My 2024 tax refund is taking forever to come back - anyone else seeing delays?

The IRS is definitely experiencing some processing delays this tax season. When you claim refundable credits like the Earned Income Credit (EIC), your return automatically gets additional review, which can extend the processing time. The IRS actually has a mandatory holding period for returns with the EIC - they can't issue those refunds before mid-February, no matter when you filed. For most people claiming the EIC, refunds typically take about 21 days from acceptance, but can sometimes stretch to 6-8 weeks if additional verification is needed. The "still processing" message is actually normal and doesn't indicate a problem with your return. I'd recommend continuing to check the Where's My Refund tool every few days. If it's been more than 21 days since your return was accepted, you might want to request your tax transcript online through the IRS website, which sometimes shows pending refund information before the WMR tool updates.

After waiting 5 weeks for my refund last year and constantly checking WMR with no updates, I discovered taxr.ai https://taxr.ai which helped me understand what was actually happening with my return. It analyzes your tax transcript (which shows way more detail than the WMR tool) and explains exactly where your refund is in the process and if there are any issues causing delays. I used it again this year when my refund seemed stuck, and it showed me that my return was just in the standard EIC review and hadn't been flagged for anything concerning. Saved me hours of stress wondering if something was wrong! The breakdown of all those cryptic codes on the transcript made it so much clearer what was actually happening behind the scenes.

Just wanted to update that I tried taxr.ai after posting my question. I was surprised how helpful it was! I've been checking WMR for weeks with no updates, but the transcript analysis showed my return actually passed the EIC review two days ago and is now in the refund scheduling phase. The tool explained that this means my money should hit my account within 3-5 business days. What a relief to finally know what's happening instead of just seeing "still processing" over and over! The breakdown of all the different processing stages was super informative. Turns out my refund wasn't stuck - it was moving through the system normally, but WMR just doesn't show all those interim steps.

After having my refund delayed last year, I spent HOURS trying to get through to the IRS phone line. I literally called 40+ times over several days and could never get through. Then I found Claimyr https://claimyr.com which helped me actually get connected to an IRS agent without the endless redials and waiting. Their system basically waits in the phone queue for you and calls you back when an actual human IRS agent is on the line. I was super skeptical but you can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - it saved me from pulling my hair out trying to reach someone. The IRS agent was able to tell me my refund was just delayed due to verification and nothing was wrong with my return.

I have to eat my words about being skeptical of Claimyr. After waiting 6 weeks for my refund with no updates, I decided to give it a try yesterday. Within about 2 hours, I got a call back with an actual IRS agent on the line! I was genuinely shocked it worked. The agent confirmed my return was in the final processing stage and should be deposited within 5-7 days. There was a slight verification delay because I had changed jobs mid-year, but nothing serious. This saved me at least another week of needless worrying. After trying for days to get through on my own and constantly getting the "call back later" message, this was absolutely worth it.

If you've filed with FreeTaxUSA and your return was accepted, you should also check your account on their website. Sometimes they have updates about your refund status that might give you more info than the WMR tool. Also make sure you verified the correct bank account info during filing - I've seen people wait forever only to realize they had a typo in their account number.

Have you checked your tax transcript on the IRS website? Go to irs.gov and search for "get transcript online." You'll need to create an account if you don't have one. The transcript will show codes that tell you exactly where your return is in processing. Look for code 846 which means "refund issued" - that's what you want to see!

Has your state refund come through yet? Sometimes state refunds process faster than federal. Also, did you file electronically or by mail? Paper returns are taking 6-8 weeks minimum this year from what I've heard.