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Feeling like I'm in a maze where the cheese keeps moving! Got a Direct Deposit Date of 3/12 but my funds are playing hide and seek on SBTPG (Santa Barbara Tax Products Group). It's like waiting for a bus that shows up on the app but never arrives at the stop. I called TurboTax and they said my funds are in a 'pending' state - whatever that means. Also got this weird email saying my '5 days early' feature was cancelled but I'll still get my refund on the 12th? I deliver for DoorDash and Instacart and really needed that money yesterday for some car repairs. This tax season feels like trying to herd cats while blindfolded! Anyone else stuck in this SBTPG limbo? When should I actually expect to see my money?
Got our refund today ๐คช filed the 21st of Jan. EIC and child creds. Just posting to give others some hope who filed around the same time. Exactly 39 days from filing to deposit - not as fast as last year but hey, money's money! Good luck to everyone still waiting.
Your timeline is actually faster than the average I'm seeing for EITC/CTC filers this year. Compared to 2022 when average wait times were 65+ days, or 2023 when they averaged around 45 days, your 39-day turnaround is relatively efficient. The IRS has been gradually improving their processing systems, though they're still not back to pre-pandemic speeds when EITC/CTC returns typically processed in 21-28 days.
Just a heads-up for anyone still waiting - the IRS is processing returns in batches this year based on filing date and complexity. If you filed with similar credits around Jan 21-25, you should see updates very soon. The current batch being processed includes those filed Jan 20-25 with refundable credits. Next batch will likely be Jan 26-31 filers.
I filed my taxes in early February, but now I've received my unemployment 1099-G form which wasn't available when I filed. Shouldn't TurboTax allow me to amend my return to include this income? Why am I getting an error message when I try to amend through their system? Do I have different options as someone who recently moved to the US? I'm concerned about potential penalties if I don't report this income correctly, but I also want to make sure I'm exercising my rights as a taxpayer to fix this situation properly.
I had almost the exact same thing happen to me last year! I filed in January and then got a surprise 1099-G in February. I panicked thinking I'd get in trouble with the IRS. I tried for hours to get TurboTax to let me amend, but kept hitting a wall. Called their customer service and they told me their amendment feature wouldn't be available until April. I was shocked that such a big company would have this limitation! Ended up waiting until May to file the amendment and everything worked out fine. The IRS processed it without any issues or penalties.
Filing taxes with missing forms is like trying to bake a cake when you don't have all the ingredients - you know it's not going to turn out right! I had this identical situation in 2023. TurboTax wouldn't let me amend until April 20th. I marked my calendar, came back on that date, and the amendment option was magically available. Took about 15 minutes to add the 1099-G and resubmit. Received confirmation from the IRS within 3 days that they received my amendment, and my adjusted refund (which was smaller, of course) arrived about 12 weeks later. Smooth sailing once the system allowed it!
So we're under review with the IRS and I'm feeling really anxious about it! ๐ซ The agent we spoke with checked everything thoroughly and said she couldn't see any issues with our return. She told us to call back at the end of March if we don't hear anything back from them. I'm so frustrated because we're expecting a substantial refund this year and I hate this waiting game! What can I expect during this review process? Has anyone been through this before? Will this delay our refund by weeks or months? I'm worried sick!
Have you considered calling the Taxpayer Advocate Service? They can sometimes help when you're stuck in review without clear information. Did the agent give you any specific timeframe besides "end of March"? Was there any mention of what might have triggered the review in the first place? In my experience, it's better to be proactive rather than just waiting. Keep detailed notes of every conversation including the ID number of any IRS employee you speak with. This can be incredibly helpful if you need to reference previous discussions.
Let me share a cautionary tale from 2022 that might prepare you for what could happen. I was told the same thing - "no issues, just call back in a few weeks." But when I did call back? They had no record of my previous conversation and claimed I needed to submit additional documentation that was never mentioned before. Did they provide you with a case number or confirmation of your review status? Without that, you're at the mercy of whoever answers the phone next time. The review process took 4 months in total, and I had to provide the same information three separate times to different departments. My refund was significantly delayed, and I had to adjust financial plans accordingly.
Just curious about the current Child Tax Credit situation... Has anyone who's showing 'pending' in the portal actually received their July payment yet? And if so, how long after the pending status appeared did the deposit hit your account? As a small business owner, I'm trying to plan my cash flow, and I'm wondering if I should continue to expect this payment or just move on with my financial planning without it. Seems like there's a lot of inconsistency in how these are being processed, doesn't it?
I was in pending status for almost a week, but my payment actually came through yesterday! I was so relieved. The money went straight to my daughter's summer camp fees. Has anyone noticed if updating your direct deposit information affects the timing? I updated mine right before the July payment and wonder if that's what caused the delay?
FYI for everyone - the CTC portal usually updates overnight between 12am-3am EST. So if you're checking multiple times during the day, you prob won't see changes. Also, bank processing times vary HUGELY. My credit union posts pending deposits immediately, but my husband's big bank holds them for 24hrs even tho they can see them. Most ppl I know w/ pending status got their $$ within 5 biz days. If you're still waiting after a week, def try to contact IRS bc something else might be going on w/ your account.
Zara Mirza
This happens every tax season with SBTPG, especially during peak weeks. Here's what the community has figured out: 1. SBTPG often receives funds 1-2 days before they show as "funded" on their website 2. Their system updates overnight, not in real-time 3. The "5 days early" feature gets automatically disabled when their processing queue exceeds capacity 4. Most people see funds within 48 hours of their DDD, despite what the website shows The best indicator is actually your IRS transcript, not the SBTPG website. If your transcript shows the refund was issued, it's on the way regardless of what SBTPG's site says.
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Luca Russo
Where can I find my transcript? Never checked it before. Is it on the IRS site? Need login credentials?
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Nia Harris
I've always wondered why third-party processors like SBTPG are even necessary in the tax refund ecosystem? Couldn't the IRS just deposit directly to taxpayers and eliminate this middle layer that seems to cause so many delays? I work in financial systems integration, and this seems like an unnecessarily complex process that primarily benefits the tax preparation companies, not the taxpayers.
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GalaxyGazer
I might be one of the lucky ones, but my situation was almost identical to yours last week. Had a DDD of 3/5, SBTPG showed nothing, got the same cancellation email about the 5-day advance, and was generally worried. I *think* there might have been some sort of system-wide delay at SBTPG because my money suddenly appeared in my bank account this morning even though their website still showed "unfunded" when I checked yesterday. So it seems their tracking system might be behind their actual processing.
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Mateo Sanchez
If you don't mind me asking, which bank do you use? I'm wondering if perhaps certain financial institutions process these transfers more quickly than others. Also, was your deposit time consistent with when you normally receive direct deposits, or did it come at an unusual hour? I've been trying to determine if there's a pattern to when these tax refunds actually post to accounts.
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