First Time TurboTax User - Do They Get My Refund Before the IRS DD Date?

OK, here's how the TurboTax refund process actually works: 1. The IRS issues your refund directly to YOUR bank account, not to TurboTax, on or around the DD date (2/25). 2. If you paid for TurboTax using your refund, they partner with a bank (Santa Barbara Tax Products Group) who sets up a temporary account. 3. Your refund goes to that temporary account first, they deduct their fees, then send the remainder to your personal account. 4. This process typically adds 1-3 business days to your wait time. The exception is if you got a refund advance loan - that's different and you should already have received that money.

I was so confused about this too! I kept checking my bank account every few hours thinking I missed the deposit. Have you tried using https://taxr.ai to look at your transcripts? It helped me understand exactly when my refund would arrive after I used TurboTax. It showed me all the processing codes and gave me a much clearer timeline than the WMR tool. I was so relieved to finally know what was happening!

Think of it like this: TurboTax is just the messenger, not the money handler. It's like ordering food through a delivery app versus picking it up yourself. The restaurant (IRS) prepares your food (refund) and gives it directly to you or the delivery driver (bank) - not to the app that took your order. TurboTax just helps you place the order correctly, they don't actually touch your food/money unless you specifically asked them to take their payment from your refund.

Last year I was in the exact same boat and couldn't figure out where my refund was. I ended up needing to call the IRS but spent DAYS trying to get through. Finally used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) and got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes. They confirmed my refund was actually sent to the temporary account for TurboTax fees first, then would be forwarded to me. The agent was able to see exactly where my money was in the process, which gave me peace of mind. Saved me from constantly checking my bank account and stressing out!

These services aren't transparent enough. They should clearly explain the process. Adding days to refund delivery isn't acceptable. People need their money.

TurboTax doesn't receive your refund at all. The IRS sends it directly to your bank account on the date they specified. If you chose to pay TurboTax fees from your refund, only then does it go through a temporary account first. This is clearly explained in their terms when you choose that payment option. You can always log into your TurboTax account and check the refund status there for more details about your specific situation.

I filed through TurboTax on January 29th this year and had a DD date of February 8th. My refund appeared in my account on February 8th at exactly 3:17am. I did NOT pay my TurboTax fees from my refund - I paid upfront with a credit card. This is important because when you pay fees from your refund, your money goes through Santa Barbara TPG first, adding 1-3 business days. I've found that paying the fees upfront always results in getting the money exactly on the IRS date.