According to Internal Revenue Manual 21.4.1, returns claiming refundable credits like the Earned Income Credit and Child Tax Credit are subject to additional verification procedures under the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act. While the IRS cannot issue refunds before February 15th for these returns, there is no statutory maximum processing time. The current processing delay you're experiencing is within normal parameters for the 2024 filing season, particularly for returns filed in early February with these specific credits. The absence of transcript data simply indicates your return is still in the pre-refund processing phase.

I was in the exact same situation - filed Feb 1st with EIC/CTC, got my state refund quickly, but federal showed nothing for weeks. I finally got my transcript to update on day 47, and my refund was deposited 8 days later. The key indicator was when my transcript suddenly appeared - that's when I knew things were moving. Just hang tight - you're likely in that final waiting period before everything updates at once!

I went through this exact nightmare last year with my own taxes. Filed January 15th with Child Tax Credit and 1099 income, and didn't see my refund until March 28th. The IRS has special verification procedures for both CTC claims and self-employment income. I remember checking the Where's My Refund tool obsessively every morning at 3am thinking it would somehow update faster! What finally worked was requesting my tax transcript which showed code 570 (additional account action pending) followed later by 571 (resolved) and then 846 (refund issued).

Don't waste time calling until you're outside normal processing windows. I'm a contractor too and my refund with Child Tax Credit took 7 weeks this year. The IRS is seriously backlogged. Just keep checking your transcript weekly instead of daily - saves your sanity. When I finally got mine, it had interest added because it took so long, so at least there's that small bonus.

I'm in EXACTLY the same situation! Filed through H&R Block on March 1st and my Adjusted Gross Income is $42,500 with a Child Tax Credit claim for my daughter. The IRS Where's My Refund tool still shows "Your return is still being processed" with no progress bar. Called H&R Block and they mentioned something about a Form 1310 verification that's causing delays for many CTC claims. This is way more complicated than I expected!

Has anyone who filed with H&R Block in April received their refund yet? I'm wondering if filing later in the season means faster processing since they've worked through the February/March backlog? Last year I filed in February and waited forever, but my brother filed in April and got his in 2 weeks.

Have you called the IRS directly about this? They can tell you exactly what will happen with your refund. Ask specifically about the remaining balance and whether the 846 amount will be adjusted. Request they check if the state payment has been fully applied to your account.

On April 12th last year, I had an identical situation with almost the same amounts. My transcript showed code 846 for the full refund amount ($3,200), but when the deposit date of April 19th arrived, they had reduced it by my remaining balance ($750). The IRS systems don't always talk to each other in real-time, so what you're seeing on your transcript today might not reflect what will actually happen when they process the final payment.

Here's how to check your actual status: Step 1: Go to IRS.gov and access your tax transcript Step 2: Look for the account transcript for 2023 Step 3: Check for transaction codes like 570 (refund hold) or 971 (notice issued) Step 4: Look for code 846 which means refund issued If you see code 570 without 846, your refund is on hold. If you see 971, expect a letter. If you see 846, it shows the direct deposit date.

Has anyone from the 2/15 group received a 60-day review letter? I just got one yesterday and I'm freaking out because I need this money. The letter doesn't even explain what they're reviewing!