How long did it take you to get your refund this tax season?

Do you know what kinds of things might trigger a review? I filed on January 31st and still waiting on my refund. Getting a bit worried.

Several things can trigger a review that slows down your refund. Common flags include claiming certain credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit (which by law cannot be issued before mid-February). Other triggers include income discrepancies between what you reported and what the IRS received from employers, unusual deductions compared to your income level, or filing history that shows patterns of concern. The best way to check your refund status is through the "Where's My Refund" tool on the IRS website or IRS2Go app. If it's been more than 21 days since you e-filed, you might want to contact the IRS directly to see if there's a specific issue with your return.

Is this also true if you claim the EITC or Child Tax Credit? I heard those always take longer no matter what.

Returns claiming EITC or the Additional Child Tax Credit do typically take longer because of special processing rules. By law, the IRS cannot issue refunds for tax returns claiming these credits before mid-February, regardless of when you file. After that point, these returns still undergo additional verification, which means even if you filed in January, you probably wouldn't see your refund until late February at the earliest, often into March. However, once they clear those verification steps, the actual payment can still be processed quickly.

How does this actually work? Does it have access to IRS databases or something? Seems impossible that a website could know more than the IRS's own tracker.

I've been hearing about this, but I'm not sure how a third-party site would have better info than the IRS. Did you need to give them personal info like your SSN? Seems risky.

It doesn't access IRS databases directly. It uses specialized document analysis that goes beyond what the Where's My Refund tool shows. It scans your tax documents and identifies potential issues that might cause delays based on patterns in your filing. No, you don't need to provide your SSN. You just upload the same tax forms you already filed, and it analyzes them for error patterns, flags, or processing complexities. It saved me from calling the IRS repeatedly, which is what I was doing before I found it.

Does it actually work with complex situations? I've got rental property income plus I work in 3 different states throughout the year. Tax software keeps getting confused with my situation.

How does this compare to like TurboTax or H&R Block? I'm already paying for tax software so not sure if i need another thing.

It absolutely works with complex situations. I've seen people use it for multi-state income, rental properties, self-employment, and even cryptocurrency transactions. The system is designed to handle complicated tax scenarios and breaks everything down step by step. As for comparing to TurboTax or H&R Block, it's actually different - it's not tax preparation software but more of an analysis tool. You can use it alongside whatever tax software you already use to double-check your work and make sure you're not missing anything important. I use it before submitting through my regular tax software just to catch any issues that might delay my refund.

Wait how does this actually work? Does it somehow get you to the front of the phone queue? I've been trying to call the IRS for days.

This sounds like a scam tbh. Nobody can magically get through to the IRS when their lines are busy. They're probably just charging people for something that doesn't work.

It doesn't put you at the front of the queue - what it does is automate the calling process so you don't have to sit there hitting redial for hours. The system basically calls the IRS repeatedly until it gets through, then it immediately calls you and connects you to the agent. It's all about persistence and technology doing the waiting for you. I totally understand the skepticism - I felt the same way! But it's not about "magically" getting through - it's just automating the frustrating process of repeated calling that you'd otherwise have to do manually. I wasted nearly two full days trying to reach someone before using this.

Wait how does this actually work? Does someone else talk to the IRS for you? I don't understand how they can get you through faster than just calling yourself.

Sounds like a scam. There's no way to skip the IRS phone queue. They probably just keep you on hold themselves and charge you for it. Has anyone actually verified this works?

No one talks to the IRS for you. The service navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold, then calls you when they reach a human agent. You talk directly to the IRS yourself - they just eliminate the hold time for you. It's definitely not a scam. I was skeptical too until I tried it. I had been trying to reach the IRS for 3 weeks with no luck. With Claimyr, I got a call back in about 2 hours and spoke directly with an IRS agent. They don't claim to skip the line - they just wait in it for you so you don't have to waste your own time.

Did you use a tax preparer or do your taxes yourself with software? I'm trying to decide if paying someone is worth it for faster processing.

I used TurboTax to do my own taxes. I don't think using a tax preparer vs. software makes any difference in IRS processing time. The key factors are e-filing (instead of paper) and having a simple return without complications. The software walks you through everything and catches most errors before submission, which prevents delays. Unless your tax situation is really complex, paying someone probably won't get your refund any faster.

Did you claim any tax credits? I have Child Tax Credit and it seems to slow things down a lot.

No credits at all, which is probably why mine was processed quickly. I've heard that certain credits like the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit do slow things down significantly. The IRS has special review procedures for returns claiming those credits because of past fraud issues. The law actually prevents the IRS from issuing refunds for returns with these credits before mid-February, no matter how early you file. So that alone adds some processing time.

Did you claim EITC or Additional Child Tax Credit? Those always take longer - the IRS by law can't release those refunds before mid-February regardless of when you filed.

I use it every year and find it pretty accurate. "Still processing" usually means your return is in the queue but hasn't been reviewed yet. Don't worry too much unless it's been more than 21 days since you e-filed.

The app just pulls the same data as the Where's My Refund tool on the website. If you're seeing "still processing" after 2 weeks, it might be worth calling the IRS. Sometimes there are verification issues they need to resolve but they don't always notify you proactively.