FINALLY Got a Refund Date After 4 Months of Waiting - Is This Normal?

Unfortunately, a 4-month wait isn't uncommon this tax season. The IRS is currently processing approximately 1.7 million backlogged returns from earlier this year. Average processing time for electronic returns is 21 days, but complex returns with credits, military status changes, or multiple state filings typically take 45-90 days. Military returns with PCS orders often require manual review, which adds exactly 37 days to the standard processing time. Your timeline is frustrating but falls within expected parameters for 2024 processing cycles.

Ugh, 4 months is way too long IMO. Had the same issue last yr after our PCS. Tried calling IRS for weeks - impossible to get thru. Finally used Claimyr (https://www.claimyr.com) and got connected to an agent in like 15 mins. They explained exactly what was holding things up and even expedited our refund bc of hardship. Def worth checking out if u need answers ASAP?

Your situation is actually better than mine was. I waited 5 months last year compared to your 4 months. Military returns are like corporate returns - they get flagged more often for review than standard W-2 only returns. Have you checked your transcript for codes? That's usually more revealing than the WMR tool. If you've got a DD date now, you're in the home stretch.

I tracked a similar delay with my military family return that I filed on January 24th, 2024. The key is understanding what's in your transcript. After weeks of confusion, I used https://taxr.ai to decode my transcript. It explained that my 570/971 codes were just verification holds, not audit flags. The tool predicted my exact refund date (May 3rd) three weeks before the IRS updated WMR. For military returns with multiple state filings, the transcript tells the real story.

I understand how frustrating this must be for you. A few questions that might help the community provide better guidance: • Did you receive any letters from the IRS during the wait? • Are you seeing any specific codes on your transcript? • Did you claim any special credits like Earned Income or Child Tax Credit? • Were your moving expenses included in your filing?

According to the IRS operations page (https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations), they're still working through a significant backlog from previous years. Military returns with multiple state considerations often get flagged for additional review, which can add substantial time. I've seen many claims about "expedited processing" but in my experience following dozens of cases on r/IRS and r/tax, there's rarely a true shortcut unless you have a documented hardship case.

Think of IRS processing like airport security - sometimes you zip through TSA PreCheck in minutes, other times you're stuck in the extended screening line for hours. What helped me was filing an official hardship request through the Taxpayer Advocate Service. It's like getting a priority boarding pass when your flight is delayed. They can often move military returns to the front of the line if you're experiencing financial difficulties due to the delay. The process takes about 2 weeks but can shave months off your wait time.

I feel your pain! As another military family, we went through almost the exact same thing last year. Filed in January, didn't see our refund until late May. The worst part is the uncertainty - you start wondering if something went wrong or if your return got lost in the system. What finally gave me peace of mind was calling my local Taxpayer Advocate Service office. They were able to look up my case and confirm it was just in the normal review queue for military returns with moving expenses. The waiting is brutal, but if you have a date now, you're almost there! The IRS rarely changes dates once they're posted - in my experience tracking these on various forums, about 95% of people get their refunds on or before their stated date.

I completely understand your frustration! As a fellow military family, we've been through this exact scenario multiple times. Four months is unfortunately becoming the "new normal" for military returns, especially with PCS moves involved. The IRS has to cross-reference your filing with multiple state tax authorities when you've moved, plus they manually verify military moving expense deductions. What helped me during our last long wait was setting up informed delivery with USPS to catch any IRS correspondence early, and checking my transcript weekly rather than relying on the "Where's My Refund" tool. The transcript shows the real processing codes and timeline. Once you have that DD date, you can usually count on it - I've tracked dozens of cases and the IRS rarely pushes back dates once they're posted. Hang in there, you're almost at the finish line!

I'm so sorry you've had to go through this stressful wait! As someone who works in tax preparation, I can confirm that 4-month delays for military returns with PCS moves are unfortunately very common this year. The IRS has been overwhelmed with a massive backlog, and military returns get additional scrutiny because they often involve multiple states, moving expense deductions, and combat pay exclusions that require manual review. The good news is that once you have a direct deposit date, it's extremely reliable - I'd say 98% of my clients get their refunds exactly when promised or even a day early. The IRS learned from past mistakes about over-promising dates they couldn't meet. Try to resist the urge to keep checking WMR obsessively (I know it's hard!) and trust that your refund is finally on its way. You've made it through the hardest part!

