I've seen this exact issue 4 times this tax season. Here's what worked for my clients: Step 1: Go to IRS.gov and request a Wage & Income Transcript for 2023 Step 2: Compare the AGI on that transcript with what you're entering Step 3: If they match and still get rejected, try entering $0 as the prior year AGI Step 4: If still rejected, file by mail with Form 8453-OL attached I'm concerned that both his total income and AGI are identical. This usually indicates no adjustments were taken (no student loan interest, no HSA contributions, etc). If he had marketplace insurance the previous year but didn't report it, the IRS might have flagged his account for review.

I'm dealing with something very similar right now! My client's return keeps getting rejected even though we're using the exact AGI from their 2023 return. What's frustrating is that the IRS error message is so vague - it just says "AGI doesn't match" without any hint about what might be wrong. One thing I learned from calling the Practitioner Priority Service (which took 3 hours of waiting) is that sometimes the IRS system doesn't update immediately when they make adjustments to prior year returns. The representative told me that if a return was adjusted after the initial processing, there can be a delay of several weeks before their e-file system reflects the correct AGI. Has your brother received any notices from the IRS about his 2023 return being adjusted? Even a small change like rounding or a calculation correction can throw off the AGI verification. I'd definitely recommend getting that transcript as others mentioned - it's the only way to see what the IRS actually has on file versus what Jackson Hewitt gave him.

I had this exact issue last year. Blank transcript for weeks, SBTPG showed funded, and I'd received my state refund. Back in 2022, I panicked and called the IRS every day for a week. This year, I was patient and my transcript suddenly updated on March 23rd after filing January 25th. My federal refund hit my account on March 29th. The IRS is just incredibly slow with PATH Act returns, especially if you claimed the Earned Income Credit like I did.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed 2/3, accepted same day, PATH Act return with EIC, and my transcript is still completely blank after 5 weeks. SBTPG shows "funded" but I think that's just for my state refund since I got that already with their fees deducted. It's so frustrating seeing people who filed after us getting their refunds while we're still waiting. Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like the IRS is just severely backed up with PATH Act returns this year. Hopefully our transcripts will update soon and we'll get some movement!

I went through almost the exact same situation last year! Formed my LLC in 2022 but didn't actually start using it until 2024. The key thing to understand is that the IRS looks at when you began "actively conducting business" rather than when you formed the entity. For your $6,500 in startup costs, you'll be able to deduct $5,000 immediately in 2024 and then amortize the remaining $1,500 over 15 years (so $100 per year). Make sure to keep detailed records of all these expenses and document when you first started engaging in business activities - things like your first customer contact, initial marketing efforts, or when you started actively trying to generate revenue. The dormant period doesn't hurt you at all. Many people form LLCs as a protective measure and then don't use them right away. What matters is demonstrating that 2024 is when you actually began operating with the intent to make a profit. Good luck with your new business venture!

I'd also recommend keeping a simple business activity log or diary starting from when you began operations. Even something basic like "1/15/2024 - ordered initial inventory, 1/20/2024 - set up business bank account, 1/25/2024 - launched website" can be incredibly helpful if the IRS ever questions your start date. One thing I learned the hard way is to make sure your business bank account was opened AFTER you started operations, not before. If you opened it years ago when you first formed the LLC but never used it, that could muddy the waters about when you actually began business activities. If that's the case, consider opening a fresh business account when you start operations to create a cleaner paper trail. Also, don't forget that some of your expenses might qualify for immediate Section 179 deduction instead of being treated as startup costs - this could actually be more beneficial since Section 179 doesn't have the $5,000 limitation that startup costs do.

This discrepancy between your actual filing date and what shows on your transcript is incredibly common and nothing to worry about! I experienced the same thing - filed on February 1st but my transcript showed February 28th. What you're seeing (03/03/25) is the date the IRS officially processed and posted your return to their master file system, not when you actually submitted it electronically. The IRS batches returns during peak season, so there's often a significant delay between e-file acceptance and formal processing. Your January 27th submission date is your true filing date for all legal and compliance purposes - keep that confirmation email as proof. This won't affect your refund timing either; they calculate processing times from internal milestones, not the transcript date. I know it's frustrating when you're waiting on that refund money, but you filed on time and everything is processing normally despite what the transcript date suggests!

I went through this exact same panic last year! Filed January 20th but transcript showed March 2nd. I spent hours on IRS forums and even considered hiring a tax professional because I was convinced something went wrong. Turns out it's completely normal - the IRS receives millions of returns during peak season and processes them in batches. The transcript shows when they officially entered your return into their main computer system, not when you hit submit. Your January 27th date is what counts for everything that matters - refund timing, meeting deadlines, proving you filed on time. I actually got my refund exactly 21 days from when the IRS systems showed "processing" (which was closer to that March date), not from my original submission date. Keep that confirmation email from your tax software - that's your legal proof you filed on time. The IRS really should explain this better on their website because it causes so much unnecessary stress every tax season!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! My transcript shows 846 with a DD date of 3/12, but WMR has been stuck on "paper check will be mailed" for the past week. Reading through all these responses is really reassuring - it sounds like the transcript is definitely the more reliable source. I was starting to worry that maybe there was an issue with my bank account info, but it's good to know this is a common system glitch during tax season. I'll trust the 846 code and stop obsessively checking WMR every few hours. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is so helpful for first-time filers like me who don't know what's normal!

I've been following this thread and wanted to add my perspective as someone who's dealt with this exact issue multiple times over the years. The disconnect between transcript codes and WMR is definitely frustrating, but you're getting solid advice here - the 846 code is absolutely the system to trust. What I've noticed is that this discrepancy tends to happen more frequently when there's high volume processing, which makes sense given what others have explained about the different databases updating on different schedules. I've had years where WMR never updated correctly even after receiving my refund, and other years where it was spot-on from the beginning. One thing that might help ease your mind: if there were actually any issues with your banking information that would force a paper check, you'd typically see different codes on your transcript (like a reversal code followed by a new 846 with a later date). The fact that your 846 code shows direct deposit with a specific date is a really good sign that everything is processing normally. Your plan to call tomorrow is totally reasonable for peace of mind, but based on everything shared in this thread, I'd bet money your deposit hits on 3/15 exactly as your transcript shows!