I noticed you mentioned filing on February 26th, which means you're approaching the 6-week mark. Did your tax preparer specifically say they would be printing the check themselves? I'm asking because on March 18th, the IRS announced they were experiencing delays with paper check processing for returns filed between February 15th and March 1st due to a printing facility issue. Have you created an account on the IRS website to view your transcript? That would show the exact status including whether a check has been mailed.

Have you verified if your preparer used a Refund Transfer product for your return? These products (sometimes called Refund Anticipation Checks or RACs) involve a temporary bank account that receives your refund, deducts the tax preparation fees, then issues you a new check. This adds significant processing time. Also, did you check if you have any offsets that might be reducing your refund amount? Student loans, child support, or other government debts can cause delays as the Treasury Department's Bureau of the Fiscal Service processes these adjustments before releasing funds.

Has anyone here actually had their return processed using the prior year income election after divorce? I'm filing this weekend and need to know ASAP if there were any issues with processing times or additional verification steps? Did the IRS question your calculation method at all?

I successfully navigated this exact situation last year after my 2022 divorce. I used only my portion of income from our 2020 joint return for EIC calculations. I was worried about it, but my refund came through without any issues or delays. The key was having documentation ready - I kept copies of my individual W-2s from 2020 in case I was asked to verify. Remember that the IRS can already see which income was reported under your SSN versus your ex's, so they know what's yours.

Been through this last month. Cycle 05 here too. Had clean codes. Checked obsessively. Got my 846 code on Friday update. Deposit hit Tuesday. No last-minute issues. System worked as expected. PATH Act isn't affecting current processing. You're in good shape. Just need patience. Almost there.

According to Internal Revenue Manual 21.4.1.3(7), returns with consecutive transcript updates showing normal processing codes without examination indicators are classified as "pipeline returns" that typically proceed to completion without additional review. Per the Taxpayer Advocate Service 2023 Annual Report to Congress (p.84-85), only 8.2% of returns are selected for additional verification after passing initial processing stages. Are you claiming any credits that might trigger additional scrutiny under IRC §32(k) or §24(g)? That could potentially affect your timeline.

Be careful about counting on that refund for immediate expenses! Last year I was in the same boat, filed February 15th with EIC and CTC. My return got randomly selected for review and I didn't get my refund until MAY. I had to take out a high-interest loan to cover expenses I'd planned to use my refund for. Now I never plan essential payments around expected refund dates.

The IRS Processing Pipeline for PATH Act returns (EIC/CTC) has distinct phases that aren't visible in WMR. Initial verification, fraud screening, income verification, and final processing each take 5-7 days on average. Returns accepted February 13-15 are currently in the final distribution queue according to multiple reports on this sub. The DDD (Direct Deposit Date) assignment typically happens in batches, with most February second-week filers receiving deposits between March 20-27.

Just wanted to share some good news - I was in EXACTLY your situation last month. CTC payment hit my account while my refund was MIA. I called the IRS (took forever to get through 😅) and found out my return was just sitting in a queue waiting for review. Nothing wrong with it! Three days after I called, my refund was approved and I had the money a week later. Sometimes just making contact with them seems to move things along. Hang in there - the money is coming!

According to the IRS.gov website FAQ section, this is actually normal. I was researching this exact situation yesterday because I'm experiencing the same thing. The IRS website explains that the Advanced Child Tax Credit system and regular refund processing operate on different timelines and verification protocols. If you check the IRS2Go app and the status still shows as processing, it means your return is still moving through the system but hasn't been flagged for any major issues.