Cycle 05 didn't update today - filed 1/29 - any chance of weekend updates?

Cycle codes work differently than most people think. 05 means Thursday night/Friday morning updates. Not guaranteed every week. System batches returns. Some skip weeks. IRS processing is backed up currently. Weekend updates do happen. Rare but possible. Main updates follow cycle patterns. Your 01/29 filing date puts you at 45+ days now. That's beyond normal timeframes. Check for codes on transcript if available.

What's your exact cycle code on your transcript? And do you have any hold codes like 570/971? Need to know this to give you accurate info.

My full cycle code is 20240805. No 570/971 codes showing at all. Just the usual 150 code from exactly 42 days ago when I filed. WMR has been stuck on the first bar for exactly 6 weeks and 1 day now. No letters in the mail either. Really hoping for movement soon since I have a medical procedure scheduled for April 12th that I need this money for.

Based on what you're describing, you're likely in the manual review queue. These can take 8-10 weeks to resolve, unfortunately. If you need to know exactly what's happening, I'd recommend calling the IRS directly. The problem is their wait times are insane right now (3+ hours according to the IRS2Go app). I was in a similar situation and used https://claimyr.com which got me through to an agent in about 15 minutes. The agent confirmed my return was just in extended processing due to verification checks. Nothing was wrong, but I wouldn't have known that without calling. Check out their YouTube demo: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c

Have you possibly received any notices in the mail that you might have overlooked? Sometimes, the IRS sends correspondence that doesn't immediately show up on your transcript. It's also possible, though not certain, that you might be subject to additional verification procedures that are somewhat common for early filers with certain credits or deductions. Would you mind sharing if you claimed any refundable credits this year?

I'd suggest a different approach. Here's what you should do: 1. First, check your Return Transcript (not just Account Transcript) to see if it's available. Sometimes this appears first. 2. Next, verify your tax year is correct when checking. Make sure you're looking at 2023 transcripts, not 2022. 3. Then try the Where's My Refund tool again, but clear your cache first or use a different browser. 4. If still nothing, check your bank account directly. Sometimes the refund deposits without transcript updates. 5. Finally, if you claimed EIC or ACTC, remember these are subject to PATH Act delays, which can extend processing regardless of cycle code.