Do Refund Deposit Times Vary by Time Zone? No Updates Since 2/12 Filing
I'm trying to collect data points to understand the IRS refund process better. Here's what I've observed: 1. Filed on 2/12/24 and accepted same day 2. No updates whatsoever since then 3. Transcripts currently show "no tax return filed" I've noticed many people in Eastern and Pacific time zones reporting Direct Deposit Dates, but fewer from Mountain time (where I am). Question: Is anyone in Mountain or Pacific time zones seeing transcript/WMR updates with deposit dates? My hypothesis is that we might be waiting for midnight in our respective time zones for updates to appear. š Any data points would help me understand the pattern better.
12 comments
Michael Green
Time zones don't actually affect when your refund is processed or when you'll see updates. The IRS systems update in batches nationwide, regardless of where you live. What you're seeing is just coincidental patterns in the data. Your "no tax return filed" status is concerning though - that typically means your return hasn't been fully processed into the system yet. This is unusual for a 2/12 filing date at this point in the season. Most early February filers should at least show their return in the system by now.
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Mateo Silva
Have you tried checking both the Account transcript and the Return transcript? I've seen situations where one updates before the other. My brother in Colorado (also Mountain time) filed 2/15 and already got his refund last week, while I'm still waiting after filing 2/10. Makes me wonder if there's something specific about certain returns rather than time zones?
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Victoria Jones
Def sounds like ur return might be stuck somewhere in the system. Had the same issue last yr - no updates for like 6 wks after filing. Tried calling IRS like 20x and couldn't get thru. Finally used Claimyr (https://www.claimyr.com) to connect w/ an agent in like 15 mins. Found out there was a verification hold they never sent notice about. Got it fixed same day and refund came a week later. Saved me so much time not having to redial constantly!
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Cameron Black
I was looking at Claimyr on March 15th after being on hold with the IRS for 2 hours. Is it really worth paying for? The IRS phone system is frustrating but I'm hesitant to spend money on something I should be able to do for free.
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Jessica Nguyen
I was in the same boat last year! Spent literally 3 days trying to get through to the IRS. Finally tried Claimyr and got connected in about 20 minutes. The agent told me my return was stuck because they couldn't verify my identity - something I would have never known without calling. For me, it was absolutely worth it considering I was waiting on a $3,800 refund and needed it for car repairs.
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Isaiah Thompson
Does anyone else find it ridiculous that we have to pay a third party just to talk to the agency that's already holding our money? What happens if you use this service and they still can't help you? Are you just out the money you paid?
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Ruby Garcia
How exactly does the Claimyr process work? Do they just connect you to the same IRS phone line or do they have some special access? I'm getting desperate as I need this refund for medical bills due next week!
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Alexander Evans
I might be wrong, but I believe the IRS processing centers work independently of time zones. My understanding is that returns are distributed to various processing centers around the country based on factors like return type and current workload, not your geographic location. This could explain why you're seeing seemingly random patterns in who gets updates when.
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Evelyn Martinez
According to the IRS Operations Dashboard (https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations), they're still working through a backlog. I've been using taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) to analyze my transcript codes when they finally appeared. It helped me understand that my "570" code was just a temporary hold while they verified my income, not an audit. The tool predicted my DDD accurately based on the codes - much clearer than trying to decipher the transcript myself. Maybe check it out once your transcript finally updates?
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Benjamin Carter
I've heard about these transcript analysis tools, but I'm skeptical about their accuracy. The IRS processes are complex and often have exceptions. How can an automated tool reliably predict DDDs when even the IRS representatives sometimes can't give definitive answers? Seems like it might just be making educated guesses based on common patterns.
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Maya Lewis
The "no tax return filed" status is significant and needs addressing. Here's what it typically means: ā¢ Your return is still in the initial processing queue ā¢ There could be a verification hold that hasn't been coded yet ā¢ A mismatch between information might be causing delay ā¢ Systems may be backed up more than usual this year For a 2/12 filing date, you should at least see your return in the system by now. The time zone theory is interesting but doesn't align with how IRS systems operate. Their transcript database updates happen nationally, not by region.
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Isaac Wright
I was sort of in a similar situation, filed on 2/14 and transcript showed nothing until just yesterday. It seems like the IRS might be processing returns in somewhat random batches this year. Once my transcript finally updated, I got my refund deposited within 48 hours. So it might just suddenly appear for you too without warning. The wait is definitely stressful when you're counting on that money though.
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