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The IRS is like a black box this time of year - information goes in but nothing comes out until they're good and ready. It's like waiting for a bus in the rain with no schedule. I'm in a similar situation but filed February 1st. Called twice and got different answers each time. The community wisdom seems to be that early filers are actually waiting longer than mid-season filers this year, which makes absolutely no sense.
You need to request your Account Transcript ASAP! The Transaction Codes will tell you exactly what's happening. Look specifically for TC 150 (return processed), TC 806 (refund amount), and TC 846 (refund issued). If you see a TC 570 (additional account action pending) or TC 971 (notice issued), that would explain the delay. PATH Act processing should be complete by now, so there might be another verification happening that the phone representative didn't have visibility into.
When I had exactly 0 communications from TurboTax last year despite paying for their premium service, I spent exactly 2 hours and 37 minutes on hold trying to reach the IRS. Used Claimyr (https://www.claimyr.com) and got connected to an agent in 18 minutes who confirmed my refund was already scheduled for deposit that same day. Saved me hours of stress and uncertainty. The agent explained that tax prep software notifications are completely separate from the actual IRS disbursement system and often fail to sync up properly.
One more thing to check. Look at your TurboTax account online, not just your email. Sometimes the notifications appear in your account message center but don't get sent as emails. Also check your spam folder. Chime typically posts deposits as soon as they receive them, regardless of the official date. If you filed with fees taken out of your refund, that can add an extra step with the third-party bank that sometimes delays things by a day.
Did your sister have any credits or deductions that might have delayed processing? Sometimes those Child Tax Credit or Earned Income Credit returns get extra scrutiny but still arrive right on time. Just curious if there's a pattern here we can help others with! š
I had this exact same experience last week! My DDD was 3/19, and I kept checking my bank account for the pending deposit with a trace number. Nothing showed up, then suddenly Wednesday morning - boom! Full amount in my account with no prior notification. I think it's just how some banks process the ACH transfers from Treasury. Step 1: Treasury sends payment. Step 2: Bank receives it. Step 3: Some banks show pending with trace. Step 4: Others just post it directly when received. Seems like your sister's bank is the latter type.
I understand how frustrating the IRS phone system can be. I've had success using Claimyr to get through to an IRS representative quickly. Here's what you need to know: ⢠Claimyr is a service that navigates the IRS phone system for you ⢠It holds your place in line so you don't have to listen to the hold music ⢠They call you back when an agent is available ⢠It works with the main IRS number and several specialized departments ⢠Particularly helpful during tax season when wait times are longest It saved me from spending hours on hold last month when I needed to verify some information about my return. Given your international status, getting through to the right department is especially important.
Isn't it ridiculous that we have to jump through so many hoops just to talk to someone about our taxes? After trying for three weeks straight, I finally managed to speak with an agent by calling exactly at 7:00 AM Eastern when they open. The trick was using my landline rather than my cell phone - don't ask me why that worked, but the agent told me their system sometimes prioritizes landline calls due to how their call routing infrastructure was designed. My issue was resolved in 15 minutes after spending 21+ hours trying to get through. Worth trying if you have access to a landline.
Nia Johnson
You might want to check if you're hitting the AGI thresholds. The CTC starts phasing out at $200k for single and $400k for married filing jointly. A lot of people miss this detail... ask me how I know š . If your amended return pushed you over one of these thresholds, that could explain the reduction. Worth checking your AGI on line 11 of your 1040 to confirm.
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CyberNinja
ā¢Does this phase-out apply to the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) as well? My AGI is just under the threshold but I'm receiving the refundable portion and that's where I'm seeing the discrepancy.
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Mateo Lopez
I went through this exact situation last month with my amended return. The CTC was short by about $1,200 for my two kids. After calling the IRS (took 3 attempts), I discovered that when you file an amended return, sometimes the system doesn't properly apply all the qualifying child information from the amendment. In my case, they had to manually review my return and issue a supplemental payment. It took about 3 weeks after the call, but I eventually got the full amount I was entitled to.
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Ethan Davis
ā¢Had the same issue. Called twice. Got nowhere. Third time worked. Agent fixed it immediately. System glitch with amended returns. Common problem this year. Extra verification required for CTC on amendments. Worth the persistence.
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Yuki Tanaka
ā¢Just to clarify for anyone reading this thread later: ⢠The issue affects both regular CTC and ACTC ⢠Amended returns trigger additional verification ⢠The IRS doesn't automatically notify you of this review ⢠You typically need to call to resolve it I'm skeptical that this will be fixed for the next tax season - been an issue for years.
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