Filed with H&R Block a week ago - still showing as 'pending' not 'accepted'

That does seem unusually long. Have you checked your H&R Block account to see if there are any notices or alerts? Did you file electronically or by mail? And did you get any confirmation email after submitting?

Have you considered checking the IRS website directly? Why rely on H&R Block's status when you can verify with the source? The "Where's My Refund" tool might not show anything yet, but you could try creating an account on IRS.gov and checking if your return appears there. Sometimes the tax prep software has delays in updating their status even when the IRS has already processed your return.

I'd be worried too. A week is definitely longer than normal for acceptance. When this happened to me last year, I spent THREE DAYS trying to reach someone at the IRS to confirm they actually received my return. Finally used Claimyr (https://www.claimyr.com) to get through to an agent in about 30 minutes. Turns out there was an issue with my SSN formatting that H&R Block didn't catch, but the IRS rejected. Better to find out now than wait until April and discover you need to refile.

I had this exact same issue with H&R Block last year! 😂 Filed on February 10th and it stayed "pending" until February 19th. I called them THREE times and got a different answer each time. One rep said it was normal, another said there was a system issue, and the third told me to check my email spam folder (where I actually found the acceptance notification that had been sent days earlier but got filtered). Might be worth checking your spam/junk folder?

You may want to verify the transmission method used by H&R Block for your return. Some tax preparation services batch-process returns at specific intervals rather than submitting them immediately. Additionally, if your return contains certain schedules or forms that require additional verification, the acceptance process may be delayed. I would recommend contacting H&R Block again and specifically asking if your return has been transmitted to the IRS or if it's still in their internal queue.

According to the IRS website (https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions), e-filed returns should receive an acknowledgment within 24-48 hours. If you're still showing as pending after a week, something's definitely off. H&R Block might be having a system issue they're not admitting to. You can also check your filing status directly with the IRS by creating an account at https://www.irs.gov/payments/view-your-tax-account - this will show if they've received your return regardless of what H&R Block's system says.

I've used both TurboTax and H&R Block over the years, and H&R Block consistently takes longer to show acceptance status. Last year my TurboTax return was accepted in 36 hours, while this year with H&R Block it took 5 days - but everything was fine. Their system just updates slower than TurboTax. As long as you filed electronically and got a confirmation number when you submitted, I wouldn't worry too much yet. If it goes beyond 10 days, then start making calls.

I work in tax preparation and can shed some light on this. H&R Block does indeed batch process returns, which can cause delays compared to other software. However, a full week is concerning. Here's what I'd recommend: 1) Log into your H&R Block online account and look for any error messages or rejection notices that might not have been emailed to you, 2) Check if your return includes any forms that trigger additional IRS scrutiny (like business schedules, large charitable deductions, or EITC claims), and 3) If you haven't already, call H&R Block and ask them to confirm the exact date and time your return was transmitted to the IRS - not just when you completed it in their system. Sometimes there's a gap between "filed" and "transmitted" that clients aren't aware of.

I'm dealing with something similar right now! Filed with H&R Block 5 days ago and still showing pending. After reading these responses, I'm definitely going to check my spam folder first (thanks Christian!) and then log into my H&R Block account to look for any hidden error messages like Alberto suggested. It's reassuring to hear that H&R Block's system just updates slower than other services, but a week does seem excessive. If you don't find anything in your spam folder or account, I'd definitely recommend calling them back and specifically asking when your return was actually transmitted to the IRS versus when you completed filing it. Keep us updated on what you find out - I'm sure others are in the same boat!

I've been through this exact scenario with H&R Block before! Here's what I learned: First, definitely check your spam/junk folder as Christian mentioned - this is surprisingly common. Second, log into your H&R Block online account and look for any status updates or error messages that might not have been emailed to you. Third, when you call H&R Block again, ask specifically for the transmission date to the IRS, not just when you completed filing - sometimes there's a delay between the two that they don't clearly communicate. If it's been truly transmitted and it's still pending after a week, you might want to create an IRS account online to check your status directly with them. H&R Block's system does update slower than TurboTax in my experience, but a full week is on the longer side. Don't panic about the filing deadline though - as long as you submitted before the deadline, you're considered to have filed on time even if acceptance comes later.

I've been using H&R Block for the past three years and can confirm their acceptance notifications are consistently slower than other services. What helped me was setting up text alerts in addition to email notifications - sometimes the text comes through faster or doesn't get filtered like emails do. Also, if you're really concerned, you can call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 and ask if they've received your return (though expect long wait times). They can tell you if your return is in their system even if H&R Block's status hasn't updated yet. One thing I learned is that if your return includes certain forms like Schedule C (business income) or if you're claiming EITC, the IRS does additional verification which can delay the acceptance acknowledgment. Don't stress too much about the deadline - the IRS considers your return filed on the date you submitted it electronically, not when they accept it.