Filed 1/30, Got PATH Message - Would IRS Have Notified Me About Problems By Now?

Not necessarily. I've seen this happen many times over the years. The PATH Act delay affects returns claiming certain credits like EITC and ACTC, and the IRS holds these refunds until at least mid-February by law. Back in 2021, I had a similar situation where I didn't hear anything for weeks, then suddenly got my refund. Just because they accepted your return doesn't mean they've fully processed it yet - they're essentially saying "we received your paperwork and it passed the initial checks."

I'm really curious - did you check your tax transcript yet? I'm always so anxious waiting for my refund, but the transcript usually gives more detailed information than the Where's My Refund tool! It might show processing codes that could indicate whether they've found any issues or if it's just in the normal queue.

The PATH Act delays are frustrating but predictable. If you need to know exactly what's happening with your return, calling the IRS directly is your best option. But good luck getting through their phone system. I tried for days last year during tax season. I finally used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) to get connected to an agent without the endless redial game. The agent confirmed my return was just waiting for the PATH hold to lift, with no issues. Not cheap, but saved me days of frustration.

I think you might want to check your tax transcript instead of relying on the WMR tool. The transcript typically shows more detailed information, including any potential issues. You can access it through the IRS website, though I'd suggest waiting a bit longer before getting too concerned. Sometimes the system might be updating, and it's possible that you may not see any changes until after the PATH Act processing delay ends.

I don't think this advice about "just wait" is helpful. The PATH Act is frustrating enough without vague timelines. • The IRS is REQUIRED to hold refunds with certain credits until Feb 15 • They often take additional time after that date for "processing" • Many returns with PATH messages have NO issues but still get delayed • Some returns DO have issues but you won't know without checking transcripts • The WMR tool is notoriously unhelpful during this period If you filed 1/30, you should have at least seen transcript updates by now.

According to the official IRS refund timeline at IRS.gov/refunds, most tax returns are processed within 21 days. The PATH Act creates an exception for returns with certain credits, but they should still be actively processing your return. The IRS's "Where's My Refund" tool isn't always accurate during the PATH delay period - that's just how their system works. I've had returns with the PATH message that processed without any issues after the holding period ended.