Filed TurboTax with Child Tax Credit - No WMR Status Update Since 1/25

Returns with dependents and tax credits like the Child Tax Credit might possibly take longer to process, especially early in the filing season. The IRS typically takes around 21 days to process most returns, but those with credits are often subject to additional verification steps. You may want to check your tax transcript rather than just the WMR tool, as it sometimes updates with more detailed information. In my experience, patience is unfortunately needed this time of year.

The PATH Act delays refunds for returns claiming EITC or ACTC until mid-February. This is a verification measure to prevent fraud. If you're trying to reach the IRS to confirm your status, save yourself hours of frustration. I used Claimyr (https://www.claimyr.com) last week when my return was stuck in the same status. Got connected to an agent in under 30 minutes who confirmed my return was still processing normally and hadn't been flagged for review.

I filed with TurboTax on January 22nd with two kids and just got my deposit yesterday! Why is everyone else's taking so long? Could it be because I filed slightly earlier? Or maybe because I've used the same bank account for years? My transcript updated about a week before the money arrived, so maybe check that instead of WMR?

The IRS is processing returns with dependents in batches this year. I've noticed a pattern where people who filed in the last week of January (like you) are seeing longer waits than those who filed super early or after February 10th. It's like being in the middle seat on a packed flight - not the best timing, haha! Check your transcript for cycle codes - if you have an 05 cycle, you'll likely see updates on Thursdays/Fridays. If it's 02, watch for Tuesday updates.

I was in the exact same boat as you - filed on Jan 23rd with three kids and WMR didn't budge for weeks. Compared to my sister who filed with no dependents and got her refund in 10 days! I finally tried https://taxr.ai to analyze my transcript and it explained exactly why mine was delayed (verification of W-2 information) and predicted my deposit date accurately. Much more helpful than the vague WMR bars that never seemed to move.

Has anyone who filed exactly on January 24th with precisely 2 dependents received their refund yet? My transcript shows a 570 code dated February 19th and a 971 code dated February 26th. The amount on the top right shows $4,328 but the amount next to code 150 shows $4,128. Does this 200-dollar difference indicate an adjustment to my Child Tax Credit?

According to the IRS.gov processing guidelines (https://www.irs.gov/refunds), returns claiming the Child Tax Credit should be processed by mid-February at the earliest. I filed January 21st with TurboTax, claimed 2 children, and my WMR updated to approved on February 17th with deposit on February 22nd. The IRS2Go app actually updated a day before the website did. Try checking your account transcript at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript for more detailed status info.

Be careful about counting on your refund arriving by a specific date, especially with Child Tax Credits involved. I had a similar timeline last year - filed January 25th with dependents - and ended up waiting until March 12th for my refund. The IRS held my refund for verification of income and eligibility for credits. If you've budgeted for that money, you might want to make alternative arrangements just in case there's an extended delay.

Ppl w/ kids def getting delayed this yr. EITC/CTC takes forever bc of PATH act. IMO check transcripts not WMR, WMR is useless rn. Most of us who filed end of Jan w/ kids are stuck in same boat. Transcripts will show codes like 570/971 if there's issues. N/A transcript means they haven't even looked at ur return yet. Hang in there, prob another week or two.

I would suggest not checking WMR too frequently. Last year I checked multiple times daily and it actually triggered a temporary security lock on my account. The system sometimes flags repeated logins as suspicious activity. My sister-in-law had her return delayed an additional three weeks because of this, and she had to verify her identity before processing continued. It's better to check perhaps once every few days, preferably in the morning after overnight updates.