Filed through TurboTax 3 days ago - No approval yet. Normal for 1099 contractor?

Three days is generally not a cause for concern in most cases. The IRS typically takes anywhere from 24 hours to 3-5 business days just to acknowledge receipt of your return, and possibly longer during busy periods. The approval process itself can take up to 21 days, sometimes more if there are any potential flags or if you're claiming certain credits. As an independent contractor with multiple 1099s, your return might require a bit more scrutiny, but that's fairly standard procedure rather than an indication of problems.

Oh my goodness, I remember the anxiety of waiting after filing!! I was literally checking WMR every hour for DAYS! 😫 If you're really concerned and want to speak directly with the IRS (which I totally understand), I used Claimyr last year when my return was stuck for weeks. Saved me SO MUCH frustration! Instead of calling 50+ times, they got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. Worth every penny for my peace of mind! Here's their link: https://claimyr.com - I was honestly shocked at how well it worked!

I'm in a similar situation as you. Filed my taxes with multiple 1099s last Thursday, and I'm still waiting for approval too. Last year I remember it took about 5 days before the WMR tool even acknowledged my return was received, and then another week before it showed as approved. Are you checking the Where's My Refund tool or just the TurboTax status? I've found the official IRS tool is more reliable, but I'm wondering if others have had the same experience this year?

You need to check the right status tool. TurboTax only shows that they transmitted your return to the IRS, not whether the IRS accepted it. Go to https://www.irs.gov/refunds and use the Where's My Refund tool. You'll need your exact refund amount, filing status, and SSN. The IRS updates this system once daily, usually overnight, so checking multiple times per day is pointless. If you don't see an update after 5-7 days, then you can start investigating further.

Have you considered that your return might have specific codes or issues that need interpretation? When I was waiting on my contractor return last year, I was constantly wondering what was happening behind the scenes. Ever tried using a tool that actually explains what's in your tax transcript? I found taxr.ai incredibly helpful for decoding what was happening with my return. It analyzes your IRS transcript and explains all those mysterious codes in plain English. Wouldn't it be nice to know exactly where your return stands instead of just guessing?

I've been filing as an independent contractor for 7 years now, and I can walk you through what's normal: 1. First, TurboTax sends your return to the IRS (this happens quickly) 2. Then the IRS runs initial verification checks (1-3 days) 3. For contractor returns with Schedule C, they often do additional verification (2-5 more days) 4. Only after these steps do you get the "approved" status Last year, my return with three 1099s took exactly 8 days to show as approved. This year it took 6 days. The multiple 1099s definitely add processing time compared to simple W-2 returns. I wouldn't worry until you hit the 10-day mark without any updates.

According to IRS Publication 5344, the normal processing time for e-filed returns is 21 days, though most are processed faster. For independent contractors, returns may undergo additional verification under IRC § 6201(d) which allows the IRS to match reported income against submitted 1099 forms. A practical solution is to create an account at IRS.gov and view your tax transcript, which will show if your return has been received and is being processed, even before the Where's My Refund tool updates.

You might want to check the IRS2Go app or https://www.irs.gov/refunds for the most up-to-date status. I've found that TurboTax's tracking isn't always synced with the actual IRS systems. The r/tax subreddit has a weekly thread where people report their filing/approval timelines, and many independent contractors are seeing 5-7 day waits for the initial approval this season. I was surprised by how complicated the tracking process is compared to the actual filing!

Omg I'm in the EXACT same boat! 🙃 Filed my first 1099 return last week and the waiting is killing me. My friend filed her W-2 only return the same day and already got approved. I made the mistake of checking some tax forums and now I'm freaking out about audits and delays. Haha... *nervous laughter* Hope we both get updates soon! Anyone else constantly refreshing their email like a crazy person or just me?

Just to clarify smthg important: there's a diff between "transmitted," "accepted," and "approved" status. TT shows "transmitted" when they've sent it to IRS. "Accepted" means IRS rec'd it & basic info checks out (SSN, name, etc). "Approved" means IRS finished processing & determined refund amt. For 1099 contractors, the system often takes 3-5 days just to show "accepted" status, then another 5-10 days for "approved." Checking ur transcript (acct transcript specifically) will show code 150 when fully processed.