Wait, people are paying money just to talk to the IRS? That seems crazy to me. Shouldn't this be a free service our tax dollars already pay for? What's next, paying someone to help us stand in line at the DMV? 🤔

It's a trade-off. Time versus money. Some people can't sit on hold for hours. They have jobs. Or kids. Or both. The service costs less than missing work. It's practical for many situations. Not required. Just an option.

Think of EITC processing like airport security. Everyone has to wait in the same initial line (the PATH Act hold until mid-February), but after that, some people go through expedited screening (childless EITC) while others go through more thorough checks (EITC with dependents). My childless EITC refund came through in exactly 23 days from my filing date, but that was only because I filed early enough to hit the February release window. If you're filing now, expect about 3 weeks from acceptance date.

I just got my EITC refund yesterday (April 2nd) after filing on February 28th! I was shocked at how complicated the whole process was. The PATH Act held my refund until March 20th, then it went through regular processing. I don't have qualifying children and still had to wait 33 days total. The February 15th date is just when they're allowed to START processing - not when you'll get your money. But once it started moving, it moved fast!

This happens frequently. The system is automated. Paper checks usually mail within 7-10 business days. Delivery takes another 5-7 days. Total time around 2-3 weeks. Be patient. Check your transcript for updates. When I faced this last year, calling the IRS was impossible. Regular lines had 2+ hour waits. I used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). Got connected to an agent in 20 minutes. They confirmed my check was already in the mail. Saved me weeks of uncertainty. Worth it when you need answers quickly.

Did you try calling the IRS directly? I'm in the same boat and can't get any straight answers from their automated system. I need my refund ASAP for car repairs and can't afford to wait a month for a paper check if there's any way to fix the bank info.

I waited exactly 43 days this year with blank transcripts. Called the IRS 17 times and spent a total of 9 hours on hold. Finally used Claimyr (https://www.claimyr.com) and got through to an agent in exactly 22 minutes. The agent confirmed my return was stuck in identity verification because I had requested an IP PIN after filing. They manually released the hold while I was on the call. My transcript updated with all codes exactly 36 hours later with 846 code for direct deposit 5 days after that. The $20 I spent saved me weeks of waiting and countless hours of frustration trying to reach someone.

The IP PIN post-submission verification protocol creates what's called a TC 570 freeze code on your account. This essentially halts all processing until manual verification occurs. The IRS Master File system requires sequential processing of all verification elements before a Determination of Refund Eligibility (DORE) can be completed. Your 846 code indicates the final stage of Direct Deposit Scheduling has been initiated with a projected completion date of March 5th.

Mine just hit about 20 minutes ago! Same DDD as you - 2/24. Last year it took 2 days after my DDD to show up, this year it's right on time. Much better than when I used H&R Block - they always seemed to hold it longer than TurboTax does. Have you checked if there's a pending deposit? Sometimes it shows as pending before it's fully available.

According to the TurboTax support page (https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/), deposits can take up to 24 hours after the DDD to appear on your card. Their system updates in batches throughout the day. Most users on TaxTwitter are reporting that 2/24 DDDs are hitting accounts between 2-5pm EST today. You can also check your refund status by texting STATUS to 80202 if you've enrolled in text alerts.