SBTPG Showing Paid by Phone but Unfunded on Website - What's Going On?

This situation is actually somewhat common with SBTPG, particularly during the busier parts of tax season. Their phone system and website often update at different intervals, which can possibly lead to these seemingly contradictory status messages. In most cases I've observed, the phone system tends to update slightly faster than the website, so what you're experiencing might simply be a timing issue. It's generally not something to be overly concerned about, though I understand it can certainly be confusing and anxiety-inducing when you're waiting for your funds.

Are you using TurboTax by any chance? I had the same issue and was pulling my hair out... well, what's left of it anyway 😂. Did you get an email from SBTPG at all? That was the only reliable indicator for me. The website was like three days behind reality.

I think I might be able to explain what's happening. The phone system is likely showing that the IRS has released your refund to SBTPG (hence "paid"), but the website is showing that SBTPG hasn't yet processed it through their system to your bank ("unfunded"). It's essentially showing two different stages of the same process, not necessarily contradictory information. I'd suggest waiting about 24-48 hours - in my experience, if the phone system shows "paid," your money is usually on its way through their processing pipeline.

Had the exact same issue. Wasted three days trying to reach SBTPG customer service. No luck. Used Claimyr.com to get through to the IRS instead. Got confirmation my refund was sent to SBTPG days ago. Helped me put pressure on them. Money appeared next day. Sometimes you need to talk to a real person. Claimyr got me through in 20 minutes instead of hours on hold. Worth it when you need answers fast.

Has anyone tried contacting their tax preparer directly abt this? Mine was able to see more details in their system than what SBTPG shows us. Just wondering if that's another option b4 the money arrives?

Let me clear this up for you based on my experience last month. SBTPG's phone system and website are basically on different timelines. When the phone says "paid" it means the IRS has sent your refund to SBTPG and they've received it. When the website says "unfunded" it means they haven't yet processed the payment to send to your bank. For me, I got my direct deposit exactly 2 days after hearing "paid" on the phone. The website didn't update until AFTER the money was already in my account! I was checking my bank account every hour like a crazy person, and then boom, there it was even though the website still said unfunded.

This discrepancy between SBTPG's phone system and website is unfortunately very common and nothing to worry about! I went through this exact same thing a few weeks ago and it drove me absolutely crazy. The phone system updates in real-time when the IRS releases your refund to SBTPG, while their website seems to run on some ancient batch processing system that can lag 24-72 hours behind. When you hear "paid" on the phone, that's the reliable indicator - it means your refund is in SBTPG's hands and will typically hit your bank account within 1-3 business days. I'd recommend setting up mobile banking alerts so you know the moment it arrives, because the SBTPG website will probably still be showing "unfunded" even after your money is already deposited! Just try to be patient (easier said than done, I know) and check your bank account rather than obsessing over their website updates.

I went through this exact same nightmare last year! The SBTPG phone system told me "paid" for THREE DAYS while their website kept showing "unfunded" - I was starting to think I was losing my mind. Turns out their website is just ridiculously slow to update. What helped me stay sane was calling my bank directly to ask if they had any pending deposits coming in. My bank could actually see the ACH transfer was in progress before SBTPG's website ever updated. The money showed up on a Wednesday morning, and their website STILL said "unfunded" until Thursday afternoon. It's honestly embarrassing how outdated their web systems are compared to their phone system. My advice? Trust the phone status and maybe give your bank a call to see if they can spot any incoming transfers. At least then you'll have a third source of information to help triangulate what's actually happening!