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Be careful with Republic Bank! I had exactly 3 friends who used them this year, and 2 of them had their deposits delayed by exactly 5 business days with no explanation. Republic claimed they were "verifying the funds" but couldn't explain why it was taking so long. One friend ended up having to file a complaint with the CFPB to get movement. If you don't see your money within 3 days after they take their fees, start making noise immediately!
According to the TaxAct website's FAQs (https://www.taxact.com/support/), if you selected to have your preparation fees deducted from your refund, Republic Bank creates a temporary account to receive your refund, deducts their fees, then forwards the remainder to your designated account. The timing can vary, but most users report 1-3 business days after fee deduction. You can check your refund status through Republic Bank's portal if you saved your login information from when you filed.
Just to add a bit more clarity - if you log into your TaxAct account, there should be a section called "Check E-file Status" that will have a link to Republic Bank's tracking portal. You'll need the email address you used when filing plus either your SSN or the PIN you created.
This is exactly what I did! The Republic portal actually gave me a specific date range for when to expect the deposit, and it was accurate within a day.
According to the IRS website (https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc504), you technically don't need Form 1098 to claim mortgage interest deduction. The form is an information return that lenders are required to send both to you and the IRS. If you don't have it, you can still claim the deduction if you can prove the interest paid. Most mortgage statements show YTD interest paid, especially December statements. Print those out and bring them to your tax preparer. If they still refuse, you might want to try a different preparer or use tax software that doesn't arbitrarily require the actual form.
I remember when I was stationed at Camp Pendleton and had a similar issue with missing tax documents. I figured I'd just file without claiming the mortgage interest deduction and then amend later when I got the form. BIG mistake. The amendment process took almost 8 months, and I ended up missing out on using that refund money when I needed it. If I were you, I'd do everything possible to get that 1098 now, even if it means pushing your preparer to file an extension. The military extension gives you until October, but that doesn't help if you're counting on that refund money sooner.
Ugh, the PATH Act is such a pain but tbh it's pretty predictable. Most ppl w/ dependents + EITC/CTC won't see $$$ until after Feb 15th at the earliest. IRS usually starts releasing those refunds in batches around Feb 18-22. Last yr mine hit DD on Feb 21st even tho I filed Jan 2nd. Don't count on anything before V-day is my advice. WMR will prob update for you around Feb 10-12 if everything's normal.
I think it might be helpful to know that there are actually several factors that could influence your timeline. While the PATH Act is often mentioned, it's not the only consideration. Your filing method (electronic vs. paper), whether there are any discrepancies that require manual review, and even which processing center handles your return could potentially affect timing. I would suggest, perhaps, preparing for a mid-February to early March timeframe, just to be safe.
The Automated Underreporter (AUR) unit handles most discrepancy cases for prior years, and they absolutely can resolve 2019 issues by phone. Form 8822 might be required if your address changed since filing. The Collection Statute Expiration Date (CSED) for 2019 returns isn't until 2026 for most cases, giving you plenty of time to resolve this. Phone contact is definitely more efficient than correspondence for these situations.
Getting through to the IRS about older returns is like trying to find water in a desert - seems impossible until you find the right oasis. I was in a similar boat with my 2018 return last year. After trying for weeks, I finally got through using the Practitioner Priority Service line (866-860-4259) even though I'm not a tax pro. Something about the way their phone system was set up let me get through. It's like finding the secret passage in a maze - might be worth trying if all else fails!
GalacticGladiator
If you're a weekly cycle code like 0605, your account typically updates on Thursday nights/Friday mornings. I'd recommend checking your transcript tomorrow morning. The IRS Master File processing occurs in batches, with weekly cycles (05 ending cycles) processing on Thursdays. If there's no update by next week, you might want to request a tax account transcript rather than just a return transcript, as it sometimes shows different processing stages.
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Ethan Brown
Think of the IRS processing system like a massive traffic jam where some lanes move faster than others. Your cycle code is like your lane assignment. Sometimes being in the 0605 lane is great, other times it's the slowest one on the highway. From what I've seen across multiple tax seasons, there's no real advantage to any particular cycle code - it's more about what's in your return. Credits like CTC or EIC are like driving a wide load that requires special handling and slows everything down.
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