Refund approved 3/31, but scheduled to be sent over a month later - May 03, 2024

Unfortunately, this kind of timing is becoming more common this tax season. The IRS is experiencing significant processing delays, and the gap between approval and actual payment can sometimes stretch to 4-5 weeks. The good news is that once you have an approved status with a specific payment date, it's pretty reliable. The May 3rd date they've given you is likely accurate, and you should receive your refund by direct deposit on that day (or a few days later if you're getting a paper check). There's not much you can do to speed up the process once they've set a payment date. The system is automated at that point, and calling the IRS typically won't change anything. The best approach is to plan around the May 3rd date.

I was in the exact same situation last month and was super frustrated with the wait. I kept checking the IRS website daily but nothing changed. Then I found this tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that actually helped me understand what was happening with my refund. It analyzed my particular situation and explained that my return likely got flagged for a secondary review due to a mismatch between my reported W-2 income and what the IRS had on file. The tool predicted my exact payment date a week before the IRS updated it online! It gave me peace of mind knowing there wasn't anything wrong, just processing delays.

Ok so I actually tried that taxr.ai thing out of desperation and I'm kinda shocked. It figured out that my return probably got flagged because I had a address change this year! Something the IRS website never explained. It estimated I'd get my refund on April 29th and sure enough, the Where's My Refund tool updated yesterday with exactly that date! It also explained that there's a specific verification process for address changes that adds approximately 3 weeks to processing time. Wish the IRS just told me this directly instead of the generic "still processing" message. At least now I know what's happening and can stop checking the site every 2 hours lol.

I had almost the exact same problem last year and spent HOURS trying to call the IRS. Literally could never get through. Then someone told me about this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that gets you through to an actual IRS agent. I was super skeptical, but you can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Anyway, I used it and got connected to an IRS rep in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. The agent explained that my refund had a specific hold code that needed manual review but would process normally. She even expedited my refund since I explained I needed it for medical bills! Got my money 5 days later instead of waiting another 3 weeks.

Ok I feel like I need to eat my words here. After my skeptical comment I decided to try Claimyr myself because my refund has been "processing" for 7 weeks with no updates. Got connected to an IRS agent in about 35 minutes (still faster than the many times I tried calling directly and gave up after 2+ hours). The agent told me my return was stuck in a verification queue because of an unusually large charitable donation I claimed. She verified the information on the spot and removed the hold! My refund is now scheduled for next week - would have been sitting there for who knows how long otherwise. Still can't believe I wasted so many hours trying to call them directly. Worth every penny to skip that nightmare hold music.

Have you checked that the account info you provided is correct? My friend's refund was delayed because she mistyped one digit in her direct deposit account number. When she finally called the IRS (after many attempts), they told her the deposit was rejected and they were going to mail a check instead, which added another 3 weeks. Double check your banking details on your return!

Has anyone tried requesting a taxpayer advocate? If you're experiencing financial hardship because of the delay (like potential eviction, utility shutoff, medical needs), you might qualify for assistance through the Taxpayer Advocate Service. They can sometimes help expedite refunds in genuine hardship cases.