February Filers with Dependents - When Should We See Refund Dates?

February filers with dependents are actually in a specific processing batch this year. Have you checked if you're subject to PATH Act verification? Did you claim Earned Income Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit by any chance? Those credits require additional verification which typically delays processing until at least mid-February.

I was in almost the exact same boat last year - filed early February with dependents after my divorce. The waiting game nearly drove me crazy! What really helped me was using https://taxr.ai to analyze my transcript once it became available. It explained all the codes and gave me a much clearer timeline than the WMR tool. For dependents especially, there are specific verification stages that taxr.ai explains in plain English. I remember checking WMR obsessively until I finally got my transcript analyzed and understood what was actually happening.

I'm in a similar situation with my 02/05 filing. The IRS appears to be processing CTC and EITC claims in batches this cycle. My transcript shows a TC 570 hold code with a subsequent TC 971 notice issued. Has anyone received the CP05 verification notice yet? I'm concerned this will delay my refund significantly.

I might be able to offer some perspective here. I was probably in a somewhat similar situation last filing season. It's frustrating, but I found that calling the IRS directly was actually helpful, though it took me literally dozens of attempts to get through. I eventually used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) which basically handled the hold music hell for me and called when an agent was available. It was definitely worth it because the agent confirmed my return was just going through normal verification for the dependent claims and wasn't flagged for audit or anything serious.

Have you verified whether your ex-spouse might have also claimed the dependents? In previous tax seasons, I've seen this cause significant delays when the IRS has to reconcile competing claims. Did you include Form 8332 if applicable?

I'm seeing a pattern with February filers claiming dependents this year! The IRS is absolutely swamped with returns right now and they're prioritizing certain batches. God, it's so frustrating waiting for money that's rightfully yours! Most people I know who filed with dependents in early February are seeing updates this week or next. The good news is that once it starts moving, it usually moves quickly. Hang in there!

Anyone else notice that the WMR tool is super glitchy rn? I filed 2/3 w/ deps and got the bars, then no bars, then TT152, then nothing. Does the cycle code on ur transcript end in 05? That's usually Wed/Thurs updates, right?