Try calling early. Really early. Like 7:01 AM. Local offices open at 8:30. But phone lines open earlier. I got through immediately. No waiting. Asked about my zero transcript. They saw a verification hold. Sent me a letter that day. Verified my identity online. Transcript updated three days later. Refund a week after that. Patience helps. But being proactive works better.

I might be able to offer some hope here... I was in a similar situation with my return filed on February 3rd. No movement for nearly 8 weeks, then suddenly everything updated at once. I was hesitant to call at first, thinking it wouldn't make a difference. When I finally did reach someone, they explained my return was selected for a random review - nothing I did wrong. The representative actually expedited the process once I explained our situation. Three days later, my transcript updated and my refund was deposited the following week. Sometimes just having someone actually look at your return can move it out of whatever digital limbo it's stuck in.

Tbh I'm not convinced there's any rhyme or reason to how they're processing these. Filed Feb 8th w/ both credits, still nothing. Friend filed Feb 12th, got DDD last week. Seems totally random. The WMR tool is useless - just says "still processing" for weeks. Doubt calling helps unless there's an actual problem. Might just be a waiting game for most of us.

Don't worry too much! The IRS is definitely processing returns with both credits - I just got mine yesterday! Filed on February 5th and waited exactly 31 days. It felt like forever because I really needed that money, but it did come through! The system is working, just a bit slower for some of us. Hang in there! 💕

According to the IRS operations dashboard (https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations), they're currently processing returns received in late January/early February. Your timeline actually fits within their current processing window. The r/IRS community wisdom suggests that identity verification adds approximately 9-14 additional processing days. Stay calm and keep checking your transcript weekly rather than daily - many people report that constant checking seems to delay updates (though that's probably just perception bias).

Call Taxpayer Advocate Service. Free help. Better than waiting. Number is 877-777-4778. They can check status. Sometimes they can expedite if hardship.

According to Internal Revenue Manual 21.4.1, returns claiming refundable credits like the Earned Income Credit and Child Tax Credit are subject to additional verification procedures under the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act. While the IRS cannot issue refunds before February 15th for these returns, there is no statutory maximum processing time. The current processing delay you're experiencing is within normal parameters for the 2024 filing season, particularly for returns filed in early February with these specific credits. The absence of transcript data simply indicates your return is still in the pre-refund processing phase.

I was in the exact same situation - filed Feb 1st with EIC/CTC, got my state refund quickly, but federal showed nothing for weeks. I finally got my transcript to update on day 47, and my refund was deposited 8 days later. The key indicator was when my transcript suddenly appeared - that's when I knew things were moving. Just hang tight - you're likely in that final waiting period before everything updates at once!

I went through this exact nightmare last year with my own taxes. Filed January 15th with Child Tax Credit and 1099 income, and didn't see my refund until March 28th. The IRS has special verification procedures for both CTC claims and self-employment income. I remember checking the Where's My Refund tool obsessively every morning at 3am thinking it would somehow update faster! What finally worked was requesting my tax transcript which showed code 570 (additional account action pending) followed later by 571 (resolved) and then 846 (refund issued).

Don't waste time calling until you're outside normal processing windows. I'm a contractor too and my refund with Child Tax Credit took 7 weeks this year. The IRS is seriously backlogged. Just keep checking your transcript weekly instead of daily - saves your sanity. When I finally got mine, it had interest added because it took so long, so at least there's that small bonus.