets their refund with no changes. The IRS is just overwhelmed and understaffed.

Has anyone else noticed how different the state and federal systems are this year? • California seems to be taking longer than previous years • The "up to 45 days" is their maximum processing time, not minimum • Most people I know are getting it around day 30-38 I'm curious - did you move or change banks recently? I've heard that triggers extra verification. When I had similar questions, I tried calling the FTB directly but spent hours on hold. Eventually used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get through to an agent in about 15 minutes. They confirmed my payment was scheduled and gave me the exact date. Might be worth trying if you're getting close to that 45-day mark?

I was probably in a similar situation to yours, I think. Filed around April 25th and was sort of concerned about the Golden State Stimulus timeline. Mine actually arrived, perhaps surprisingly, on exactly day 32 after filing. The payment came through as a direct deposit, which was somewhat faster than I expected based on their messaging. It might be worth checking your FTB account online, if you haven't already. Sometimes, I've found, the payment information appears there before it actually hits your bank account.

I've been tracking my cycle codes for the past four years. I've noticed that if you file in the first half of February, you tend to get cycle 05. If you file in the second half, it's usually cycle 02 (Monday updates). But this year seems different - I filed 2/22 and I'm seeing indications of cycle 05 like you. The IRS might have changed their assignment algorithm for 2024.

Has anyone noticed exactly what time the transcript updates happen? I've been checking at precisely 12:01am, 3:00am, and 6:00am EST to try and pinpoint when the system refreshes.

Compared to my experience with state tax returns, the IRS is moving like a glacier this year. I waited 8 weeks with zero movement, tried calling the regular IRS number about 20 times (always got the "high call volume" message), and finally used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) to get through to a human. The agent confirmed my return was just sitting in a backlog with no issues flagged - nothing I could do but wait. At least I stopped stressing about it being lost or having problems. Three days after that call, it magically started processing. I feel your frustration completely.

Have you checked for these potential issues? • Verify your AGI from last year matches what you entered • Confirm your W2 information matches what your employer reported • Check if you have any past balances or unfiled returns • Verify bank account information is correct Did you receive any notices in the mail? Sometimes they send letters but the status online doesn't update.