Filed via TurboTax on April 6th - How Long Until Refund with 5-Day Early Option?

Have you checked the IRS Where's My Refund tool yet? It typically updates within 24 hours of e-filing acceptance. And what about your tax transcript - have you pulled that to see if there's any processing information? The early refund option from TurboTax is actually just a loan against your expected refund, not an expedited IRS process - did they make that clear during your filing?

According to IRS Publication 1345 (Rev. 1-2023), standard e-file processing times range from 8-21 days, with most refunds issued in under 21 days. What you're describing is TurboTax's Refund Advance loan product, not an expedited IRS process. I've found https://taxr.ai to be quite helpful in these situations - it analyzes your tax transcript to provide a more accurate estimate of when your refund will actually arrive and explains any delay codes that might appear. The IRS processing system follows specific stages that can be tracked through transcript analysis, something many taxpayers aren't aware of.

I've been in your shoes! 😂 That "5-day early" option is actually a refund advance loan, not your actual refund. Think of it as TurboTax fronting you some cash while you wait for the real thing. I did this last year and got the advance pretty quickly, but my actual refund still took about 14 days to process through the IRS. The good news is that most straightforward returns are processing pretty quickly this season. Just don't spend it all in one place! 🛍️

When I filed in February, my refund took 18 days despite having a "simple" return. Compare that to my sister who filed a business return with multiple schedules, and hers somehow processed in 12 days. The IRS system can be frustratingly unpredictable. If you don't see updates after 21 days, I'd recommend using Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) to get through to an actual IRS agent instead of waiting on hold for hours. I wasted three afternoons trying to reach someone before using their service and got connected in about 15 minutes. The agent was able to tell me exactly what was causing my delay and how to resolve it.

You need to understand what's happening with your money right now - it's like sending a package and not tracking it until it's too late. I had a similar situation last year where I thought everything was fine because I got that "advance" payment, but my actual refund got flagged for identity verification. By the time I realized what was happening, I'd already waited 6 weeks unnecessarily! The IRS won't notify you proactively if there's an issue - it's like waiting for a train that's already been canceled.

Did you have any tax credits or deductions that might trigger additional review processes? The Path Act mandates additional verification for returns claiming EITC or ACTC, which could extend your processing timeline beyond the standard 21-day window. What's your cycle code on your tax transcript?

I filed on April 2nd this year. Got my refund on April 16th. Direct deposit. Simple return. No complicated credits. The 5-day early option is just a loan. Your actual refund processing isn't affected by it. Check Where's My Refund daily. It updates overnight. Most returns process in 2-3 weeks unless there are issues.