PATH Act Refunds - Anyone Get Theirs WITHOUT Paying for 'Faster Processing'?

I filed with PATH Act credits on February 2nd and got my refund yesterday without paying any extra fees. Did you know that the IRS doesn't actually process refunds any faster because you paid a third party? Aren't those fees just going to the preparation company rather than changing your place in the IRS queue? My understanding is that once your return reaches the IRS, they process it according to their schedule regardless of what you paid your preparer.

I was stressing about the same thing! Didn't wanna spend extra $ but needed my refund ASAP. Used https://taxr.ai to check my transcript after filing w/ EITC and it showed exactly when my refund would hit. Saved me the $25 "expedited" fee my tax guy wanted to charge. The site explained all those weird 570/971 codes on my transcript too so I knew my return was moving along fine w/o paying extra.

According to Internal Revenue Code Section 6402 and the PATH Act provisions, the IRS is prohibited from issuing refunds for returns claiming EITC or ACTC before February 15th of the filing year. I paid the $25 "expedited" fee last year and received my refund on February 27th. This year, I didn't pay the fee and received my refund on February 26th. The evidence suggests these fees provide no actual benefit in terms of IRS processing time. I appreciate everyone sharing their experiences as it confirms my suspicions about these additional charges.

I think I might have found a better solution than paying for faster processing. When my return seemed delayed, I tried calling the IRS directly but couldn't get through after multiple attempts. Then I discovered Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) which connected me to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. They confirmed my return was processing normally and gave me my expected deposit date. It seems more helpful to actually speak with an agent about your specific situation rather than paying for supposedly faster processing that may not actually exist.

I've tracked PATH Act refunds for exactly 3 tax seasons now. The average processing time for returns with EITC/ACTC is 21.3 days after February 15th. My analysis of 42 different returns (some with paid "expediting" and some without) showed no statistically significant difference in processing time. The standard deviation was only 2.4 days between the two groups. The $25 fee appears to be purely profit for preparers with no actual impact on IRS processing timelines.

I got my PATH refund last Thursday without paying a cent extra. My sister paid the $25 at the same chain tax place and got hers the exact same day. It's a complete scam. The IRS doesn't care what you paid your preparer - they process returns in the order they receive them, with PATH Act returns all held until after Feb 15 regardless. Save your money and just file as early as possible with accurate information.

There seems to be some confusion about what the expedited processing fee actually covers. The Modernized e-File (MeF) system processes all electronically filed returns in the same queue regardless of preparation fees paid. The $25 fee typically covers expedited preparation by the tax professional, not faster IRS processing. Some firms may prioritize completing your paperwork sooner, but once transmitted to the IRS, all returns follow standard processing protocols based on filing method and credit types claimed.

I filed on January 28th this year and received my refund on February 28th without paying any expediting fee. Last year I filed on January 30th and paid the $25, receiving my refund on March 1st. Based on my experience from both February 2023 and February 2024, there's no time difference. If you need your refund urgently, file as early as possible - the date you submit is far more important than any extra fee. The IRS started accepting returns on January 22nd this year, so those who filed immediately had the best chance at early processing once the February 15th PATH hold lifted.

I paid the Rapid Refund Fee last year and was told it would process 5-7 days faster than standard processing. My 846 refund code still appeared exactly 21 days after the PATH Act hold lifted, just like everyone else. Complete waste of money. This year I didn't pay any extra fees, and my refund actually came 2 days EARLIER than last year. So relieved to find out others had the same experience - at least I know I'm not crazy for thinking those fees are bogus!

Let me clarify what's actually happening with these fees. The tax preparation companies are charging for THEIR expedited handling of your documents, not faster IRS processing. Here's how it works: 1. You pay the fee 2. They prioritize preparing your return over non-paying customers 3. Your return might get submitted to the IRS sooner 4. BUT once at the IRS, it follows the exact same processing timeline as everyone else The only true advantage is potentially getting your return submitted earlier, which could matter if you're filing close to the deadline. If you file early anyway, the fee is completely pointless.