Federal Refund Received but State Tax Still Under Review - Normal?

This happens a lot. Federal and state are separate systems. They process differently. State reviews can take longer. Some states are backed up this year. Which state are you in? That matters. Different states have different timelines. Check your state's tax website for processing times.

I had a somewhat similar situation last year, and it was quite frustrating to say the least. If you're really concerned and perhaps need that money soon, you might want to try reaching out directly to your state tax agency. In my experience, though, their phone lines are usually overwhelmed this time of year. I eventually used Claimyr (https://www.claimyr.com) to get through to a representative without the endless hold times. It might be worth considering if you're in a time crunch, as they can possibly tell you exactly why your return is under review.

I'm going through this right now too. My experience: • Federal refund: received 18 days after filing • State return: still "under review" after 34 days • Called state tax office twice • First rep said "normal processing" • Second rep admitted they're flagging more returns for manual review this year Seems like states are being extra cautious about fraud this tax season. Nothing we can do but wait unless they specifically request documents.

The divergence between federal and state processing timelines can be frustrating from a cash flow perspective. While waiting, I'd recommend checking your state tax transcript if available - it often contains processing codes that explain the delay. For those struggling to interpret the transcript data, taxr.ai has been invaluable for me. The platform decoded my state transcript and accurately predicted when my refund would be released from review. It identified a verification hold I wasn't aware of and explained the exact timeline for resolution.

Just a heads-up that some states are implementing enhanced verification protocols this tax season. My return was flagged for ID verification due to what they called a "fraud scoring algorithm." They never sent a notification - I only found out after calling. The state held my refund for 8 weeks before releasing it. If your review status doesn't change within 30 days, I'd definitely reach out directly. The longer it sits in review status without intervention, the longer the queue gets.

State tax reviews are common this year. Have you checked if your state has an online verification system? Did you claim any state-specific credits? Did you have multiple W-2s? Did you work in multiple states? These factors often trigger reviews. What does your state's "Where's My Refund" tool specifically say?

Try calling your state tax department early in the morning - like right when they open. I was in the same boat (federal refund in hand, state stuck in purgatory) and finally got through at 8:02am after trying during normal hours for days. Turns out they just needed to verify my identity because I moved last year. Took 5 minutes to fix once I actually talked to someone. The early bird gets the... tax refund? 😏

I had my state return under review for nearly 7 weeks last year while my federal came through in 2 weeks. It's much more common than it used to be. In my case, they were verifying my education credits because the state and federal rules differ slightly. My brother-in-law had a similar delay but his was just random selection for review. Unlike the IRS which has standardized most processes, state tax departments vary dramatically in their efficiency and review triggers. Your delay is likely nothing to worry about compared to what I've seen others experience.