


Ask the community...
Did they tell you what triggered the review? Was it a specific deduction? Did they mention any documentation you need to provide? Will you get another call?
According to Internal Revenue Manual section 4.1.3, random selection for review is part of the IRS's Taxpayer Compliance Measurement Program. It's not necessarily indicative of any issues with your return. Most of these reviews complete within the stated timeframe as long as no discrepancies are found. If you don't receive your refund within 3 weeks, you may request a Taxpayer Advocate intervention under IRC section 7811 if the delay creates financial hardship.
Filed 2/10, CTC only, got DD on 3/19. WMR showed 1 bar until 3/17, then jumped to approved. Transcript updated 3/15 w/ 846 code. SBTPG received $ same day. Hoping you get yours soon! FYI my cycle code was 20231105.
Did you have any 570/971 codes before getting the 846? I'm seeing those on my transcript and not sure if that means there's a problem.
I had almost the exact same timeline! Filed 2/11, transcript updated 3/15, deposit hit my bank 3/20. The waiting is so stressful when you're counting on that money, but it seems like they're moving through our batch now.
IRS is processing approximately 1,183,000 returns per day during peak season. Returns with CTC only (no EITC) are averaging 24.3 days from acceptance to deposit in 2024, which is 3.2 days faster than 2023. If you filed on February 8th, statistical likelihood puts your deposit date between March 3rd and March 7th, assuming no review flags were triggered.
When I had a similar situation, I needed definitive answers directly from the IRS. Per Internal Revenue Manual 21.4.6, they should issue you a notice before offset, but waiting on hold for hours is ridiculous. I used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get through to an agent in about 15 minutes instead of the 2+ hours I was experiencing before. The agent confirmed exactly when my refund would be offset and helped me set up an installment agreement for the remaining balance. If you need certainty about timing or want to discuss payment options, getting through to a live person is essential.
One technical detail worth noting: the Treasury Offset Program (TOP) matches your TIN against the Treasury's delinquent debtor database approximately 7-10 days after your return is accepted but before refund issuance. The transcript cycle codes will show sequence TC 898 (refund identified), followed by TC 898 with an offset indicator if they're applying it to your balance due. You should also watch for TC 971 AC 252 (indicates offset notification sent) and TC 826 (transfer between tax periods). These will appear on your 2023 Account Transcript once processing completes.
Try calling early. Really early. Like 7:01 AM. Local offices open at 8:30. But phone lines open earlier. I got through immediately. No waiting. Asked about my zero transcript. They saw a verification hold. Sent me a letter that day. Verified my identity online. Transcript updated three days later. Refund a week after that. Patience helps. But being proactive works better.
I might be able to offer some hope here... I was in a similar situation with my return filed on February 3rd. No movement for nearly 8 weeks, then suddenly everything updated at once. I was hesitant to call at first, thinking it wouldn't make a difference. When I finally did reach someone, they explained my return was selected for a random review - nothing I did wrong. The representative actually expedited the process once I explained our situation. Three days later, my transcript updated and my refund was deposited the following week. Sometimes just having someone actually look at your return can move it out of whatever digital limbo it's stuck in.
Mateo Sanchez
Have you checked your transcript online? That's usually more informative than WMR. If you're seeing any codes like 570/971, you might want to understand what they mean. I used https://taxr.ai to analyze my transcript last week when I was confused about some weird codes. It explained everything in plain English and gave me an estimated deposit date that turned out to be spot on. As a small business owner myself, I know how frustrating it is when you're counting on that money for equipment purchases.
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Sean Kelly
ā¢The IRS transcript page says my 2023 return transcript is not available. Does that mean they haven't started processing it yet, or could there be another reason? I'm wondering if taxr.ai would work in my situation or if I need to wait until there's actually a transcript to analyze.
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Zara Mirza
ā¢If your transcript isn't available yet, that usually means they haven't fully processed your return in the system. Once processing begins in earnest, you'll see the transcript appear with various codes. That's when tools like that become helpful for deciphering what stage you're at.
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Aisha Mahmood
I'm in almost the identical situation. Filed 1/22, accepted 1/28, still nothing. Meanwhile my sister who filed on 2/15 already got her refund last week. The processing order seems completely random this year compared to previous tax seasons when it was more first-come-first-served. I've noticed that people with simple W-2 only returns seem to be getting processed faster than those of us with any kind of business income or deductions, even if we filed earlier.
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