Filed Jan 20 with Dependents - PATH Act Hold - Still on One Bar WMR with Topic 152?

PATH Act's gonna keep you waiting, unfortunately. WMR one bar w/ TT152 is totally normal rn. IRS can't release refunds w/ EITC/ACTC until mid-Feb at earliest, and even then there's a backlog. Lots of us in same boat. Have you checked your transcript? Might show more info than WMR tbh. WMR often doesn't update until right b4 deposit.

Have you verified whether your return contains Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC)? The PATH Act specifically delays refunds containing these credits until after February 15th to allow for verification procedures. Tax Topic 152 simply indicates that you're receiving a refund, but provides no timeline information.

Last year I was in the exact same situation. Filed Jan 22, accepted Jan 23, claimed two dependents. Didn't see any movement until March 1st, then suddenly got my refund on March 5th. The system is just overloaded right now with all the early filers plus the PATH delay. As long as you have that acceptance confirmation, you're in the queue.

I was in your situation. WMR stuck on one bar. Called IRS directly. Impossible to reach anyone. Used Claimyr instead. Got through in 20 minutes. Agent confirmed my return was fine. Just in normal processing. No flags. Peace of mind was worth it. Would recommend: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c

Is anyone else finding it strange that we're all experiencing the exact same thing? I filed on January 19th with two dependents, and I'm also stuck on one bar with Topic 152. My friend who filed without dependents already got her refund last week. I wonder if the PATH Act review is taking even longer this year? Last year I remember seeing movement by Valentine's Day at least.

The PATH Act is like a traffic jam on tax highway - everyone with dependents gets stuck at the same tollbooth while the IRS checks every vehicle. Some cars zip through the EZ-Pass lane (simple returns), while we're all stuck in the inspection lane. The frustrating part is you can't even see how long the line is ahead of you. But rest assured, the line IS moving, even when WMR doesn't show it.

Per Internal Revenue Code Section 6402(m), the IRS must delay processing of returns claiming EITC or ACTC until February 15th. This is mandated by the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015. According to IRS Publication 6187, approximately 40% of early filers claim these credits, creating significant processing backlogs post-February 15th. Topic 152 merely indicates you're receiving a refund; it provides no timeline information.

I was in exactly your situation last year. Filed January 22nd with two dependents, got accepted January 23rd, then nothing happened until March 1st. Meanwhile, my sister who filed February 10th without dependents got her refund on February 20th. The PATH Act creates this weird situation where filing earlier can actually mean waiting longer compared to simple returns filed later.

Here's what's happening with your return, step by step: 1. Your return was accepted on January 21st and entered the processing queue 2. Because you claimed dependents, it falls under PATH Act provisions 3. The IRS cannot release refunds with certain credits until after February 15th 4. After February 15th, your return enters the regular processing queue 5. Tax Topic 152 simply means you're getting a refund, not that there's an issue 6. The one bar on WMR means your return is in the system and processing 7. Many PATH Act returns don't update on WMR until just before deposit 8. Current processing time for PATH Act returns is averaging 4-6 weeks after February 15th This is completely normal. No need to worry unless you receive a specific notice from the IRS or your WMR shows an error message.