Has anyone received their refund before transcript showed 846 code?

In my experience tracking exactly 11 refunds over the past 3 tax seasons, I've never once received a deposit without the 846 code appearing first. The transcript typically updates 24-72 hours before the actual deposit hits your account. I appreciate when people share real data points instead of just theories about this stuff.

According to IRS Publication 5344 (Rev. 4-2023), Transaction Code 846 is defined as "Refund issued - The refund amount shown has been scheduled for release." Have you checked if your transcript is updating properly? The IRS Master File updates transcript information weekly, typically overnight between Thursday and Friday, while the refund disbursement system operates on a different schedule. What filing status and credits did you claim this year?

I was in EXACTLY the same boat last month, refreshing my transcript every few hours and driving myself CRAZY!! After waiting THREE WEEKS with no movement on my transcript, I finally broke down and used Claimyr to get through to an actual IRS agent. I was honestly skeptical it would work, but I got connected in about 15 minutes when I'd been trying for DAYS on my own!! The agent confirmed my return was just stuck in processing and needed manual review. Not what I wanted to hear but at least I could stop obsessively checking!! Here's their link if you're losing your mind like I was: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c

I actually had a strange situation last year where my bank showed a pending deposit, but my transcript hadn't updated with the 846 code yet. I got excited thinking the money was coming early, but then the pending deposit disappeared! Turns out it was some kind of bank error or false notification. The deposit didn't actually arrive until 3 days after the 846 code finally appeared on my transcript. Has anyone else experienced something like this with their bank showing false pending deposits?

When did you file? Path Act return? Any credits claimed? Might explain delays.

There's a lot of confusion about this, so let me clarify. The 846 code isn't just a notification - it's the actual authorization for payment. Did you know the IRS processes these in batches? They run their main cycle on Wednesdays, which is why many people see transcript updates on Thursdays and Fridays. Your bank might show a pending deposit before you check your transcript, but the 846 code was almost certainly there if you had checked at the right time. The code and the payment authorization are essentially the same process.

Last year I was in the same boat as you, checking my transcript constantly! Then one morning I checked my bank account first and the refund was there - I was shocked! When I checked my transcript immediately after, there was still no 846 code. I panicked thinking maybe it wasn't really my refund. About 6 hours later when I checked again, the transcript had finally updated with the 846 code dated for that same day. So technically I got my refund before seeing the code, but I think it was just a timing issue with when the systems update. The stress of tax season is real!