This happened to me in March. My WMR never moved past the first bar, but my check arrived on March 15th. I filed on February 2nd, so it took exactly 41 days from filing to delivery. I had the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Credit on my return which always takes longer. The IRS is processing returns in batches this year, and many people in my situation are reporting the same experience - WMR not updating but checks arriving anyway.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed on February 8th and my WMR has been stuck on "Return Received" for over 3 weeks. It's so reassuring to hear that others have gotten their refunds even when WMR doesn't update - I was starting to think something was wrong with my return. I've been checking it multiple times a day like it's going to magically change! 😅 I'm definitely going to try checking my transcript like some of the others suggested. Thanks for posting this - it's nice to know I'm not alone in this frustrating waiting game. Fingers crossed we both get our checks soon!

I've been through this exact scenario multiple times over the years, and honestly, the disappearing bars are more about the IRS system's quirks than actual problems with your return. What I've learned is that WMR is basically a simplified view of a much more complex processing system - it's like looking at a basic weather app when meteorologists have access to detailed radar and satellite data. The "still processing" status usually kicks in when your return moves from automated processing to a queue that requires some form of manual review, which could be anything from income matching to simple verification steps. Unless you receive an actual letter or notice from the IRS, this status change is typically just part of the normal workflow. That said, if you're really concerned, checking your tax transcript (as others mentioned) will give you much more detailed information than calling and waiting on hold for hours.

I'm going through this exact same thing right now! Filed on February 15th and my bars just disappeared two days ago. Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually really reassuring - it sounds like this is way more common than I thought. I was starting to panic thinking I messed something up on my return, but it seems like the WMR system just doesn't handle the mid-season processing volume very well. I think I'll follow the advice about checking my transcript first before calling. Has anyone found the transcript codes easy to understand, or do you need to look up what they mean? I'm trying to decide if I should just wait it out or be more proactive about tracking what's happening.

This has been such a comprehensive discussion on 163(j) in multi-tier partnerships! As a tax professional who's been grappling with these rules since TCJA, I want to add one more practical consideration that hasn't been mentioned yet. When dealing with EBIE in tiered partnerships, it's crucial to establish proper documentation and communication procedures between all entities in the structure. We've found it helpful to create an annual "EBIE Status Report" that gets circulated to all partnerships in the tier showing: 1) Current year ETI generated (if any) by each partnership 2) EBIE being freed up as a result 3) Remaining EBIE balances by originating partnership 4) Projected ETI for the following year based on business plans This proactive approach helps prevent the timing mismatches that @Hugo Kass mentioned and ensures all partnerships can properly complete their Forms 8990 and Schedule A. One more technical point - don't forget that the 163(j) limitation can interact with other partnership tax rules like the excess business loss limitation under Section 461(l). We've seen cases where EBIE becomes deductible but then gets caught by the 461(l) limitation at the partner level, creating yet another layer of suspended deductions to track. The complexity of these rules really highlights why proper planning and documentation is essential in multi-tier partnership structures.

As someone who's been working with 163(j) rules since their inception, I want to emphasize how critical it is to maintain meticulous records for multi-tier partnership EBIE tracking. The complexity really can't be overstated. One issue I haven't seen mentioned yet is what happens when partnerships undergo structural changes - like conversions to different entity types or mergers. We had a situation where a lower-tier partnership that had generated EBIE converted to an LLC taxed as a disregarded entity. This created uncertainty about whether the EBIE could ever be released since the "originating partnership" technically ceased to exist. After extensive research and consultation with the IRS, we determined that the EBIE effectively became permanently suspended because there was no longer an entity that could generate the required ETI. It's a harsh result that highlights why partnership planning needs to consider these 163(j) implications. For practitioners dealing with these scenarios, I'd strongly recommend getting advance rulings or at least documenting your position thoroughly before proceeding with any structural changes that might affect partnerships with suspended EBIE. The documentation approaches that @Aria Khan and @GalacticGuru discussed are absolutely essential. These rules are only going to get more complex as the IRS issues additional guidance, so having robust tracking systems in place is critical for compliance.

As someone who's played the "refresh WMR until your finger falls off" game many times (I should probably seek therapy for this), I can confirm it updates daily - but that doesn't mean YOUR status will change daily. It's like checking the mailbox every hour won't make a package arrive faster! The system batches updates, which is why people notice patterns. The transcript is actually more reliable, though it sometimes speaks in a language only tax professionals and ancient wizards understand.

I've been dealing with this same frustration! Filed on March 8th and have been checking obsessively. From my experience this year and talking to my CPA, the WMR tool does technically update daily around 6 AM EST, but the actual processing happens in weekly batches at different IRS centers. So while the system refreshes daily, your individual status might only change when your batch gets processed. I noticed mine finally moved from "received" to "approved" on a Thursday morning, which seems to align with what others are saying about end-of-week processing cycles. For moving expenses, you might also want to check if you qualify for any deductible moving costs on your return - every little bit helps when you're starting post-graduation life!

As someone who's been through this process multiple times as a non-US citizen, I completely understand the anxiety! The key thing to remember is that international returns often trigger additional security reviews, which can add 2-4 weeks to processing time. I've found that checking your account transcript (accessible through IRS.gov) gives you much more detailed information than WMR. Look for transaction codes - they'll show you exactly where your return is in the pipeline. Also, if you claimed any foreign tax credits or have foreign income, that almost guarantees manual review, so patience is really your best friend here. The good news is that once it starts moving, it usually completes quickly!

@Omar Fawaz I totally feel your pain on the constant checking! As someone who went through this exact same anxiety last year, I can share what I learned. The WMR system typically updates overnight between Tuesday-Saturday around 3-6 AM Eastern, but here's the catch - it doesn't update every single day even within that window. I found that checking first thing Wednesday and Saturday mornings gave me the most reliable information without driving myself crazy. For international filers like us, there's often an additional 1-2 week delay for manual review, especially if you have any foreign income or tax credits. One thing that really helped my peace of mind was setting up an IRS online account to check my transcript - it shows way more detail about what's actually happening behind the scenes while WMR just sits there saying "processing." Hang in there, it will update eventually!