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Justin Trejo

Direct Deposit Date 3/22 with American Express Serve - Anyone Received Theirs?

This is my first time filing and I'm getting really nervous about my refund. WMR shows that I have a direct deposit date of 3/22 to my American Express Serve card, but I haven't received anything yet. I'm really counting on this money for some medical bills that are coming due. Has anyone with the same DDD and Serve card gotten their refund yet? Should I be worried? How long does it usually take for Serve to process the deposit after the DDD? I've been checking my account every hour...

Here's what's happening with your Serve deposit: 1. The IRS has scheduled your deposit for 3/22, but this is just when they release the funds 2. Financial institutions typically receive the funds within 1-2 business days after the DDD 3. Serve specifically can take up to 5 business days to process deposits after receiving them 4. The IRS system operates on business days, so weekends don't count in processing time 5. Most people with Serve see deposits 1-3 days after their DDD, but this varies I'd recommend waiting until at least 3 full business days after your DDD before getting too concerned.

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Wait, so does this mean we should expect delays with all prepaid cards? I've been waiting since Friday for mine to hit my Serve card too. Why would they give us a specific date if they don't actually deposit it then?

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I had the exact same DDD (3/22) with Serve last year. My deposit actually showed up the next day around 10am. But the year before it took 3 days! Serve is really inconsistent with how they process these deposits. One thing I learned - their customer service is useless until the money actually posts. They won't tell you anything about pending deposits.

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Thanks for breaking this down so clearly. I've been stressing about my deposit too, but this helps me understand the timeline better.

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I've dealt with Serve and tax refunds for years now. The DDD is just when the Treasury Financial Agent (TFA) initiates the ACH transfer to Serve's processing bank. Serve then has to verify the deposit against their internal validation protocols before releasing funds to your account. Their processing times vary widely based on current transaction volume and verification queue status. If you don't see anything by Monday, I'd recommend contacting Serve directly through their escalation pathway (not just regular customer service) to request a deposit trace on your incoming ACH from the Treasury.

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I'm curious - does Serve actually tell you exactly when they receive the deposit from the IRS? I've heard some banks get the money early but hold it until the official date.

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I used Serve for my refund in 2023 and 2022. In my experience, they never tell you when they actually receive it from the IRS. The deposit just appears in your account suddenly. In 2023, it showed up exactly 48 hours after my DDD. In 2022, it took almost 4 days. The most frustrating part was calling their customer service - they couldn't (or wouldn't) tell me anything about pending deposits.

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I really appreciate this detailed explanation! I was starting to panic since I need this money for my medical bills. Knowing there's an actual process and timeline helps a lot.

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This waiting game is like watching water boil - the more you check, the longer it seems to take! I was in the same boat last year with my Serve card. When my deposit didn't show up 5 days after my DDD, I tried calling the IRS directly. Big mistake - spent hours trying to get through their phone maze. Then I found Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes. The agent confirmed my deposit had been sent but was held up in Serve's processing system. At least I knew it wasn't lost in the void! Sometimes just knowing where your money is stuck makes the waiting easier.

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Huh, never heard of this service before. Does it actually work? Seems kinda weird that you'd need a special service just to talk to the IRS. Shouldn't they just answer their phones?

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I think what's happening is that they're clarifying whether it's an IRS issue or a Serve issue. That makes sense to me.

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Thanks for sharing this! I might need this if my deposit doesn't show up soon.

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I appreciate the recommendation. It's good to know there's a way to actually talk to someone if this drags on much longer.

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FYI - there's something specific abt Serve cards you should know. Unlike some other prepaid cards, Serve doesn't show pending deposits AT ALL. So it literally goes from $0 to full amount instantly when they process it. Also, their app/website doesn't update in real-time - sometimes there's a 2-3 hr delay between when they process ur deposit and when it shows up in ur acct. Many ppl get worried unnecessarily bc of this. Pro tip: set up SMS alerts for deposits so you know the second it hits ur acct instead of constantly checking the app.

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Is this true for all Serve cards? I have the American Express Serve FREE Reloads card and was told by a rep that they show pending deposits.

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I've had both the regular Serve and the Serve Cash Back card over the past few years. Neither one has ever shown pending deposits for me. I think the customer service reps often give incorrect information. I've literally had one tell me they show pending deposits and another tell me they don't - during the same week!

