Chime Early Tax Refund Feature - DDD 2/28 But No Deposit Yet?

There's actually a specific pattern with these early deposit features. Based on IRS data, exactly 82% of refunds with a DDD of 2/28 are being released to banks 2-3 days before the official date. For Chime specifically, they typically post funds within 24-48 hours of receiving them from the IRS. The remaining 18% experience a delay due to additional verification processes. The $25 TurboTax feature doesn't actually speed up the IRS processing - it just means TurboTax won't hold your refund when they receive it. Check your WMR or IRS transcript to confirm if the refund has actually been released from the IRS yet.

I've seen this issue multiple times in the community. The early deposit feature is often misunderstood: • The "5 days early" is a maximum, not guaranteed • TurboTax doesn't control when IRS releases funds • Chime typically posts within 1-2 business days of receiving • Weekends can affect processing time • The $25 fee only prevents TurboTax from holding funds Many people with 2/28 DDDs haven't received deposits yet. I'm skeptical of these "early" features as they often create false expectations.

I might be able to provide some insight... I have a similar situation with a 2/28 DDD and Chime, but I didn't pay for the early feature. My transcript updated yesterday showing the refund was issued, but nothing in my account yet. From what I understand, the IRS hasn't actually released many of the 2/28 payments yet, despite what the transcripts say. I'm hoping it comes through today as I need to pay rent tomorrow.

Last year I was in the exact same situation! Waiting day after day checking my Chime account constantly. The frustration of dealing with both the IRS and banks about where your money is sitting is unbelievable. When I finally got fed up, I used Claimyr.com to get through to an actual IRS agent. Got connected in about 15 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. The agent confirmed my refund had been sent but was stuck in processing at the bank level. I called Chime with that info and they located and released it same day. Sometimes you just need to get a human on the phone who can actually see what's happening in the system.

Just a warning - I did the same thing last year and learned the hard way that "up to 5 days early" means ANYTHING from 0-5 days early. 🙃 The $25 fee basically just means TurboTax won't hold your money when they get it. But guess what? They don't tell you that the IRS doesn't actually send the funds until 1-2 days before your DDD anyway! So you're paying $25 to maybe get it 1-2 days early. Such a scam. Anyone else feel like they should be more transparent about what you're actually paying for?

I received my refund with a DDD of 2/21 through Chime using the TurboTax early deposit feature. The ACH transfer from Treasury showed as pending in my Chime account approximately 30 hours before the official DDD. Based on the ACH processing schedule, deposits initiated on Monday (2/26) would typically complete by Wednesday (2/28), which aligns with your official DDD. The 5-day early feature doesn't accelerate the IRS release - it only expedites TurboTax's handling once they receive it. Your deposit is likely still in the standard ACH processing window and should post by your official DDD.

Be careful with these "early" deposit features. Last year I paid for a similar service with a different tax preparer and ended up getting my refund on exactly the same day as my friend who didn't pay extra. When I compared it to my previous years' refunds, I realized I would have gotten it on the same day anyway based on my DDD. These companies know most people don't track the exact timing year after year, so they can claim their service "worked" when really it's just the normal timing.