Credit Karma Card Delay - Refund Sent Today But No Funds Showing Up
Is anybody else having problems with the Credit Karma card for their tax refund? My refund was sent today according to WMR but still no funds showing up. My medications are due for refill and I was counting on this money. Seems like direct deposit to my regular bank was faster last year compared to this Credit Karma option. Has anyone else seen delays with Credit Karma specifically?
17 comments


Lucas Turner
I've been tracking this issue with Credit Karma cards for the past week. Seems like several people are experiencing delays: • Normal bank deposits typically show within 24 hours of IRS sending • Credit Karma specifically seems to be holding funds for 1-3 days • Some users report getting notification emails but no actual funds • Have you checked if your card is fully activated? That's causing issues for some
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Kai Rivera
•I had the exact same problem last month. My transcript showed the refund was issued on a Tuesday, but Credit Karma didn't show the money until Friday afternoon. Meanwhile my sister got her refund direct deposited to her regular checking account within hours of the IRS sending it. I'm never using these prepaid card options again - the stress wasn't worth saving a few bucks on fees.
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Anna Stewart
•Do you know if there's any difference between people who opened Credit Karma accounts specifically for taxes versus those who had accounts previously? I'm wondering if newer accounts face longer holds.
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Layla Sanders
•Why would anyone choose Credit Karma over direct deposit to their regular bank? Is there some advantage I'm missing here? The information about the delays is really helpful though.
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Morgan Washington
Oh my gosh, I'm in the EXACT same boat! 😫 My refund was sent yesterday and I've been checking my Credit Karma account literally every hour. Nothing! I'm so worried because I need to pay my rent by Friday and I specifically chose Credit Karma because they advertised "faster access to your money." Has anyone actually received their refund through Credit Karma this year? I'm starting to panic...
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Kaylee Cook
This Credit Karma delay is like ordering next-day delivery but the package sits at the distribution center for days. My refund was sent Monday and didn't appear until Thursday morning. It's like they're using the float period as a free loan. What's frustrating is that the IRS has already released the money - it's Credit Karma that's sitting on it. If you need those medication funds urgently, I'd suggest calling their customer service directly.
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Oliver Alexander
•Thx for this info! Did u have to do anything special to get it released or did it just randomly show up? I'm on day 2 of waiting and rly need this $ asap.
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Lara Woods
Have you tried calling the IRS to confirm the refund was actually sent? 😂 Good luck getting through their phone maze! I spent three days trying before I discovered Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c). They got me past the IRS phone tree and connected to an actual human in about 25 minutes. The agent confirmed my refund was sent correctly to Credit Karma, which meant the delay was definitely on Credit Karma's end. At least I knew where to direct my frustration!
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Adrian Hughes
Be careful with these prepaid cards! I had a similar issue last year and learned that Credit Karma can hold funds for exactly 72 hours after receiving them from the IRS. My refund of $3,247 was sent on April 2nd according to my transcript, but didn't show up in my Credit Karma account until April 5th at 10:23am. When I called, they claimed it was for "security verification" but couldn't explain why regular banks don't need 3 days for the same verification. So relieved when it finally appeared though!
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Molly Chambers
It appears that, in many cases, there might be a processing delay that is somewhat specific to Credit Karma and similar prepaid card options. Based on my research, the IRS typically initiates the ACH transfer within approximately 24 hours of the "refund sent" status appearing, but financial institutions like Credit Karma may have internal holding periods that can, unfortunately, extend the wait time by potentially 2-5 business days. This is sometimes related to fraud prevention measures, particularly for tax refunds which are frequently targeted by identity thieves.
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Ian Armstrong
•I've seen this exact pattern the last three years. In 2022, I waited 4 days. In 2023, it was 3 days. This year it was still 3 days. What's interesting is that the first year I called and complained, the second year I didn't, and the timeline was basically the same. I think they have a standard hold period regardless of customer complaints.
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Eli Butler
•This is incredibly helpful information. I wish they would clearly disclose these holding periods before people select them as a refund option. Do you know if there's any official documentation from Credit Karma about these policies? I've been searching their website but can't find anything specific about tax refund processing times.
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Marcus Patterson
I might be able to provide some insight on this issue, though your experience may vary somewhat. I've used Credit Karma for my refunds for the past two tax seasons, and I've noticed that there seems to be a consistent pattern where funds typically take approximately 2-3 business days to appear after the IRS shows the refund as sent. While this delay is certainly frustrating when you're waiting for important funds, I've found that the money does eventually appear without requiring any action on my part.
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Lydia Bailey
•Did you receive any notifications when the money was about to be deposited? I'm wondering if there are any signs to watch for that indicate the funds are about to be released.
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StormChaser
I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My refund shows as sent on WMR as of yesterday, but my Credit Karma account is still showing zero. Reading through everyone's experiences here, it sounds like this 2-3 day delay is pretty standard for Credit Karma, which is honestly frustrating since they market themselves as providing faster access to funds. I'm in a similar spot where I need the money for essential expenses this week. Has anyone found that contacting Credit Karma customer service actually helps speed things up, or do they just tell you to wait it out? Really appreciate everyone sharing their timelines - at least now I know this seems to be normal and the money should show up in the next day or two.
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Aisha Mahmood
•I'm new to this community but dealing with the exact same issue! My refund was marked as sent two days ago and still nothing in my Credit Karma account. Based on what everyone's sharing here, it sounds like we just have to ride out the 2-3 day waiting period. I called Credit Karma yesterday and the rep basically confirmed what @Marcus Patterson and others mentioned - they have internal processing delays even after receiving funds from the IRS. The rep couldn t'give me an exact timeline but said to expect it within 72 hours of the IRS send date. Really wish they were more upfront about these delays when you re'choosing your refund method. Hang in there - sounds like the money does eventually show up!
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Ava Kim
I went through this exact same frustration last year and want to share what I learned. Credit Karma definitely has longer processing times than regular banks - my refund took 4 days to show up even though the IRS sent it immediately. What helped me was setting up text alerts through their app so I'd get notified the moment funds hit my account instead of obsessively checking every hour. For your medication situation, you might want to call your pharmacy and explain the delay - many have hardship programs or can give you a few days' supply while you wait for the funds to clear. Also learned the hard way that Credit Karma's "faster access" marketing is pretty misleading when compared to traditional direct deposit. Next year I'm definitely going back to my regular checking account!
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