Hello! I don't understand why is my tax refund delayed for 2025

So I filed my taxes electronically on February 3rd using TurboTax and I'm still waiting for my refund. It's been over 5 weeks now! The IRS Where's My Refund tool just says "Your tax return is still being processed. A refund date will be provided when available." No explanation, nothing. I don't understand why it's taking so long. I claimed the Earned Income Credit and the Child Tax Credit for my two kids. My return was pretty straightforward otherwise - just W-2 income, nothing complicated. I double-checked everything before submitting and I'm 100% sure I didn't make any mistakes. Has anyone else experienced long delays this year? Is there something I'm missing or should I be worried at this point? I was really counting on this money to catch up on some bills. It's so frustrating!

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18 comments

Diego Vargas

•8M

Tax refund delays are pretty common, especially if you claimed credits like the EITC and CTC. The IRS is required by law to hold refunds that include these credits until at least mid-February, and then it can take additional time to process. If you filed on February 3rd and claimed these credits, your refund wouldn't have even started processing until after February 15th. From there, a normal processing time is 21 days, but that's not guaranteed. Many factors can extend this timeline - high volume of returns, additional verification steps, or random selection for review. The "still processing" message typically means your return is in the pipeline but hasn't been fully approved yet. This doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem, just that it's taking longer than usual.

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Diego Vargas

•8M

For a return filed in early February that's still processing after 5 weeks, it's approaching the point where a call might be helpful. The general IRS guideline is to contact them if it's been more than 21 days since you e-filed and you haven't received your refund. When you call, they may be able to tell you if there's a specific issue or if it's just in a general processing queue. Be prepared with your filing information, including the exact refund amount you're expecting - this helps them verify your identity. Sometimes there are simple verification steps they can complete over the phone to move your return forward.

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Anastasia Fedorov

•8M

After going through a similar frustrating delay last year, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it was incredibly helpful. I uploaded my tax documents and it showed me exactly why my refund might be delayed based on my specific situation with EITC. It identified that my income documentation looked inconsistent, which was probably triggering extra verification at the IRS. The tool also showed me the actual IRS processing codes and what they meant in plain English. Helped me understand I wasn't being audited, just that my return needed extra verification because of how my W-2 reported my tip income along with the credits I claimed.

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Anastasia Fedorov

•8M

It doesn't directly connect to IRS systems, but it analyzes your actual tax documents the same way the IRS would. It found patterns in my documents that typically trigger reviews - in my case it was how my tip income was reported across multiple W-2s while claiming EITC. It didn't speed up my refund directly, but it helped me understand exactly what was happening and what to expect. In my case, it predicted an additional 3-week delay based on my specific situation, which was spot on. The peace of mind alone was worth it, and I was able to adjust my financial plans instead of checking the IRS website 20 times a day expecting money that wasn't coming yet.

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Zara Rashid

•8M

I wanted to follow up about using taxr.ai that I asked about earlier. I decided to try it and wow - it actually identified exactly why my refund was delayed! Turns out there was a mismatch between what my employer reported for my health insurance premiums and what I entered based on my final pay stub. The tool highlighted this specific issue and explained that it would likely cause a delay but not a rejection. It even estimated another 2-3 weeks for processing which helped me plan accordingly. Sure enough, I just checked again and my refund was approved yesterday, right within their predicted timeframe. Definitely worth checking out if you're stuck in refund limbo like I was!

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Luca Romano

•8M

When my refund was delayed last year and I couldn't get answers, I used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to actually speak with an IRS agent. I spent days trying to get through on my own but kept getting the "high call volume" message and disconnects. Claimyr got me through to a real person in about 20 minutes. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent was able to see that my return was flagged for additional review due to a mismatch between my reported student loan interest and what the loan servicer reported. She pushed it through manual verification right on the call.

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Luca Romano

•8M

It essentially navigates the IRS phone tree for you and holds your place in line. It's using a legitimate method to maintain your position in the queue until an agent is available, then it calls you and connects you directly to that agent. No more waiting on hold for hours or getting disconnected. It's definitely not spam - it's just solving the inefficiency in the IRS phone system. Think of it like having someone stand in line for you at the DMV, then texting you when it's almost your turn so you can walk right up to the counter. The IRS is aware these services exist and they're completely legitimate - you're still talking directly to official IRS agents.

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NebulaNova

•8M

I need to apologize for being so skeptical about Claimyr earlier. I was frustrated after weeks of trying to get through to the IRS about my delayed refund with no luck. I decided to try it as a last resort and I'm absolutely shocked at how well it worked. I was connected to an IRS agent in about 35 minutes (on a Monday morning). The agent explained that my return was held up because I had reported a name change after getting married but hadn't updated my information with Social Security yet. She gave me clear instructions on what to do and even put notes in my file. My refund was processed just 4 days later after I fixed the Social Security issue. Definitely worth it for the time saved and stress avoided!

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Mateo Hernandez

•8M

The 570 code means there's temporarily a hold on your refund while they review something. The 971 code means they're sending you a notice in the mail explaining what they need or what the issue is. Don't panic! This is actually good news because it means there's specific action happening on your return rather than it just sitting in a queue. Watch your mail for the notice over the next week or so. Often it's something simple like verifying your identity or confirming information. Once you respond to whatever they're asking, things usually move pretty quickly.

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