I'm going through something similar right now! Filed in February as a military family with a PCS move from Texas to Virginia, and I'm still waiting after 3 months. Reading all these responses is actually making me feel so much better - I had no idea that military returns with moves get flagged for additional review or that the transcript shows more detailed info than WMR. I've been driving myself crazy thinking something was wrong with our return. Quick question for anyone who's been through this - when you finally got your DD date, did it show up in WMR first or on your transcript? I'm checking both daily but wondering which one typically updates first. Thanks for posting this question, it's exactly what I needed to see today!

As a tax professional who's helped hundreds of military families through similar situations, I want to reassure you that your 4-month wait, while incredibly frustrating, is within the expected range for 2024. Military returns with PCS moves are essentially treated like complex business returns - they require manual review because the IRS has to verify moving expenses, coordinate with multiple state tax agencies, and ensure all military pay exclusions are properly calculated. The bright side? Once you have that DD date, it's virtually guaranteed. In my 15+ years of practice, I've only seen refund dates change in cases where there were bank account issues, not IRS processing problems. Your refund is coming - the hardest part is behind you now. For future reference, military families can often avoid these delays by filing as early as possible (late January) and keeping detailed records of all PCS-related expenses to prevent review flags.

I totally feel your pain on this! We're going through the exact same thing right now - filed in January as a military family with a recent PCS move, and I'm still checking WMR obsessively every single day. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly eye-opening and honestly such a relief. I had no idea that military returns with moves essentially get treated like complex business returns or that the transcript shows more detailed info than the "Where's My Refund" tool. The hardest part really is just not knowing if something went wrong or if this is normal. Seeing so many other military families share similar 3-5 month wait times makes me feel like we're not alone in this frustrating process. Question for those who've been through this - did you notice any pattern in when the IRS typically releases these delayed military refunds? Like do they seem to process them in batches at certain times of the month?

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stressful situation! As a fellow military family member, I completely understand your frustration. Four months is absolutely exhausting when you're waiting on money you need. From reading through all these responses, it sounds like your timeline is unfortunately pretty typical for military returns with PCS moves this year - the manual review process for our complicated situations just takes forever. The silver lining is that once you have that direct deposit date, you can really trust it. I went through something similar last year (filed in February, didn't get my refund until June), and the anxiety of not knowing what was happening was honestly worse than the actual wait. The IRS transcript really is more helpful than the "Where's My Refund" tool if you haven't checked that yet. Hang in there - you're so close to the finish line now!

I'm really sorry you've had to endure this stressful 4-month wait! As someone who's been through multiple tax seasons with military moves, I can tell you that your experience is unfortunately becoming more common. The IRS is still working through massive backlogs, and military returns with PCS moves get extra scrutiny because they involve cross-state verification and manual review of moving expenses. What's encouraging is that once they post a direct deposit date, it's extremely reliable - I've rarely seen those dates change. One thing that helped me manage the anxiety was switching from checking "Where's My Refund" to monitoring my tax transcript, which shows much more detailed processing codes. The transcript will often show movement days or even weeks before WMR updates. You're finally in the home stretch now, and while the wait has been brutal, your refund should be hitting your account right on schedule!

I'm so glad you finally got a refund date after that exhausting 4-month wait! Your situation hits close to home - we're also a military family and just went through almost the identical timeline. Filed in January, moved twice during the year, and didn't see movement until May. The uncertainty is absolutely the worst part because you start wondering if your return got lost in the system or if something went wrong. What I learned from going through this is that military returns with PCS moves basically get treated like complex business returns - they require manual review for moving expenses, cross-state verification, and coordination between different tax agencies. It's frustrating that the IRS doesn't communicate this timeline upfront, but once you understand the process, the wait makes more sense (even if it's still maddening). The good news is that DD dates are extremely reliable once posted - I've been following military tax forums for months and rarely see those dates change. You've survived the hardest part, and your refund should hit right on schedule!

I completely understand your frustration! As a newcomer to this community but someone who's dealt with IRS delays before, I can say that while 4 months feels absolutely endless, it's unfortunately not unusual for complex returns this year. Reading through all these responses from experienced military families has been so educational - I had no idea that PCS moves essentially turn your return into something that needs manual review and cross-state verification. That context really helps explain the timeline, even though it doesn't make the waiting any less stressful! The consensus here seems to be that once you have that DD date, you can actually trust it, which is honestly the most reassuring thing I've heard about dealing with the IRS in a long time. Hang in there - it sounds like you're finally at the finish line after what's been an incredibly frustrating journey!