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I've worked with tax clients for years, and I can share that this tax season has been particularly slow for processing. I personally filed on January 29th and didn't get my direct deposit until February 20th - and that was with a very simple return! Last year, I had several clients who used the TurboTax + Chime combo. The average wait was 17 days from acceptance to deposit, despite the "5-day early" marketing. One client even called TurboTax customer service about it, and they explained that the 5-day early promise is compared to traditional banks, not compared to the IRS processing timeline. The IRS has been dealing with staffing issues and system updates this season, so everything is taking longer than usual.
Think of the tax refund process like waiting for a package. TurboTax is just the service that helps you place the order (your tax return). The IRS is the warehouse that has to process your order, pack it up (process your return), and ship it (issue your refund). Chime is just the delivery person who brings it to your door. No matter how fast your delivery person is, they can't deliver a package that hasn't shipped from the warehouse yet! Instead of constantly checking WMR, I recommend creating an account on the IRS website to view your tax transcript. It's like having access to the warehouse's internal tracking system instead of just the generic "out for delivery" status. The transcript will show specific codes that tell you exactly where your return is in the process.
That package analogy really makes sense! I think I might have misunderstood what the "5 days early" actually meant. I was able to check my transcript and I see code 570 followed by 971. Would you happen to know what those might indicate? It seems like there might be something more going on than just normal processing.
Spent THREE HOURS on hold with the IRS last month for the exact same issue. You know what's frustrating? They told me the 570 code was just because they were verifying my W-2 information with my employer. Nothing wrong with my return at all! But couldn't they just tell us that instead of making us panic? Wouldn't a simple notification save everyone time and stress? My hold was released after 16 days without me doing anything, and I got my refund 8 days later. The system is broken, but your money will probably come through eventually.
Here's how to navigate the IRS phone system effectively: 1. Call 800-829-1040 (as mentioned above) 2. When prompted, select option 2 for "personal income tax" 3. Then select option 1 for "tax questions" 4. Then option 3 for "all other questions" 5. When asked for SSN, DO NOT ENTER ANYTHING 6. When prompted again, select option 2 for "personal or individual tax questions" 7. Finally, select option 4 for "all other inquiries" This bypasses some of the automated systems and gets you to a representative faster. Best times to call are early morning (right when they open) or mid-week. Avoid Mondays and Fridays when call volume is highest.
Fwiw I've had this happen 3x now with TT. Their fine print says "up to 5 days early" which basically means they can give it whenever they want before the official date. Last yr they got my $$ on Tues but didn't release until Fri. Called 2x and got nowhere. This yr I skipped the "advance" option and got my refund direct deposit from IRS in 8 days total. No fees, no waiting on some random bank to decide when I get MY money. IMO these services are just taking advantage of ppl who need $ asap.
I successfully resolved this exact issue last month by using specific terminology with the bank. When I called Republic Bank (TurboTax's partner), I specifically asked about their "Regulation CC compliance" and mentioned that I was documenting the call for a potential CFPB complaint regarding fund availability timelines. The representative immediately transferred me to a supervisor who processed my refund release within the hour. Financial institutions have discretion on fund holds, but they're extremely sensitive to regulatory compliance inquiries. Be polite but firm - ask specifically what "verification process" is still pending if they've already withdrawn their fees.
Based on the IRS processing calendar for February 2024, refunds with deposit dates of 2/25 are part of Batch Cycle 20240708. This batch was released to financial institutions on February 23rd but since that's a Friday, most banks won't process until Monday February 26th. I've tracked this pattern for 6 tax seasons, and Navy Federal typically posts Treasury deposits within 48 hours of the batch release date, excluding weekends. You should see your deposit by Tuesday February 27th at the latest.
How do you know which batch cycle you're in? Is there a way to look that up on the transcript?
Has anyone ever seen their refund come earlier than the date on their transcript? I'm wondering if there's any chance it could come sooner.
I've seen numerous cases where people assumed their refund was delayed when it was actually offset to pay past-due federal debts. According to Treasury Regulation ยง1.6402-3(a)(6)(i), the IRS can reduce your refund to satisfy outstanding tax liabilities, child support, or federal student loans without prior notice. If your refund amount changed or doesn't appear by 2/28, you should request an account transcript to verify if code 898 appears, indicating an offset. Many people don't realize this until weeks of waiting for a deposit that was already redirected.
How would I know if this happened to me? Would it show somewhere on the Where's My Refund tool?
Ava Rodriguez
I think I've figured out what's happening with the BoA DDD issue. There appears to be a processing lag specifically for amended return refunds (1040-X) in the ACH system. My deposit just hit at 5:12pm today despite having a DDD of today. The transaction details showed a processing timestamp of 2:47pm from the Treasury. This is consistent with the FMS (Financial Management Service) processing schedule for secondary distribution batches. Regular returns seem to process in the morning batch while amended ones are in the afternoon batch. Check your account between 5-7pm.
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Miguel Diaz
Here's what you need to know about DDD timing with Bank of America: โข Bank of America typically processes IRS deposits in 3-4 batches throughout the day โข First batch: 3-5am Eastern โข Second batch: 10am-12pm Eastern โข Third batch: 2-5pm Eastern โข Final batch: 7-9pm Eastern For amended returns specifically: โข They often process in later batches (afternoon/evening) โข The IRS flags them differently in the ACH system โข Some BoA branches show pending deposits, others don't โข Online banking sometimes updates before the mobile app I'd recommend checking again after 5pm. If nothing by tomorrow morning, then call the IRS.
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Connor Gallagher
โขCan confirm this is accurate. My DDD was yesterday and my BoA deposit hit at exactly 4:17pm. Last year it was 3:52pm. The year before it was 5:23pm. They're always afternoon for me, never morning or midnight like some people claim.
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AstroAlpha
โขThanks for this. Been refreshing all day. Will stop panicking now. Need this $ for rent.
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