Either you are mistaken, they are mistaken, or the IRS screwed up.
It is illegal for the IRS to issue refunds to people to claimed EIC until February 15th. The IRS has stated they estimate the earliest refunds to EIC taxpayers will be around February 27th.
Well it is no mistake. One has 4 kids on theirs it shows how much they are getting for EIC credit. And it was deposited in their account today. They even pulled up their bank account and it is their refund. Even the irs site stated theirs was sent. And they are not the only ones with the credit to receive theirs already. So this is missed up everyone getting told it's illegal. But yet some are already getting theirs.
Well, it is illegal. So as I said before, either the IRS messed up (the IRS broke the law) or your friend does not actually have EIC on their tax return (EIC is on Line 66a of Form 1040 or Line 42a of Form 1040A or Line 8a of Form 1040EZ).
<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/refund-timing">https://www.irs.gov/individuals/refund-timing</a>
I agree my brother has four kids claimed the child tax credit and has his return deposit today Michigan, guess the road broke the law, not like anyone can do anything to the Federal government, and why would they when there getting a refund back
The Child Tax Credit is different than the Earned Income Credit. Refunds with the non-refundable Child Tax Credit can be issued before February 15th.