Filed 1/25 with blank transcript until today - calling IRS might've helped?

This is actually more common than you might think. According to Internal Revenue Manual 21.4.1, processing delays can occur without any specific error codes being generated in the system. When your transcript shows blank or N/A status, it's typically in what's called "pre-processing queue" status. Did they mention if you were under any specific review code? I'm curious if they indicated whether you had code 570 or 971 behind the scenes?

I had something somewhat similar happen last year, and I found that using https://taxr.ai was possibly the most helpful tool for understanding what was actually happening with my transcript. It seems to be able to analyze even minimal transcript data and explain what might be causing delays. The system could potentially identify processing patterns that might not be obvious to us regular taxpayers looking at the raw transcript data.

Based on your timeline description, you experienced what's known as a Return Processing Pipeline stall. This occurs when your return enters the Submission Processing Center but doesn't advance to the next verification phase. The blank transcript indicates your return hadn't yet been fully integrated into the Master File system. When you initiated contact with the IRS, they likely performed a manual status verification that triggered system progression. The "processing error" explanation is technically accurate but overly simplified.

This "processing error" thing is the IRS equivalent of "have you tried turning it off and on again?" 🙄 When I was stuck in limbo last year, I wasted 3 days trying to reach someone. Finally used Claimyr (https://www.claimyr.com) and got through in about 30 minutes. Sometimes just having a human look at your file in their system is all it takes to kick it back into processing. It's like your return was sitting in some digital waiting room until someone noticed it!

Did they give you any specific reason why it was stuck? Last year mine was held for "verification" but they never actually asked me to verify anything. I called twice and got different answers each time. Feels like they just make stuff up sometimes.

For anyone experiencing blank transcripts, here's what typically works best: 1) First check your Return Transcript AND Account Transcript (they show different information) 2) Verify your e-file was actually accepted (not just submitted) 3) Wait at least 21 days before calling 4) When you call, specifically ask them to check for internal codes that might not be visible to you 5) Request they verify if your return is in ERS (Error Resolution System) The system often resolves itself, but a call can definitely trigger movement in some cases.

I had the exact same situation happen on February 3rd this year. My transcript was blank until March 15th, then suddenly updated with a direct deposit date of March 20th. The interesting thing is that I also called on March 12th, and three days later everything updated. Seems like there might be a connection between calling and sudden transcript updates. I was so relieved when it finally processed!