PATH Act Filing Question - Would I Have Received a Review Letter by Now?

There are a few things to understand about PATH Act processing and letters: • PATH Act returns (those with EITC/ACTC) couldn't begin processing until after Feb 15th this year • Most review letters are sent within 30 days of processing beginning • Not all reviews trigger immediate letters - some happen silently in the background • The IRS prioritizes different types of reviews at different times in the season Have you checked your tax transcript? That might show codes indicating review without you receiving a physical letter yet. Also, did you claim any credits beyond the standard EITC/CTC that might trigger additional scrutiny?

Have you been able to access your tax transcript online? That would give you more insight than waiting for a letter. Also, is this your first time claiming EITC or CTC? First-time claimants sometimes face additional verification steps, especially with a new filing status like married filing jointly. Did you notice any refund status changes on the Where's My Refund tool?

Been thru this PATH thing 3x now. IMO if u haven't gotten a letter by now, ur prob in the normal processing queue. But IRS is SO backed up this yr. If u need answers fast, try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). Used it last wk when my refund was MIA - got thru to an actual IRS agent in like 20 mins instead of waiting on hold 4ever. Agent confirmed my return was just in regular processing, no flags. Saved me TONS of anxiety.

The IRS letter system is like a snail racing a turtle - painfully slow even when it's working properly. I've found that PATH Act returns this year are taking about 21-35 days from the February 15th start date to either process or generate letters. So you'd be right at the edge of that window now. If you're counting on that money for something time-sensitive, I'd recommend checking your transcript daily - it's like having a window into what the IRS sees before they bother to mail you anything.

Is anyone else noticing that the PATH Act processing seems especially slow this year? I filed on February 12th, got the PATH hold as expected, but I'm still waiting with no updates whatsoever. No letters, no transcript changes, nothing! I'm starting to wonder if there's an unannounced delay affecting everyone or if it's just bad luck for some of us?

Don't assume no letter means you're in the clear. The IRS has been severely understaffed this season, and I've seen cases where review letters were sent 8-10 weeks after filing. Some taxpayers never receive a letter at all until they get a CP05 notice saying their refund is being held pending review. If you filed MFJ for the first time and claimed refundable credits, your return has a higher statistical chance of being pulled for review. Check your transcript weekly and don't count on that refund money until it's actually in your account.