I've experienced these IRS staffing fluctuations before. Last year, I filed in February assuming early filing would mean faster processing. My return contained Schedule C business income and some investment losses. Despite electronic filing, my return was selected for manual review due to the Discriminant Function System (DFS) scoring. This extended my wait from the standard 21 days to nearly 9 weeks. The delay wasn't announced anywhere - I only discovered it after calling multiple times. The lesson? Complex returns face longer delays regardless of when you file, and these staffing issues will only exacerbate that problem.

According to Internal Revenue Manual section 21.4.1, the IRS is still bound by the requirement to issue most refunds within 45 days of the filing deadline to avoid paying interest on refunds. While staffing issues may cause some delays, they have strong incentives to maintain processing speeds. The IRS has also implemented Integrated Enterprise Operations (IEO) which allows for more flexible workforce deployment during peak periods. I would recommend proceeding with your filing as planned, ensuring you use e-file with direct deposit, and maintaining documentation of your submission date per Treasury Regulation §301.6402-2.

When my wife and I PCS'd to Fort Bragg last year, we ran into the exact same issue! The ID.me verification kept failing because our cell phones were still registered to our previous address in a different state. What worked for us was visiting the local Taxpayer Assistance Center in person. I made an appointment through the IRS website, brought my military ID, last year's tax return, and two forms of identification. The representative was able to print the transcripts right there! It took about 45 minutes total, but we walked out with everything we needed. Most bases have a TAC within reasonable driving distance.

Military families face this constantly. Not just with IRS. With everything. Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt. Try the Taxpayer Advocate Service. They help military specifically. Call your installation's legal assistance office too. They have connections. Don't create new accounts. Bad idea. Flags your file. Causes more problems. Trust me on this one.

I believe I might understand what's happening with your return... The blank transcript could potentially mean your return is in the pre-processing stage, not yet assigned to an actual processing queue. I wouldn't be too concerned yet, though it is approaching the timeframe where you might want to consider follow-up actions. Perhaps give it until mid-March before taking additional steps.

Last year my friend with international income had a similar situation - blank transcript for weeks with cycle 05. When he finally called after 8 weeks, turns out his return had been selected for a "compliance review" because of foreign income reporting. They never sent a letter! The IRS agent told him international returns are frequently held for additional verification without notification. Not saying that's happening to you, but might be worth calling if you don't see movement by mid-March.

Last year my transcript showed Feb 17th, then changed to Feb 21st. I panicked because I needed that money for a car repair. Compared to my sister who uses direct deposit to her bank account - she never sees these date changes. I think it has something to do with how H&R Block processes the deposits compared to regular banks. The emerald card is convenient for getting your refund without paying the tax prep fees upfront, but this date-changing thing happens every year. Still, I got my money on the 21st exactly as the updated transcript showed.

I believe I might have some insight into this specific situation. I've been tracking DDD patterns for PATH Act returns with cycle code 05 for the past few years, and there appears to be a correlation between filing date and these date adjustments. Returns accepted between January 12-15 (like yours) frequently show an initial DDD that gets pushed back by 3-4 days. In approximately 87% of the cases I've documented, the funds were deposited on the second date. Would you mind confirming whether your return included EIC or ACTC credits? Those seem to be particularly susceptible to this pattern.

I work with tax clients and see this comedy of errors play out every tax season 😂. Last month, I had a client who received her refund on Monday and then got a letter on Wednesday saying her return couldn't be processed until she verified her identity. The IRS has multiple systems that don't always sync up in real-time. The 846 code is the most reliable indicator - if you have that with a date, your money is on the way regardless of what letters might be in the mail pipeline.

Have you checked if the 846 date on your transcript has already passed? I had mine show up on April 12th with a deposit date of April 17th, but then got a verification letter on April 15th. I completed the verification on April 16th, and still got my deposit on April 17th as scheduled. Curious about your timeline specifically.