Switched from TurboTax to Cash App for filing - When should I expect movement?

It might be helpful to know that, generally speaking, the IRS processing timeline is somewhat predictable, although there can certainly be variations. If you filed electronically about 5 days ago, you probably won't see much movement just yet. In my experience, the Where's My Refund tool (WMR) typically updates first, usually within 24-72 hours after acceptance, but sometimes it can take up to a week or so. Your transcript might not show any updates for possibly 7-10 days, particularly if you're on cycle 05, which I believe typically updates on Thursdays/Fridays. I would suggest perhaps checking both resources, but maybe not obsessively - possibly once every couple of days? The WMR tool will likely show "Return Received" first, then move to "Refund Approved" before finally showing "Refund Sent." Your transcript might initially show N/A for 2023, then update with various codes once processing begins in earnest.

Oh my goodness, I was in the EXACT same situation last year! Switched from TurboTax to save money and then got so anxious about tracking my refund! 😫 I was checking WMR like every hour and getting more stressed when nothing changed. I finally found https://taxr.ai and it was such a relief! When your transcript finally appears (which might take a week or so), you can upload it there and it explains all those confusing codes and gives you a much clearer picture of what's happening. It helped me understand my cycle code and predicted my refund date almost perfectly! I was so worried something was wrong with my return, but it turned out everything was processing normally. Maybe give it a try once your transcript updates?

Based on my experience with cycle 05, you should expect your first transcript update exactly 8-12 days after filing. Cycle 05 updates every Thursday night at approximately 3:00am Eastern Time. The WMR tool typically lags behind transcript updates by 24-36 hours. Last year, I filed on February 3rd, saw my first transcript update on February 11th (showing codes 150, 806, and 570), then received my direct deposit on February 24th, exactly 21 days after filing. Cash App processors use the same IRS acceptance channels as other providers, so your processing timeline won't be affected by switching from TurboTax.

I understand your concern about tracking your refund after switching tax preparation services. According to IRS Publication 2043, normal processing times for electronic returns range from 21-28 days regardless of which software you used to file. If you're approaching week 3 without updates and need specific information, calling the IRS directly can help, but as you may know, their wait times are notoriously long (sometimes 2+ hours). Many taxpayers in your situation have found success using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to connect with an IRS representative without the endless hold times. They'll call the IRS for you and connect you once an agent is on the line. I've seen many cycle 05 filers get clarity on their specific situation this way, especially when WMR and transcripts aren't showing expected updates.

I've been in your exact situation before. Last year I switched from TurboTax to FreeTaxUSA after paying ridiculous fees for years. The whole process made me nervous too! Here's what you should expect timeline-wise: 1. First 5-7 days: Usually nothing happens visibly. Your return is in the queue. 2. Days 7-14: WMR might update to show "Return Received" if it hasn't already. Your transcript might still show N/A for 2023. 3. Days 14-21: This is when most movement happens. Since you're cycle 05, check your transcript Thursday night/Friday morning. You'll likely see codes appear suddenly. 4. After day 21: Most refunds are issued by this point unless there are issues. Being cycle 05 just means your account updates on a specific day of the week (Thursday/Friday). It doesn't affect your overall processing time. Cash App's "5 days early" feature just means they'll front you the money when the IRS confirms it's sending it, not that the IRS processes faster. Hang tight - it's still very early in your process!

I just went through this exact process! The IRS Return Database typically requires 7-10 business days for e-filed returns to fully integrate into their Master File system. Your Cycle Code (05) indicates Thursday/Friday transcript updates, so I'd recommend checking your transcript next Friday morning. One technical note: Cash App uses the Santa Barbara Tax Products Group (TPG) as their bank partner for refund processing. When your refund is approved, you can check the TPG website (https://taxpayer.sbtpg.com/) to see if your payment is pending in their system. That's often the earliest indicator that your refund is about to be released, sometimes 1-2 days before WMR updates to "Refund Sent". Such a relief to save that $150 this year!

Have you considered that the IRS processing happens in stages that aren't always visible to us? Instead of checking WMR constantly, I'd suggest a more strategic approach. What if you set calendar reminders based on your cycle code? For cycle 05, check your transcript every Friday morning, and WMR on Saturdays. This way, you're checking when updates are most likely to happen. And here's another thought - have you tried the IRS2Go app instead of the website? Sometimes it updates slightly faster than the web version of WMR. Wouldn't it be nice to have one less thing to worry about during tax season? Also, Cash App's "5 days early" feature - isn't that just them fronting you the money once the IRS confirms your refund amount? It doesn't actually speed up IRS processing at all.

I used Cash App for the first time last year after years of overpaying with TurboTax, and I was also nervous about tracking everything! Here's what happened for me: I filed on February 10th, saw nothing for about 8 days, then suddenly my transcript updated (I'm cycle 05 too). Three days after that, WMR updated to "Refund Approved" and I got my money in my bank account on February 25th. The funny thing about the Cash App "5 days early" promise - for me it was only 2 days early. They basically front you the money once the IRS confirms they're sending it to Cash App's bank partner. So instead of waiting for the bank processing time, you get it slightly earlier. One tip that helped me - I created an online account at IRS.gov to view my transcript. It updated way before WMR did and gave me much more detailed information about what was happening with my return.