I received exactly 3 digital notices through the new PLUS Act system since it launched on April 3rd. Each one arrived precisely 7 days earlier than I would have received the paper version based on previous years. My tax professional estimated this gave me 23% more response time than the old paper system, which was crucial for gathering the 6 documents I needed for my response to the IRS inquiry.

Back in 2018, I remember when the IRS tried a similar digital initiative that had some serious implementation issues. Is the PLUS Act actually working better than that previous attempt? I've created calendar reminders to check my online account weekly just to be safe, but I'm wondering if others are finding the system reliable so far?

Tried calling IRS last week. Complete disaster. Spent 2hrs on hold. Got disconnected. Called back. Another 1.5hrs. Finally got someone who couldn't even help w/ my specific issue. Had to transfer me. Got disconnected again. FML. Ended up going to local taxpayer advocate svc instead. Much better experience tbh. Their # is 877-777-4778 if anyone needs it.

Are you sure you need to call about your refund? Most processing delays resolve themselves without intervention. Have you checked your transcript for codes that might explain the delay? Sometimes calling actually creates more delays because they put a manual review flag on your account.

According to the IRS2Go app and r/IRS megathreads, most February 13th filers are seeing DDDs between March 15-22 depending on their cycle code. The IRS is actually running slightly ahead of schedule compared to last year based on the data I've been tracking. If you check https://www.irs.gov/refunds and still don't see updates by March 15th, you might want to pull your full transcript to check for any TC 570/971 combo which could indicate verification needed. The IRS processing systems typically batch updates based on cycle codes rather than acceptance dates.

It might be worth checking if you have any credits on your return that would put you under PATH Act restrictions. If you claimed Earned Income Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit, the IRS is legally not allowed to issue your refund before mid-February, which could potentially delay your processing timeline a bit compared to others who filed on the same day but didn't claim those credits.

Check with your local post office too. Sometimes they hold government checks if they're not sure about the delivery address. My neighbor had this happen and his was sitting at the post office for a week.

If you've moved recently or filed with a different address than your previous return, that could cause delays too. The IRS is terrible about forwarding mail even if you have a forwarding address with USPS.

Oh my goodness, be VERY careful with this! My brother-in-law assumed he could still claim his kids even though his ex got the advance payments, and he ended up with a NIGHTMARE audit situation! The IRS flagged both returns and froze both refunds for almost 8 months! They had to submit their entire custody agreement, school records showing where the kids primarily lived, and even utility bills proving residence. I'm still shocked at how complicated it got! The IRS eventually sided with him since it was his year according to their agreement, but they had to pay an accountant $1,200 to help resolve everything.

I successfully navigated this exact situation on April 12th last year. My ex received all the advance payments, but according to our custody agreement, 2023 was my year to claim our daughter. I filed electronically on February 3rd with Form 8862 attached, included a copy of our custody agreement, and explicitly noted in the additional information section that advance payments had been made to the other parent. My return was accepted within 21 days, and I received the remaining portion of the Child Tax Credit (the full amount minus what was already paid in advances). Just make sure you have documentation ready if they request it!