Anyone with a Direct Deposit Date of 3/12 still stuck at Refund Approved status? Tracker not updating to Refund Sent

Don't panic yet. The IRS refund tracker isn't always updated in real time. Even though your DDD was 3/12, it can actually take up to 5 business days after that date for the money to hit your account. The "Refund Sent" status sometimes doesn't update until after the money is actually in your account. I'd recommend checking your bank account (including pending transactions) daily rather than relying solely on the tracker. If by next Monday (3/18) you still don't have the money, then you might want to call the IRS refund hotline at 800-829-1954. Also make sure there weren't any offsets (like past-due taxes, child support, etc) that could have reduced your refund amount or caused delays.

I was in your exact situation last month. The tracker was completely useless and I couldn't understand what was going on. Then I found taxr.ai and it was a game-changer! It analyzed my transcript and explained exactly what was happening with my refund - turns out there was a processing delay that the regular tracker doesn't show. It gave me the ACTUAL timeline and explained every code on my transcript in plain English. Now I use it whenever I need to check anything tax-related. Super helpful tool at https://taxr.ai

So, I had the same problem and after getting nowhere with the IRS website, I finally got through to a real human at the IRS using claimyr.com. They connected me to an agent who could actually see what was happening with my refund. Turns out there was a tiny error code on my account that was causing the delay but wasn't visible on the tracker. The agent fixed it on the spot and my refund was processed within 48 hours. Talking to a real person made all the difference and saved me weeks of stress. Best money I ever spent to finally get some answers.

I was in the same boat with a 3/12 DDD. Mine finally hit my account this morning (3/14) but the tracker STILL says "Refund Approved" and not sent. The IRS systems are just slow to update. I wouldn't worry unless it goes past Monday without seeing the money.

This happens to me every year. The tracker is basically useless. My refund usually shows up in my account 2-5 days after the direct deposit date, but the tracker rarely updates correctly. Last year it said my refund was still processing even after I got the money! 🤣

I'm also a 3/12 DDD and I got my refund yesterday afternoon. Check with your bank - sometimes they hold the deposit for 24 hours before releasing it to your account. Also, if you used a tax preparer that takes their fees out of your refund, it goes to them first and then to you, which can add a day or two.

Double check your tax return to make sure the bank account info is correct. I had a friend who accidentally transposed two digits in her account number and her refund got sent back to the IRS. Total nightmare to fix.

If you're really worried, you can pull your tax transcript from the IRS website. It'll show the most up-to-date info on what's happening with your return. The transcript has specific codes that can tell you if there's a delay or issue. Much more reliable than the tracker.

my ddd was 3/5 and i still dont have my money. been calling irs for 2 weeks and cant get through. this is straight up theft at this point. they take our money instantly but take forever to give refunds. im so done with this system.

It might depend on your bank too. Some banks process government deposits faster than others. I have a credit union and they usually post my tax refund a day or two early, while my husband's big national bank always takes the full time or longer.

i suggest you go to the irs.gov website, login to your acct and look at your ACCOUNT tab NOT the refund status tool. sometimes your account will show a refund issued even when the where's my refund tool doesn't update. theres also a transcript tab that has more detailed info.

CHECK WITH YOUR BANK!!!! My refund was sent on my DDD but my bank held it for 5 days for "fraud prevention" without telling me. Only found out when I called them directly. Such BS.

So the tracker is notoriously unreliable. Your best source of truth is always your transcript, which shows exactly what's happening with your return behind the scenes. If you have any adjustments, errors, or review flags, it'll show up there. There are specific codes that indicate each step of the process: - 150: Return filed - 570: Additional account action pending (possible delay) - 571: Resolved additional account action - 768: EIC credit allowed - 846: Refund issued (this is what you want to see!) If you see an 846 code with your DDD, the refund has been sent regardless of what the tracker says. If you don't see an 846 yet, there might be a processing issue.

Whatever u do DONT call the IRS number. Complete waste of time. Waited on hold for 2 hours only to get disconnected. Then tried again and after 1.5 hours got someone who literally just read me the same info I could see online. They have no additional info than what u can see yourself.

Are you using a third-party tax preparation service that takes fees from your refund? If so, your money goes to them first (like Republic Bank, SBTPG, etc) and then they take out their fees and send the rest to you. That adds 1-2 days usually.

LPT: Next year get the IRS2Go app. It sometimes updates faster than the website tracker.

I actually work for a bank (not customer service). Direct deposits from the government are processed differently than regular ACH transfers. The IRS sends them in batches, and sometimes there can be delays in processing. Also, the effective date (your DDD) is when the money is SUPPOSED to post, but technical issues can cause delays. I'd say wait until Monday before getting too concerned.

Update: just checked again this morning and my refund finally hit my account! Still no change on the tracker though - it still says "approved" and not "sent" 🤡 The IRS systems are such a joke.