There's an important distinction between processing date and cycle code that might help explain what you're seeing. The processing date is often just a placeholder, while your cycle code (which should be visible on your transcript - it's an 8-digit number ending in 01-05) actually determines when updates happen. Have you checked what your cycle code is? If it ends in 05, you're on the weekly update schedule which typically happens Thursday night/Friday morning. If it ends in 01-04, you're on daily updates. This would explain your previous patterns of Sunday deposits after Thursday/Friday updates.

My experience with amended documentation compared to regular returns is quite different from what most people describe. Last year, I filed a regular return on February 10th and received my refund on February 27th. This year, I filed on February 5th but had to submit amended documentation on February 7th, and I didn't receive my refund until March 12th. That's nearly two extra weeks of processing time. I've spoken with several tax professionals who confirmed that any amended paperwork typically adds 7-14 days to processing time, regardless of what the processing date shows on your transcript.

I went through identity verification last month. Called 800-830-5084 directly. No letter needed. Waited 47 minutes. They asked about previous addresses, loan amounts, and filing history. Verification completed in one call. Return processed 12 days later. Worth the wait.

Just to clarify something important - you do NOT need the letter to call the identity verification line. The letter just tells you that you need to verify. If you suspect you need to verify your identity (like if Where's My Refund shows no progress or you received notification about your amended return needing verification), you can proactively call 800-830-5084. They'll determine if you actually need to go through the verification process.

Anyone know if they're still doing those random reviews? My sister filed in January and just got her refund yesterday after a "random review" that took 10 weeks.

Enjoy that money! Any plans for it?

Based on community data tracking this filing season: • February filers are seeing 30-45 day processing times on average • Returns with credits (CTC/EITC) are taking 10-15 days longer • Transcripts typically update on Thursday nights/Friday mornings • Many people are seeing direct deposits 5-8 days after transcript updates Your timeline falls within normal parameters for this year, though I understand the frustration compared to previous years.

Just to clarify - when you say you filed February 1st, was that when your tax preparer submitted it or when the IRS officially accepted it? The IRS didn't start processing returns until January 29th this year, so even if you submitted earlier, the clock starts on acceptance date. Also, did you have any credits like CTC or EIC on your return? Those automatically get additional review under the PATH Act.

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.