Tax Refund Update Cycles - Are They Continuous or Batched?

IRS updates are def not a one-and-done situation. They process in batches but those batches happen multiple times per week. Cycle 05 typically updates on Thursdays (overnight Wed-Thurs) but can sometimes roll into Friday AM. The WMR tool and transcripts don't always sync up right away either - sometimes one updates before the other. Btw, I was cycle 05 last year and didn't see any movement for like 3 weeks, then suddenly everything updated at once. The system's kinda like an old printer that gets jammed, then suddenly spits out everything at once lol.

The IRS updates in waves, but not consistently. Their system is outdated and overtaxed (no pun intended). Have you checked your transcript for any codes? Sometimes there are processing holds that don't show up on WMR but appear on transcripts as 570/971 codes. The broader issue is that the IRS is working with technology from the 1960s trying to process millions of returns. Have you tried checking your transcript instead of just WMR? Sometimes that shows more details about what's happening with your return.

Based on my experience with the past three tax seasons, the IRS updates their systems throughout the week, but different cycle codes update on different days. In 2022, I was cycle 05 and updated on a Thursday night. In 2023, I was cycle 02 and updated on a Tuesday. This year, I'm cycle 20 and just updated yesterday. The IRS Master File runs weekly processing cycles, but the public-facing systems (WMR, transcripts) update at different intervals. I've noticed that transcripts often update between midnight and 3 AM, while WMR updates seem to happen between 3-6 AM Eastern. It's not one massive drop - they're processing continuously, but your visibility into that processing is limited to these update windows.

After waiting 3 weeks with no updates (cycle 05 too), I was going crazy checking WMR and transcripts every few hours. Finally decided to just call the IRS directly. Used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) to get through after trying for days on my own. The agent confirmed my return was just in normal processing with no issues, and explained that cycle 05 was scheduled for the next batch update. Sure enough, my transcript updated two days later with a DDD. According to the IRS forums I've been reading, they're doing multiple update batches but prioritizing certain types of returns first.

I've been through this exact situation for the past three years, and I can tell you with certainty that the IRS updates in multiple batches throughout the week. Last year I was cycle 05 just like you, and my transcript didn't update until the 5th week after filing. Here's what I've learned: The cycle code (05 in your case) indicates which processing batch you're in, but it doesn't guarantee when your return will actually complete processing. The IRS has different processing pipelines, and returns move through them at different speeds depending on complexity, credits claimed, and verification needs. If you filed with education credits (which is common for recent grads), that often adds 1-2 weeks to processing time. Keep checking your transcript daily - once you see a 150 tax code posted, you're usually 3-7 days from getting your refund date.

The IRS update schedule is more predictable than it seems. Here's what you need to know: • Cycle codes indicate which weekly processing group you're in • 05 cycles typically update Wednesday night/Thursday morning • Transcripts update before WMR in most cases • Updates happen throughout the week, not just one big drop • Different processing departments handle different types of returns I wouldn't worry too much yet. The average processing time this year is running about 21 days for e-filed returns without complications. For apartment deposits, you might want to ask your landlord if they'll accept proof of your expected refund as a temporary hold until it arrives.