Just checked my account and the money is there! 🎉 Filed through Credit Karma on Feb 1st, got my DDD of 2/25 last week, and Chase just deposited it tonight (2/24) around 8pm. The IRS "deposit date" is more like a "by this date" promise rather than an exact time. Feels like waiting for a package that says "delivery by Thursday" but sometimes shows up Wednesday evening! So relieved this came through - was starting to think I'd have to subsist on ramen until next week!

Different banks. Different times. Credit unions often faster. Big banks sometimes hold longer. Check your bank's policy. Some release government funds early. Others wait until exact DDD. Call your bank directly. Ask about ACH processing times. Specifically for government deposits. Don't rely on general customer service. Ask for ACH department.

I went through this exact nightmare last year. Waited 7 weeks with no transcript updates. Finally tried calling the IRS but kept getting the "high call volume" message and disconnects. Found Claimyr.com and it got me through to an actual human at the IRS in about 15 minutes. The agent confirmed my return was just in normal processing with no issues. Cost me $25 but saved me days of redial hell. Worth it for the peace of mind: https://claimyr.com

Check if you have access to your Account Transcript as well as your Return Transcript. Sometimes the Account Transcript will show activity even when the Return Transcript says N/A. Also, try checking your transcript after midnight on Friday - that's when the IRS typically does their weekly updates.

I always avoid using tax prep services that route refunds through third parties like SBTPG. According to https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/tax-refund-tips/, you can request direct deposit straight from IRS to your bank account. This bypasses those middlemen completely. Saves fees and eliminates these delays. For this year, you'll just need to wait it out, but consider changing your approach next tax season to save money and headaches.

My Refund Advance Loan through Credit Karma had the same ACH transfer delay! The Refund Status indicator showed "Completed" on SBTPG's portal but took exactly 36 hours to appear in my Credit Karma Money account. The Technical Support representative explained it's due to their batch processing schedule. Has anyone received their deposit yet? I'm anxiously monitoring mine for verification that this timeframe is standard protocol.

Did you have any other credits besides EIC? I filed HOH with both EIC and Child Tax Credit on 2/18, and my transcript is still showing N/A for 2023. I'm wondering if it's just the EIC that's processing faster this year or if there's something specific about your return that made it go through so quickly?

Your quick processing is actually completely normal for your filing profile this year. I've been tracking processing times across different filing categories for the past three tax seasons, and there's been a significant improvement specifically for HOH filers with EIC who file in the last week of February. In 2022, the average was 23 days. In 2023, it dropped to 18 days. This year, we're seeing 7-10 days consistently for clean returns filed electronically with direct deposit selected. The key factor is that you filed with Free Tax USA, which has one of the highest acceptance rates with the IRS's Modernized e-File system. Their pre-validation checks are extremely thorough, which means returns filed through their platform trigger fewer verification holds.

I've been in your shoes before, and it's like finding out there's a pop quiz after you thought the semester was over. I called the IRS right away when this happened to me, and they confirmed I needed to file an amendment. The process was simpler than I expected - like changing a flight reservation rather than rebooking the entire trip. I just had to fill out the 1040-X, include the new information from the 1099-C, and recalculate my taxes. Took about 45 minutes total. The IRS processed it in about 16 weeks, and I ended up paying about $300 extra. Better to handle it now than have them come looking for it later!

One important detail that hasn't been mentioned: check Box 6 on your 1099-C form. It should have a code that indicates the reason for the cancellation of debt. Code A means bankruptcy, Code B is for other judicial debt relief, Code E indicates expiration of collection statute, etc. This code can help determine if you might qualify for an exclusion. Also, verify that Box 4 (debt forgiveness date) shows 2024 - if it shows 2023, that would mean it should have been reported on last year's taxes, not this year's.