When my wife and I were in this exact situation (her WMR disappeared after showing TT152), we spent DAYS trying to get through to the IRS. After 20+ failed attempts, I used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes. Turns out her return was just going through an additional verification step because of the credits claimed, but nothing was wrong. The agent even gave us an estimated completion date. Totally worth it instead of stressing for weeks.

I work in tax preparation (not for the IRS) and see this all the time. The Where's My Refund tool runs on a completely different system than the actual processing department. When returns move between processing stages, WMR often temporarily loses the data connection. The fact that your return is showing info while hers isn't actually suggests hers might be moving forward faster. Tax Topic 152 just means a refund is expected - it's a generic message.

I was worried about spending money on a service too, but honestly, it saved me so much stress! The time I would have spent on hold is worth way more than what they charge. Plus, finding out early that my refund had an issue meant I could adjust my budget immediately rather than waiting weeks for a letter in the mail. When you're counting on that refund money for bills, knowing exactly what's happening is priceless. The peace of mind alone was worth it for me.

FYI - if ur DD date was 2/26 & still nothing, check transcript for TC 971 code. Sometimes they flip from DD to check w/o telling u. Also, many banks (esp Wells & BofA) holding tax refunds for 5-7 biz days this yr due to fraud concerns. TT batches usually hit accts by EOD on DD date but can take up to 5 biz days to clear banking system. Def call ur bank first, then IRS if needed.

I've been filing taxes for 15+ years and honestly, the easiest approach for your situation would be to use the IRS's own Free File Fillable Forms if you're comfortable with a bit of DIY. For the Child Tax Credit specifically, I had a similar issue in 2022 and found that the key is having all your children's SSNs and documentation ready. The recovery process is actually much simpler than the IRS makes it sound - you're essentially claiming a credit you were entitled to but didn't receive. Just make sure you have documentation showing eligibility for the tax year in question.

Success story time! 😅 I was in almost the EXACT same boat last year. Missed out on about $3,600 in Child Tax Credits and was completely lost on how to reclaim them. I ended up using FreeTaxUSA (totally free for federal, like $15 for state) and it walked me through the whole process. The software asked if I'd received the full credit, I said no, and it automatically added Schedule 8812 to my return. Got my refund with the missing credits in about 16 days! Don't overthink it - the right software makes this super easy.

From what I'm seeing across multiple posts, returns filed between February 20-28 are taking approximately 45-60 days to process this year, compared to the usual 21 days. Your situation is almost identical to my sister's - she filed on 2/24 and just got her refund yesterday after 51 days with no updates until the final week. Your best approach now is to: 1) Check your transcript weekly (not daily - it won't help and will just stress you out) 2) Verify your banking information is correct in case they're ready to deposit 3) If you reach day 45 with no updates, then it's worth making another call The rep gave you good advice about the 30-day window. These processing delays are frustrating but normal this season.

I think there might be some confusion about what "processing shut down" actually means. Let me clarify based on my experience working with tax preparation: • The IRS doesn't completely shut down processing • What likely happened was maintenance on specific processing systems • These maintenance periods typically last 24-72 hours, not "weeks" • However, the backlog created can take weeks to clear • Different processing centers handle different regions • Some processing centers may be more affected than others This explains why your neighbor got their refund while you're still waiting - they might have been processed at a different center or their return had fewer elements requiring review. Hope this helps clarify what's happening behind the scenes!

Got my CTC deposit yesterday after amending my return too. Here's what worked for me: I called Jackson Hewitt directly and asked them to check if my amendment was transmitted correctly. They confirmed it was and gave me a specific timeframe. I also made sure to check my transcript for code 846 which indicates a refund date. The deposit hit my bank account exactly on that date. Don't forget to check if you have any offsets that might reduce your expected amount - I almost panicked when I saw a slightly lower number until I remembered my state tax offset.

Could you maybe clarify something for me? I'm a bit confused about how the Serve card works with tax deposits. Does Jackson Hewitt automatically set you up with that, or did you choose it specifically? I'm sort of wondering if different deposit methods affect timing at all. My direct deposit to my regular bank account seems to be taking forever...