Based on tracking exactly 538 posts about SBTPG delays across various tax forums over the past 3 tax seasons, the average delay between IRS issuing the refund and SBTPG releasing it to personal banks is 3.2 days. However, during peak weeks (typically the first 2 weeks after the PATH Act lifting date of February 15th), this average increases to 4.7 days. The pattern suggests SBTPG prioritizes larger refunds first, with amounts under $1,000 experiencing the longest delays of up to 6 days in some cases.

There might be another factor at play that people aren't considering... Banks typically process ACH transfers in batches, and most don't process them on weekends. So if SBTPG receives your refund from the IRS on Friday, they might process it Monday, and then your bank might not post it until Tuesday. That could explain some of the delays that seem excessive. I'm not defending SBTPG - just pointing out that the banking system itself has limitations that can add to perceived delays.

This tax system is like a game of telephone where nobody gets the message right! I had the same situation last year - transcript showed one thing, WMR showed another. It's like trying to navigate a maze where the walls keep moving. In my case, the offset was real (old student loan) but the amount was wrong. The transcript was showing the pre-offset amount while WMR was showing the post-offset situation. Your friend should expect to receive something on 2/25, but probably not the full amount they were expecting.

I think your friend might be dealing with what happened to me last month. My WMR showed an offset notice for about $3,200 in child support (which was sort of accurate but the amount was wrong). My transcript showed a DD date of 2/3 for the full amount. What actually happened was that the Bureau of Fiscal Service took their portion first (about $1,800, not the $3,200 they claimed), then SBTG received the remainder, took out their $39.95 fee, and then deposited what was left to my account on 2/5. The whole process was kind of messy, and the actual deposit was about 2 days after the transcript date.

This appears to be related to the IRS's new Integrated Financial System (IFS) implementation. The Treasury Financial Management Service has modified their Automated Clearing House (ACH) processing protocols for tax refunds. Are you using a tax preparer with fees deducted from your refund? That adds SBTPG as an intermediary processor, which introduces additional variables to the deposit timeline.

I've been using Chime for my tax refunds for the past 4 years, and this year was definitely different. Last year my DDD was 2/22 but I got my deposit on 2/19. This year my DDD was 2/21 and that's exactly when it hit, not a day sooner. I called Chime support and they told me it's not on their end - they release funds as soon as they receive them. Seems like the IRS changed something in their process this year. Just glad it actually came on the date promised!

Last year my AS OF date changed six times before I got my refund. I started taking screenshots every day because I thought I was losing my mind! The cycle seemed to reset every Friday, but my DDD never changed. Sure enough, the money hit my account right on the DDD. I've learned that the IRS systems are like separate departments that don't always talk to each other - the accounting system that issues refunds operates independently from the information system that updates your transcript. As long as you have a DDD, you're in the final stage.

Just got my refund yesterday. AS OF date changed four times. DDD stayed the same. Money arrived on time. System works. It's just confusing. Don't stress about it.

Be careful about relying too much on what they tell you over the phone. Last year I was told my return was fixed and to expect my refund in 2 weeks. Ended up waiting 6 more weeks because there was actually a second issue they didn't mention. The "fixed" status sometimes just means they addressed one problem but there could be others they haven't gotten to yet. Not trying to be negative, just sharing my experience so you're prepared.

I was in the exact same situation last year. Filed on January 31st, got the "error fixed" message on February 8th, and they told me to wait until March 2nd. My refund actually showed up on February 28th! The key is that once they fix an error, your return goes back into normal processing - it doesn't start the 21-day clock over again. Most people see their refunds within 7-10 days after an error correction.