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Thank you for this explanation! I've been refreshing my app constantly, but I'll set up the SMS alerts instead.

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That explains why I'm not seeing anything yet. I'll stop obsessively checking the app every 5 minutes!

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According to Internal Revenue Manual section 21.4.1.4.7, the Treasury Department is required to release electronic funds transfers to financial institutions on the specified Direct Deposit Date. However, Section 31 CFR § 210.5 of the Treasury regulations allows financial institutions up to 5 business days to process these transfers without being in violation of ACH processing requirements. In the case of non-bank financial service providers like Serve, they often operate under different regulatory frameworks than traditional banks, which can result in additional processing time. I'd advise waiting until at least Tuesday before taking further action.

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Anyone else notice that Serve seems to process tax refunds differently than regular direct deposits? 🤔 My paycheck hits my Serve card instantly, but my tax refund last year took 2 days after the DDD. It's like they have a special holding pattern just for government deposits. Maybe they're earning interest on our money for those extra days? Just saying...

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I've been tracking my refunds with Serve for the past three years, and I've noticed there's actually a pattern to when they release IRS deposits. In my experience, if your DDD falls on a Friday (like 3/22), Serve typically processes these over the weekend and they appear Monday morning. I've seen this happen consistently. Have you checked your account today? Many people in my tax groups are reporting their 3/22 DDDs hitting their Serve accounts this morning.

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Hey Justin! I totally understand your anxiety - waiting for that first refund is nerve-wracking, especially when you need it for medical bills. I've been using Serve for my tax refunds for about 4 years now, and here's what I've learned: Serve is notoriously slow with IRS deposits compared to regular banks. Even though your DDD is 3/22, don't panic if it doesn't show up until Tuesday or Wednesday. I've had refunds take anywhere from same-day (rare) to 4 business days after the DDD. The good news is that once the IRS sends it, it WILL arrive - Serve has never lost a deposit in my experience. Try to resist checking every hour (I know, easier said than done!) and maybe set up text alerts instead. Your money is coming!

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I'm in the exact same situation as you! Got my first refund with a 3/22 DDD to my Serve card and have been anxiously waiting. Reading through these comments has been really helpful - I didn't realize Serve could take up to 5 business days to process after receiving from the IRS. I've been checking my account obsessively too, but I'm going to try to relax and wait until at least Wednesday before worrying. Thanks for posting this question - it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with this waiting game. Fingers crossed both our refunds show up soon!

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I'm glad I'm not the only one going through this! It's my first time filing too and the waiting is making me so anxious. I keep reading horror stories online about refunds getting lost or rejected, but everyone here seems to have gotten theirs eventually with Serve. I think I'm going to follow the advice about setting up text alerts and trying not to check constantly. Good luck with your refund - hopefully we both see our money this week!

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Hey Justin! I completely understand your anxiety - medical bills waiting and your first refund can be really stressful. I've been using Serve for tax refunds for about 3 years now, and here's what I've learned: the 3/22 DDD means the IRS released your funds on Friday, but Serve typically takes 1-3 business days to actually post it to your account. Since Friday was the release date, I'd expect to see it by Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest. Serve doesn't show pending deposits, so it'll just appear suddenly when they process it. Try setting up SMS notifications instead of checking constantly - it'll save your sanity! Your refund is definitely coming, just hang in there a bit longer. The waiting is the worst part, but I've never seen a properly issued refund actually get lost.

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This is really helpful advice! I'm also a first-time filer and was getting worried about the timeline. It's reassuring to know that 1-3 business days after the DDD is normal for Serve. I didn't realize they don't show pending deposits - that explains why I'm not seeing anything yet. I'm definitely going to set up those SMS notifications instead of constantly refreshing the app. Thanks for sharing your experience!

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I'm in a similar situation with my Serve card and 3/22 DDD! Based on what everyone's sharing here, it sounds like we just need to be patient for a few more days. I've been checking my account constantly too, but it's good to know that Serve doesn't show pending deposits - that explains the radio silence. I'm going to follow the advice about setting up SMS alerts and try to stop obsessively refreshing the app. It's reassuring to hear from people who've been through this process multiple times with Serve. The consensus seems to be that refunds do arrive, just not always on the exact DDD. Fingers crossed we all see our deposits by mid-week!

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