After spending 2 hours on hold with the IRS about a similar issue, I finally used Claimyr.com to get through to an agent. Connected in about 15 minutes! The agent explained that my refund was reduced because they had different information about my child's eligibility for the full credit. Turns out my ex-spouse had also claimed some benefits. If you need answers quickly, I'd recommend trying https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - way better than waiting on hold for hours.

This is super common with the Child Tax Credit. The IRS has been extra careful with it the past couple years. In my case, they reduced mine because they had different AGI calculations which affected my eligibility amount. Once I got the letter, it all made sense, but it was stressful waiting!

I just went through this exact scenario with my Schedule C filing. The Qualified Business Income Deduction (QBID) under Section 199A has specific thresholds and phase-outs that might be affecting your return. My federal refund was only $42.16 this year compared to $1,875.89 last year. The state gas question is almost certainly related to your state's Motor Fuel Tax Credit, which is separate from federal deductions. Make sure you're utilizing the correct business mileage rate of 65.5 cents per mile for 2023 (up from 62.5 cents for the latter half of 2022). This knowledge saved me hundreds!

Have you considered these possibilities: • Different income level putting you in another tax bracket • Last year you might have had excess withholding • COVID-related tax benefits expired • Business expense categorization differences • Missing the QBI deduction • Different depreciation method this year A refund is just the government returning YOUR money they held interest-free. A smaller refund with similar tax liability just means your withholding was more accurate this year. Check your actual tax liability line on both returns - that's the number that matters, not the refund amount.

I think I might have some insight that could possibly help. When I filed an amended return last year, my transcript showed nothing for about 5 weeks. I was perhaps a bit too cautious, but I decided to mail a polite inquiry letter to the IRS service center where my return would have been processed. I'm not entirely sure if this made a difference, but within 10 days of sending that letter, my transcript suddenly updated and showed both my original and amended returns. Maybe it was just coincidence, but it seemed to possibly trigger someone to look at my account?

Just to give you a data point - I filed an amended return on February 12, 2024, and my transcript showed 'no tax return filed' until April 3, 2024. Then it suddenly updated with all the information including my original return (filed January 29, 2024) AND the amended return. The cycle code 20241405 appeared, followed by a 971 notice code dated April 15, 2024. My refund was deposited exactly 9 days after the transcript updated. The key technical detail most people miss is that amended returns go through the Error Resolution System (ERS) even when there are no errors, which adds approximately 30-45 days to processing time.

According to the GoToBank FAQ section (https://gotobank.com/help/deposits), they process IRS refunds as soon as they receive them, which is typically 1-2 days before the official DDD. I've been with them for three tax seasons, and I've always received my refund early. The IRS Where's My Refund tool won't show any updates once it displays your DDD, but the GoToBank mobile app usually shows pending deposits about 24 hours before they post.

The Automated Clearing House (ACH) network that processes these transfers typically operates on a next-business-day settlement timeframe. Since your Direct Deposit Date falls on a Wednesday, there's a high probability that GoToBank will receive the ACH notification on Tuesday, potentially allowing them to credit your account early. However, I would caution that financial institutions have different policies regarding how they handle these pre-notifications - some make funds available immediately while others wait until the official settlement date.

I'm not entirely convinced this is actually an identity verification issue. It might possibly be a more general review or possibly even an audit, which could potentially take much longer. Sometimes the frontline agents don't always have complete information about your specific case. Did they perhaps mention any specific form numbers or possibly give you any specific verification instructions? Without those details, I would be somewhat hesitant to assume it's just standard identity verification.

Trust me, it's definitely identity verification. I've been through this twice now and the pattern is always the same. The IRS has ramped up identity verification since all the pandemic fraud. What's the point of calling if you're not going to believe what the agent tells you? Have you checked your tax transcript to see if there's a 570 freeze code? Did you try the ID verify site yet? The sooner you verify, the sooner your refund processes - especially important with your divorce situation.