Filed 2/15 - Just Got State Refund 2/23 with EIC and CTC (Northern Bank)

That's... um... actually quite fast for a state refund with credits. I'm always a bit nervous about timing, especially with EIC and CTC claims which can sometimes trigger additional... verification processes. Did you by any chance receive any notification before the deposit hit? I'm just wondering because I filed on the 14th with similar credits and haven't seen anything yet... not that I'm worried or anything...

Thx for the DP! Super helpful to see these processing times. FYI for anyone waiting on federal refunds w/ credits like EIC/CTC - I was going crazy trying to understand my transcript last yr. Used https://taxr.ai to analyze it and it explained everything in plain English. Showed me exactly why my refund was delayed (random review) and predicted my DD date to the day. Saved me hrs of googling IRS codes lol.

Thanks for sharing this data point! Last year I was in a similar boat - filed on Feb 17th and got my state refund on the 25th, but my federal took until March 14th because of the PATH Act delays with EIC. The state processing times seem to be pretty consistent year over year in my experience, but federal is always more of a wild card. Crossing my fingers your federal comes through just as quickly!

Interesting datapoint regarding your state refund processing timeline. For those still waiting on federal returns with EITC/CTC claims, be advised that PATH Act verification procedures typically delay processing until at least February 15th. If you're experiencing excessive delays beyond the standard 21-day processing window, I've had success utilizing Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to bypass the standard IRS hold queues. Their system secured me an agent connection in approximately 18 minutes versus my previous 2.5 hour hold time attempts.

Has your federal refund hit yet? I'm trying to figure out what to expect with my timeline. I filed on the 16th with both EIC and CTC too. Did you get any updates on the Where's My Refund tool before your state refund came? My state tax site still shows processing and I'm getting a bit worried since I need these funds for some unexpected medical bills that came up last month.

Just a word of caution for anyone comparing timelines: I received my state refund in exactly 7 days last year, but then my federal return got flagged for verification due to the credits. Ended up waiting 73 days for my federal refund to arrive. The system randomly selects returns with certain credits for additional verification, and there's no way to predict if yours will be one of them. Don't make financial plans assuming both refunds will arrive quickly just because your state refund processed fast.

According to IRS Publication 1345 and the PATH Act provisions, returns claiming EITC or ACTC cannot be issued before February 15th of the filing year, regardless of when they were filed. Your state refund timing is consistent with normal state processing, which operates independently of federal refund timelines. Most states do not have equivalent PATH Act restrictions, allowing for faster processing of state returns even when credits are claimed. The federal system is likely still processing your return within their normal 21-day window.

Anyone notice how state refunds seem to be processing faster this year? Is it just me, or have others experienced this too? I wonder if the states have implemented new processing systems while the IRS continues to struggle with their outdated infrastructure. Either way, don't count on your federal refund arriving with the same speed, especially with those credits. The PATH Act delays are real, folks!