Why sign in to the Community?

  • Submit a question
  • Check your notifications
Sign in to the Community or Sign in to TurboTax and start working on your taxes
New Member
posted Jun 5, 2019 10:43:28 PM

A friend of mine filed a day before me. I filed 02/01/2017. Today I Checked my status bar disappeared and it stated. Your tax return is still processing. His was approved

A friend of mine filed a day before me. I filed 02/01/2017. Today I Checked my status bar disappeared and it stated. Your tax return is still processing. Refund deposit will be available when finished. However my friends tax return was approved and his bar was visible. Should I be concerned?

0 34 5311
1 Best answer
New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:30 PM

There's no reason to necessarily be concerned, so please don't worry.  The bars on the IRS.gov's "Where's My Refund" webpage (which it is believed you are asking about) change all of the time.  Not all tax returns are identical, and so they move through the IRS processing system at various speeds.  As such, your friend's experience may or may not be indicative of what you can expect in terms of speed and timing.  Other factors causing delays and increased refund processing times this year are several new laws and executive orders that the IRS has been charged with implementing.

If your tax return is chosen for further review, then the website should state that clearly, and also let you know to expect an IRS notice by mail.  (You haven't observed that happen, have you?)

Taxpayers who do have their returns held for review, and who expect to receive an IRS notice, tell us that this message appears clearly on the Where's My Refund website.  The behavior that you observe in the graphical bars is more likely an indicator that your tax return is moving normally through the processing system.  It could also be that the IRS is checking for additional information on something related to your tax return . . . perhaps causing a small delay.

If enough time passes after filing (21 days after e-file, or 6 weeks after paper file), and there is no new information, at that time the IRS indicates that you can call them, using the phone number provided on their Where's My Refund website.

For now, the best recommended course of action is patience.  The IRS doesn't always move as fast as taxpayers would like (especially when waiting for a refund).  Also, as noted above, the 2016 tax year may be particularly slow, due to factors that are outside of our control.

Thank you for asking this question.

24 Replies
New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:30 PM

There's no reason to necessarily be concerned, so please don't worry.  The bars on the IRS.gov's "Where's My Refund" webpage (which it is believed you are asking about) change all of the time.  Not all tax returns are identical, and so they move through the IRS processing system at various speeds.  As such, your friend's experience may or may not be indicative of what you can expect in terms of speed and timing.  Other factors causing delays and increased refund processing times this year are several new laws and executive orders that the IRS has been charged with implementing.

If your tax return is chosen for further review, then the website should state that clearly, and also let you know to expect an IRS notice by mail.  (You haven't observed that happen, have you?)

Taxpayers who do have their returns held for review, and who expect to receive an IRS notice, tell us that this message appears clearly on the Where's My Refund website.  The behavior that you observe in the graphical bars is more likely an indicator that your tax return is moving normally through the processing system.  It could also be that the IRS is checking for additional information on something related to your tax return . . . perhaps causing a small delay.

If enough time passes after filing (21 days after e-file, or 6 weeks after paper file), and there is no new information, at that time the IRS indicates that you can call them, using the phone number provided on their Where's My Refund website.

For now, the best recommended course of action is patience.  The IRS doesn't always move as fast as taxpayers would like (especially when waiting for a refund).  Also, as noted above, the 2016 tax year may be particularly slow, due to factors that are outside of our control.

Thank you for asking this question.

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:31 PM

Yes because this is only happening to Turbo tax filers they filed on 2:1-2:3

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:33 PM

Seems like it

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:33 PM

Seems like it

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:36 PM

I called the IRS yesterday they said I wasn't accepted until 2:8

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:38 PM

I filed on 2/2/17 but didn't see anything on wmr until 2/10/17.

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:39 PM

Me too - Filed 2/3/17

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:41 PM

My sister-in-law and I filed on 2/07/2017 within an hour of each other.  Both claiming EIC & ACTC.  Both got accepted within an hour of filing from turbotax and checked the WMR site the next day both says Accepted with the Bar there. Then 2 days later the bar status disappeared with it saying the path act is delaying refunds please check back a few days after the 15th. Up until the 15th. After the 15th they both said processing and today the 17th she got a deposit date.... We both selected the netspend premier card to have our refund deposited on.

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:41 PM

Honey nothing is the same for anyone this year ... I think the IRS got a hot ass mess if you ask me and every time you call it's a different answer so who knows but good luck!

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:43 PM

Bars gone refunds states processing...

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:44 PM

Filed 2/3 with turbo tax. Have not moved past first bar.

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:46 PM

The same thing happened to me no bars or tax topic for like a week on 02-18 I got approved with a DDD for 02-23 I guess my tax return was getting reviewed and processed that might be the reason the bars disappeared.  When bars disappear that doesn't mean there is something wrong

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:47 PM

Yes.

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:50 PM

I filed 2/3.  It said received up until 2/11.

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:50 PM

Last year I got my letter a few days after I received my tax return

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:52 PM

So If you got a letter from IRS letter 12C and did not turn in your insurance form 1095 then call the IRS, this was my issue and it can take another 6-8 weeks until funds are available It will still show processing in the app

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:53 PM

Update: I finally got the "approved" bar. Just a general reiteration... I filed on 2/2.. IRS didn't show received on the WMR site until 2/9... And I got approved on 2/18...

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:55 PM

I called this morning.  It was still under review - nothing for me to do but wait.

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:56 PM

I'm getting a cp05 notice they just told me

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:43:58 PM

I found out I got a cp63 notice. irs just now was issuing a letter. they said yesterday. I filed on 2/7/17. there saying I had reportable income for 2013 and must submit the 2013 return.

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:44:00 PM

This same situation happened to me a couple years ago.

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:44:01 PM

--

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:44:03 PM

Well, my new update (2/27), after on Friday being told over the phone everything was fine, on Saturday I received a letter to verify ID.  I called this morning.  I was unable to do it over the phone and have to go in 3/16 to an IRS office.

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 10:44:06 PM

--