Has anyone with EITC received their refund date or payment yet?
Has anyone who claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit actually received their refund yet? Or at least gotten a direct deposit date? This is my third year claiming it, and I know the PATH Act delays things, but shouldn't we be seeing some movement by now? Seems like the processing is even slower than previous years, wouldn't you agree?
20 comments


Oscar O'Neil
Last year I received my EITC refund exactly 21 days after filing, which was around February 27th. This year I'm still waiting even though I filed on January 30th. From what I've seen on the IRS2Go app and my transcript, EITC returns started processing after February 15th as usual, but there seems to be a significant backlog this year compared to previous filing seasons.
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Sara Hellquiem
•I think you might be right about the backlog. It seems like the IRS might be dealing with more returns than usual, possibly due to some of the tax credit changes this year? Would you happen to know if there's any official statement about processing delays for EITC filers specifically?
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Charlee Coleman
•I filed on January 29th and just got my refund with EITC yesterday - exactly 47 days after filing. You're right about the backlog. The IRS representative I spoke with mentioned they're processing about 18% more returns with credits this year compared to last year.
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Liv Park
Have you checked your tax transcript online? Sometimes the Where's My Refund tool doesn't update properly, but your transcript might show processing codes that indicate progress. It's also possible that your return was selected for additional review, which happens more frequently with EITC claims, especially if your income or family situation changed significantly from last year.
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Leeann Blackstein
•Waiting for tax refunds is like watching water boil while your landlord is knocking on the door for rent. I appreciate the transcript tip - I never thought to check there instead of WMR, which has been stuck on one bar for weeks.
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Ryder Greene
•Checked my transcript yesterday and saw a 570 code. Nearly had a heart attack until I realized it's just a temporary hold while they verify my W-2 info. 😅 The PATH Act plus normal processing is turning this tax season into a marathon rather than a sprint!
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Carmella Fromis
•The Transaction Code 846 on your transcript is what you want to look for - that's the Refund Issued code that confirms when your direct deposit or check will be sent. Many EITC filers are seeing TC 570/971 combinations which indicate verification reviews before approval.
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Theodore Nelson
•Is there a specific cycle code that indicates EITC processing is complete? I need to know by April 3rd if my refund will arrive in time for my mortgage payment!
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AaliyahAli
Been waiting 6 wks for my EITC refund. WMR stuck on 1 bar, transcript says N/A. Finally uploaded my docs to https://taxr.ai and it analyzed my situation. Turns out my return is prob in the verification queue bc my income dropped 30% from last yr. The tool explained which codes to watch for on my transcript when it updates. Way better than the generic IRS msgs tbh.
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Ellie Simpson
According to the IRS.gov website, EITC refunds began processing after February 15th as required by the PATH Act. The IRS is currently reporting normal processing times of 21 days for e-filed returns, but many EITC filers are experiencing longer waits. The IRS Tax Season Refund Tracker shows approximately 65% of EITC returns have been processed as of March 21, 2024, with the remaining expected to complete in the next 2-3 weeks. You can check the IRS Operations Status page for daily updates on processing backlogs.
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Arjun Kurti
Called IRS for three days straight. No luck getting through. Used Claimyr instead. Got an agent in 18 minutes. My EITC refund was flagged for income verification. Agent released the hold. Refund scheduled for next week. Worth every penny. Here's their link: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c
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Raúl Mora
I was in the same boat last year with my EITC refund. Filed in January, didn't see a penny until March 18th. The funny thing was that my transcript showed absolutely nothing for weeks, then suddenly updated overnight with a direct deposit date. Three days later, money was in my account! Sometimes the system works in mysterious ways that make no sense to us mere mortals.
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Margot Quinn
•Did you receive any notices or letters from the IRS during that waiting period? Or did it just suddenly process without any communication?
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Evelyn Kim
•For those still waiting on EITC refunds, here's what helped me last year: • Check transcripts weekly, not daily (reduces anxiety) • Look specifically for codes 570, 971, and 846 • Remember that many EITC returns get additional review • Don't panic if you see a 60-day review notice • Most reviews resolve automatically without you needing to respond
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Diego Fisher
•Wow, this thread has been so helpful! I've been stressing about my refund for weeks, but seeing everyone's experiences makes me feel better knowing I'm not alone in this waiting game. The transcript tip especially might save my sanity!
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Henrietta Beasley
EITC refunds are subject to the PATH Act verification period which statutorily prevents the IRS from issuing refunds before February 15th. However, this is merely the release date, not the deposit date. After release, returns go through the normal processing pipeline which includes Submission Processing, Error Resolution System (if flagged), and finally Refund Authorization. Current processing metrics indicate a 21-28 day timeline for clean returns, with an additional 14-21 days for returns requiring manual review.
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Lincoln Ramiro
I filed on January 25th, 2024 with EITC and just received my direct deposit on March 22nd. That's nearly 8 weeks of waiting! According to the IRS calendar, they didn't even begin processing EITC returns until February 15th, and then there seems to be a priority queue based on filing date. Has anyone who filed in February received theirs yet? I'm wondering if there's a consistent timeline we can identify.
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Faith Kingston
Per Internal Revenue Manual 21.5.6.4.7, EITC claims require additional verification procedures before refund issuance. For Tax Year 2023 returns, the IRS implemented enhanced due diligence under IRC §6695(g), requiring income and relationship verification for certain EITC claims. In practical terms, this means approximately 35% of EITC returns are selected for Income Document Matching, which typically adds 14-21 days to processing time. If your return shows code 1242 on your account transcript, you're in this verification queue.
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Emma Johnson
I've claimed EITC for five years straight and this is the longest I've ever waited. Filed January 28th and just got my deposit yesterday! What's interesting is how the system seems completely random - my sister filed a week after me with almost identical circumstances (same employer, similar income, both claim one dependent) and she got her refund two weeks ago. Doesn't the IRS use some kind of automated system? How can two nearly identical returns have such different timelines?
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Liam Brown
•Did either of you have any unusual credits or deductions this year? I'm wondering if there are specific triggers that might flag a return for additional review beyond just the standard EITC verification?
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