Child Tax Credit delays 2025 tax return - what date can I expect my refund?

I've been hearing a lot about how claiming the Child Tax Credit is causing delays for tax refunds this year. I have two kids (4 and 7) and I'm counting on that refund to catch up on some bills. I filed my taxes on February 10th and got the acceptance notification right away, but my return is still showing as "processing" when I check the IRS website. From what I understand, they're doing extra verification for Child Tax Credit claims to prevent fraud, but it's frustrating not knowing when I'll actually get my money. Has anyone who claimed the Child Tax Credit already received their refund? Or does anyone have insight on what date I might expect it? I was planning to use that money to pay off my car repair from last month.

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18 comments

Connor Rupert

•8M

Yes, the IRS is indeed taking longer to process returns with Child Tax Credit claims this year. This is part of their fraud prevention measures under the PATH Act (Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes). The IRS won't release refunds for returns claiming the Child Tax Credit or Earned Income Tax Credit until they complete additional verification steps. Typically, this means these refunds won't start being issued until mid-February at the earliest, regardless of when you filed. Since you filed on February 10th, you're looking at a minimum 21-day processing time from that date, but it could be longer. Your best bet is to check the "Where's My Refund" tool on the IRS website or use the IRS2Go app. The tool usually updates once daily, usually overnight. Many people with CTC claims this year are seeing their refunds deposited around 4-6 weeks after filing, rather than the standard 21 days.

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Connor Rupert

•8M

The number of dependents you claim doesn't necessarily increase the verification time. The delay applies to any return claiming the Child Tax Credit, whether for one child or multiple children. The IRS is verifying eligibility for the credit in general, not conducting separate verifications for each child. For most taxpayers claiming the Child Tax Credit this year, the timeline seems to be running 4-6 weeks from submission date, though some are seeing refunds sooner. The best indicator is still the "Where's My Refund" tool, as individual processing times can vary based on a number of factors beyond just the Child Tax Credit.

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Brady Clean

•8M

I was in the same boat last year with my Child Tax Credit causing delays, but I found this service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that really helped me understand what was going on with my return. The tool analyzed my tax docs and explained exactly why my refund was being held up. Turns out there was a mismatch between what I reported for my child's SSN and what the IRS had on file (totally my typo!). For this year, I used their document checker before filing to make sure everything was correct. The service flags potential issues that could cause delays with credits like the CTC. Really worth checking out if you're stuck waiting and want to make sure there aren't any issues with your return that could be causing additional delays.

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Brady Clean

•8M

Yes, it definitely works if you've already filed! You can upload your completed return and it'll analyze it for potential issues that might be slowing things down. It's helped a lot of people identify problems they can fix with an amended return rather than waiting for the IRS to eventually reject the claim. The service doesn't actually access your IRS account or information directly. You just upload your tax documents (like you would to any tax preparation software), and their AI analyzes them for inconsistencies, missing information, or red flags that typically cause delays. It's all encrypted and secure, similar to how TurboTax or other tax software handles your documents.

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Vincent Bimbach

•8M

Ok I have to admit I was wrong about taxr.ai! After expressing skepticism in my earlier comment, I decided to give it a try anyway since my refund has been stuck on "processing" for over 5 weeks. The service flagged that I had accidentally claimed my child twice - once on my return and my ex claimed her too (we were supposed to alternate years and I forgot it was his year). I was able to file an amended return right away instead of waiting for the IRS to catch it and potentially freeze my entire refund. The tool even generated a letter explaining the mistake that I could send with my amendment. Already seeing movement on my refund status now. Definitely saved me from a much longer delay and potential audit headache!

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Kelsey Chin

•8M

If you're tired of waiting and checking the "Where's My Refund" tool every day, I highly recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to actually speak with someone at the IRS about your specific situation. I was in the exact same position - filed in early February, claimed Child Tax Credit for my kids, and my refund was stuck in limbo for weeks with no updates. I was so frustrated with the generic "still processing" message, so I tried Claimyr after seeing it recommended here. You can watch how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Basically, they get you through to an actual IRS agent on the phone (which I had tried and failed to do multiple times). The agent was able to tell me exactly why my return was flagged for review (turned out to be an issue with how my employer reported my income, not even related to the CTC), and gave me a specific timeframe for when it would be resolved.

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Kelsey Chin

•8M

The service actually works by using an algorithm that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. When they finally get through to an agent, they call you and connect you directly to that agent. So you don't have to spend hours on hold - they do it for you. I was skeptical too before trying it. But it's legit - I spent 3 weeks trying to get through on my own with no luck, then used Claimyr and was talking to an IRS agent within a few hours. They can't guarantee immediate connection because it depends on IRS wait times, but the system keeps trying persistently until it gets through, which is way more efficient than any of us can do manually.

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Leo McDonald

•8M

I need to publicly eat my words about Claimyr. After calling it a scam yesterday, I was desperate enough to try it after getting yet another "still processing" message on my refund (day 42 of waiting!). I figured I had nothing to lose and wow, I was completely wrong. The service actually worked exactly as described. They called me back after about 2 hours and connected me directly to an IRS agent. No navigating phone trees, no waiting on hold. The agent pulled up my return and explained that my refund was delayed because of a discrepancy between the Child Tax Credit advance payments I received last year and what I reported on my return. She helped me understand exactly what happened and told me my refund would be released within 7-10 days with an adjustment. That's more information than I've been able to get in 6 weeks of trying! Sometimes being proven wrong feels pretty good.

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Jessica Nolan

•8M

It just updated on its own. I checked the "Where's My Refund" tool religiously every morning and one day it finally showed a deposit date. I never called or did anything special to move things along. I've heard from friends that calling doesn't usually speed things up anyway - they just tell you to keep waiting unless there's an actual issue with your return that needs to be addressed. So unless you think there might be a specific problem, it seems like waiting is unfortunately the only option.

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