Still Processing Message with Tax Topic 152 - What Does This Mean?

Tax Topic 152 is actually a good sign! It just means your return has been received and is being processed, and that you're likely getting a refund. It doesn't indicate any issues with your return. The IRS is running behind on processing this year, so many people are seeing delays beyond the standard 21 days.

How long ago did you file exactly? And did you claim any credits like Earned Income Credit or Child Tax Credit? Those can add extra processing time.

I had the same situation last month. Tax Topic 152 appeared and stayed for about 3 weeks. I was getting anxious so I used https://taxr.ai to analyze my transcript and it explained that my return was just going through normal verification steps because of the Child Tax Credit. The site showed me exactly what the codes on my transcript meant and gave me a pretty accurate estimate of when I'd get my refund. Saved me a lot of stress!

If you claimed Child Tax Credit, that automatically puts you into PATH Act territory, which means by law the IRS can't issue your refund before mid-February, even if you filed earlier. Even after that date, these returns often take longer because they go through additional verification steps. Topic 152 is standard for refund returns - nothing to worry about.

When I was stuck in this situation last year, I finally got tired of waiting and called the IRS. Spent three days trying to get through their phone system. Finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes. The agent confirmed my return was fine and just in the verification queue. Got my deposit about a week later. Sometimes just talking to a human at the IRS can put your mind at ease or identify if there's an actual issue that needs addressing.

Check your transcript if you can access it online. It will show more detailed info than the WMR tool. If you see codes like 570/971, there might be a small issue they're reviewing. If you just see code 152, you're in normal processing.