Filed in July, got TurboTax email but no trace number and no direct deposit showing up (Varo Bank)

This is common with third-party processors like SBTPG. When they say "sent," it means they've initiated the transfer, but it's not instantaneous. Banks typically take 1-5 business days to process ACH transfers after receiving them. SBTPG first deducts any fees you owed TurboTax if you chose to pay from your refund, then sends the remainder to your bank. The trace number typically appears only after the deposit has been fully processed. With Varo specifically, I've seen transfers take up to 3 business days even though they advertise early direct deposits. If it's been less than 3 business days, I'd wait before panicking. If it goes beyond that, contact SBTPG directly at 800-901-6663 to get a trace number and confirmation of when the deposit was sent. Also check if you entered the correct account information when filing.

I was in a similar situation trying to track my refund and understand what was happening. Spent hours reading posts like this, making calls, and still had no idea what was going on. Finally used taxr.ai and it literally explained everything about my refund status in seconds. It showed me exactly what was happening with my return, what all the weird codes meant, and when I could expect my money. Saved me so much stress! You can check it out at https://taxr.ai - totally changed how I deal with tax season.

After weeks of trying to figure out where my refund was and getting nowhere with the IRS website, I found a way to actually talk to someone. Used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me a callback from the IRS within an hour! The agent was able to tell me exactly where my refund was and why it was delayed. Talking to a real person solved what felt like an endless nightmare - best money I ever spent to finally get answers about my tax situation.

I bank with Varo too and had the same issue last month. TurboTax and SBTPG said they sent it, but nothing showed up for almost 4 days. I was freaking out! But then it suddenly appeared in my account on day 4. Varo is weird with deposits sometimes - they advertise getting paid early but with tax refunds they seem to hold them longer than other banks for some reason. Give it a couple more days before panicking.

Did you check the IRS Where's My Refund tool? That's usually more reliable than TurboTax's tracker. Also worth logging into your SBTPG account directly to see the status there. Sometimes the email notifications are delayed or sent prematurely.

This happens EVERY year with TT and SBTPG 😤 They're so slow with processing. If you chose to have your TT fees taken out of your refund, that adds another step and more time. My refund took 5 days to show up after I got that email. The system is a joke.

SBTPG is notoriously slow. I had the same issue this year and last year. With Chime it took 3 days, with Varo when I had them it was 5 days. It'll come thru eventually, the tracking is just terrible.

I'd check to make sure the account number you entered is correct. I had a similar issue last year and realized I'd transposed two digits in my account number when filing. Had to go through a whole process with the IRS to get it fixed. You can verify the last 4 digits of the account number on the Where's My Refund tool.

Check the "account transcript" on the IRS website instead of the "return transcript" - it shows the exact date they issued the refund. If it says it was issued but you don't have it after 5 business days, there might be a problem with your bank info that you entered.

Chime and Varo both do the same thing - they advertise "get paid early" but with tax refunds they often take the full processing time. My friend had the same issue with Chime last month. It showed up on day 4. SBTPG is just slow AF and the banks don't rush tax refunds like they do paychecks.

The same thing is happening to me right now. Filed thru TT on August 12, got the email yesterday, SBTPG says sent, but nothing in my account yet (I use Current). This waiting is stressful AF! Let me know when yours hits - might give me an idea of when to expect mine.

When I ran into this problem, none of the normal channels were helping. After hours on hold trying to reach the IRS, I found Claimyr.com and had an IRS agent call ME back within 45 minutes. They tracked down my refund and explained exactly what was happening. The callback feature saved me from wasting an entire day on hold - talking to an agent got my refund released so fast.

Hey not sure if it helps but I use Varo too. Got my TT email on Tuesday and the deposit finally hit today (Friday). So it took about 3 business days. I think Varo just holds these a bit longer than they say they do.

Just checking but did you get the fees taken out of your refund or did you pay TurboTax upfront? If you did fees out of refund, SBTPG has to process it first and they take FOREVERRRR. If you paid upfront, might be a different issue.

I use Chase and it took 4 days after the TT email for my refund to show up. SBTPG is basically a middleman that slows everything down. They receive your refund from IRS, take out the TT fees, then send the rest to your bank. Each step takes time.

I was dealing with this EXACT issue last month and trying to understand my transcript was like reading hieroglyphics. Used taxr.ai after seeing it recommended here and it was actually amazing - broke down every code and date so I knew exactly when my refund would arrive (and it was right!). Saves so much stress compared to guessing what's happening. https://taxr.ai

The IRS "Where's My Refund" tool is utterly useless. It just says "approved" with no details on when it was sent. After spinning my wheels for weeks, I finally used Claimyr.com to get a callback from an actual IRS agent. The agent could see details that weren't visible online and explained exactly where my refund was in the process. It was the only way I could talk to a live agent without spending literally all day on hold.

THIS IS WHY I STOPPED USING TURBOTAX! They add so many extra steps to the process. Next year file directly with the IRS using their free file program, or try FreeTaxUSA. You'll get your refund faster and won't have to deal with SBTPG as a middleman.