I was told exactly 180 days too. Got my refund in 47 days.

The IRS is absolutely swamped right now. I had to verify my identity on March 14, 2024, and was told 120-180 days. My refund was deposited on April 29, 2024 - exactly 46 days later. I think they're just giving worst-case scenarios to everyone. Check your transcript daily - that's the best indicator of actual progress.

Oh my goodness, be VERY careful with the TurboTax loan situation! I had this exact scenario last year and it was a NIGHTMARE! My refund was delayed for 4 months, and when it finally came, SBTPG held it for an additional week without any communication! They eventually processed it correctly, but the stress of wondering where my money was after such a long delay was terrible! Make sure you keep all your loan documents and check your SBTPG account regularly!

According to the IRS website (https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions), they will still use your selected refund method even with delays. I've seen some people reporting that extremely delayed refunds (6+ months) sometimes convert to checks, but this seems to be the exception not the rule. The TurboTax loan agreement specifically states SBTPG maintains first right to the refund regardless of timing.

I'm going to be the voice of skepticism here. These "referrals" are often just notes agents make to get you off the phone. I've been through this three times with amended returns, and each time they gave me a different timeline. First it was 8 weeks, then 16 weeks, then "there's no timeline." The IRS is severely understaffed and they're just trying to manage expectations. Your amended return is probably sitting in a pile somewhere and won't be looked at until they get to it, regardless of any "referral."

While I understand the frustration, there are legitimate reasons for these delays. The IRS is operating under significant constraints with outdated technology systems and staffing shortages. According to the National Taxpayer Advocate's 2023 Annual Report to Congress, the IRS had a backlog of over 3.2 million unprocessed amended returns at one point. The term "referral" in IRS parlance (specifically a Form 911 TAS referral) does have a tracking mechanism, but the 30-day timeline is aspirational rather than guaranteed. Your best option is to request a specific referral to the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) if you're experiencing financial hardship due to the delay.

Don't count on the DDD. Check your transcript for TC570 or TC971 codes. These indicate holds. If clean, Chime usually deposits early. Make sure Chime account hasn't changed. Verify name on Chime matches tax return exactly. Different names cause rejections. IRS will mail check if deposit fails. Takes 4-6 weeks longer.

I filed on 7/25, got my DDD for 8/12 to my Chime account, and the money actually hit yesterday (8/10)! Two days early! I was so anxious about it because I needed it for a security deposit on a new apartment. The combination of filing electronically with TurboTax and using Chime seems to be the fastest route this year. My sister filed paper and is still waiting after 12 weeks. The IRS seems to be processing electronic returns much faster this late in the season compared to the early rush.

I finally got through to a human after 3 failed attempts! Called the Taxpayer Advocate Service at 1-877-777-4778 at exactly 7:02 AM. Waited for exactly 31 minutes but the agent was able to help with my issue directly instead of transferring me. They can't help with everything, but they resolved my transcript issue and explained exactly why my refund was delayed by 42 days. Worth trying if the main number isn't working for you!

One more option that worked for me on April 3rd - contact your local Taxpayer Assistance Center and make an appointment. You can find your local office at https://www.irs.gov/help/contact-your-local-irs-office and call for an appointment. Much better than the endless phone tree, and they can help with most issues. The IRS is still dealing with massive backlogs from 2020-2022, so phone service is worse than usual this year.

The confusion you're experiencing is similar to what happens with mortgage pre-approvals vs. final approvals. With tax refund advances, there's a huge difference between preparers who offer advances based on the e-file acceptance (which happens within 24-48 hours) versus those who wait for the IRS to fully process your return (which takes 1-3 weeks). In your case, your previous preparer likely offered the more aggressive "e-file acceptance" advance, while the national chains you're looking at now are offering the more conservative "full IRS acceptance" advance. It's not that you're waiting weeks for the advance itself - you're waiting weeks for the IRS approval that triggers the advance eligibility.

I've tracked this closely over the last few tax seasons and here's what I've found with different companies: • Local independent preparers: Often offer advances within 24-72 hours of e-filing • H&R Block: Their "Early Refund Advance" requires IRS acceptance and typically takes 7-10 days • TurboTax: Their "Refund Advance" usually takes 8-15 days as they wait for IRS approval • Jackson Hewitt: Their "No Fee Refund Advance" is available within 24 hours of e-filing but has stricter eligibility The faster the advance, the more risk for the lender, so they either: • Charge higher preparation fees to offset risk • Have stricter eligibility requirements • Offer lower advance amounts • Add hidden fees elsewhere Just be careful - some of these "advances" can end up costing you more than just waiting for the IRS direct deposit!

Does anyone know if these tax programs handle multiple streams of self-employment income? I do caregiving AND online tutoring, and I'm wondering if I need separate Schedule Cs or if they can be combined? 😅 Tax season making my head spin faster than my clients' medication schedules!

I tried all three last year for my home healthcare business. H&R Block was okay but missed some industry-specific deductions that TurboTax caught. Remember when I thought I couldn't deduct my scrubs because they weren't technically a uniform? TurboTax flagged that as a potential deduction. The interface walks you through everything step by step, which was perfect for my first year. Jackson Hewitt was my least favorite - felt clunky and wasn't as thorough with the questions. Whatever you choose, start early! My first self-employment return took me THREE WEEKENDS to complete.

Have you tried checking your e-file status through your tax software instead of WMR? Sometimes they'll show a more detailed status. Did you get an email confirmation from your tax software that the return was transmitted successfully? Sometimes those emails contain a tracking ID you can reference if you need to call.

According to Internal Revenue Procedure 2023-36, the official start of the 2024 tax filing season is indeed January 27th. The error you're encountering is consistent with IRS Publication 5084 which outlines the pre-processing status of early-filed returns. Are you claiming any credits that might subject you to additional verification under the PATH Act? If so, be aware that IRC Section 6402(m) mandates additional verification procedures that may further delay processing even after the official start date.

The timeline you should expect depends on when you filed. I submitted my return with an IP PIN on February 3rd this year and received my refund on April 12th - exactly 69 days later. Last year I filed on January 29th, 2023 and received my refund on March 27th, 2023 - 57 days. The year before when I first got my IP PIN, I filed on February 15th, 2022 and received my refund on May 2nd, 2022 - 76 days. Based on my experience, you should expect 8-11 weeks from your March 1st filing date, so approximately early May to late May for completion.

Be careful about contacting the IRS too frequently about this. I had identity theft issues in 2022 and kept calling about my delayed refund. An agent told me that multiple inquiries on identity theft-flagged accounts can sometimes trigger additional verification measures, further delaying processing. The Identity Theft Centralized Review unit has specific protocols, and patience is unfortunately required. My return was eventually processed after 137 days, but only after I stopped calling every week.

Per IRC §32(b), the maximum EITC for a taxpayer with three qualifying children for tax year 2023 is $7,430. Combined with $2,000 per child under the Child Tax Credit as stipulated in IRC §24, that's $6,000 in child-related credits. Add potential overwithholding from your W-2 employment, and $10,757 is entirely reasonable. The PATH Act requires the IRS to hold refunds claiming EITC until at least February 15th, but processing typically completes within 21 days after that statutory hold period.

Got a similar refund. Three kids too. Filed HOH. Was shocked. Called tax preparer. They confirmed it was right. My income was $36k. Got my direct deposit in 16 days. No issues at all.