IRS submitted funds 2 weeks ago, but still haven't received - wut do

[Chuck2709]

I filed my return on 1/27, Federal return was accepted on 1/27 with an estimated refund date of 2/17. I used the IRS refund tracker, and noted the refund was sent to my bank on 2/12. Called my bank, they have not received funds. I did use the option to pay my TurboTax fees using my tax refund (big mistake) and have learned from the IRS that my refund was sent to Civista Bank/Santa Barbara Tax Product Group to collect my fees and process my refund....

It is now 2/25 and I still have not received my refund. I've been checking the TPG site everyday for the past week, and their "where's my refund" tracker tool says they have not even received my refund!!! Their customer service is absolutely horrible and I can't get a hold of any representative when I try to call for a status update/questions. Now, their site is down!!

I've used the same services for 4 years and haven't had any employer info or account info changes. I've also double checked that my account # and routing # were correct...

Is anyone else having a similar issue? I have no idea where my refund is, and apparently neither does the IRS or TPG! What do I do?

[Chuck2709]

Update: spoke with IRS and they confirmed the funds were sent to Civista/TPG and that this is now a civil matter between me and the Bank....

Spoke to the Bank, they have no clue where my refund is and can't tell me any information.

I've been using TurboTax for 5+ years and this will definitely be my last time. TT has been of NO help for me and just blames the other institutions.

[Chuck2709]

Update - still have not heard anything back from SBTPG/Civista and TurboTax has no idea of what to do.... My electronic filing was accepted by the IRS a whole TWO MONTHS ago and funds were transmitted over a month and half ago, this is ridiculous!!!

I wonder if there is any action I can take against SBPTG/Civista/TurboTax?

[CarissaM]

If you elected to have your fees deducted from your refund, the IRS will send your return to Santa Barbara Bank, where they will deduct the fees and then deposit any remaining refund into your account. 

You can track your refund at the Santa Barbara website by clicking here. 

[Chuck2709]

I understand that, but that's not the issue. SBTPG is claiming they have not received my funds, when the IRS submitted them SIX WEEKS ago!! I also confirmed with a live IRS representative that the funds were transmitted to Civista Bank, which is the bank TurboTax/SBTPG uses for the fund collections. However, SBTPG claims they do not have my funds and have not received them...

If the IRS is saying they sent the funds to SBTPG/Civista, but SBTPG is still claiming they don't have my funds to be processed, where the [profanity removed]l are my funds!?!!?! Rule #1 is don't play with your customer's money, especially when its over $2k.

Wish there was some type of law action I could take...

[CassLO]

Once the IRS Where’s My Federal Refund? site shows  "Refund Sent" it can take approximately 5 business days or more for the financial institution to deposit fund into your account.

Did you see the TurboTax estimated refund date possibly, instead of the status on the IRS website tracker? The e-file status, Turbotax gives an estimated date based on the IRS's 21 day timeframe.

Where’s My Refund? has a tracker that displays progress through 3 stages:

(1) Return Accepted "Received," (2) Refund Approved and (3) Refund Sent.

So once Santa Barbara Tax Products Group receives your refund from the IRS, they will take out the fee and send to your financial institution. 

After the IRS shows your refund was sent, you can keep an eye on your by checking this link: CHECKING ON YOUR REFUND?

[Chuck2709]

Yes, I'm sure... I used the IRS where's my refund tool and they showed refund was accepted on 1/27 and sent funds on 2/12. After over 2 months of waiting, I have an even crazier update....

SBTPG claimed for OVER 2 MONTHS that they did not receive my funds. Last night, I FINALLY received my direct deposit from SBTPG, less the $80 dollars (when I really agreed to pay TurboTax $40 and didn't know they were going to charge an EXTRA $40 for a "processing fee"). Well now, the IRS has also sent me a physical paper check in the mail, for the full amount of my refund. I immediately went to the IRS where's my refund too, and it shows that they have instead Mailed my check; changing from the earlier status that they sent my funds to my bank (SBTPG) on 2/12.

So basically, I got paid twice: once by the IRS for the full amount, and also a direct deposit from SBTPG for the refund amount, less $80.

Now, I want to dispute my "processing fee" of $80 since Turbo Tax never really provided me a service. I have a physical check for the full amount, so why would I want to be missing the $80 for a "service" which consisted of waiting for over 2 months and never being told a straight answer of where my refund was located and why the processing was taking so long???

Unfortunately, the IRS is now closed due to COVID19 and I cannot speak with a representative of how to handle this situation. Seems like someone screwed up somewhere along the lines, and my hard earned money should not be sacrificed for someone else's negligence, or at this point, what I believe to be shady practices by SBTPG and TurboTax... Guess I'll have to wait another 2 months to get to the bottom of this.....

I recommend to other folks to NEVER use the feature to use your refund to pay for Turbo Taxes "services". After 5 years, I will never return my business to Turbo Tax.

[DaveF1006]

Yes, at some point you will receive your stimulus payment.  Select https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments  and select the get my payment option to review your refund status. Keep checking back in this site to review your payment status because the IRS has not activated this feature yet as of today.

[Chuck2709]

It is not my stimulus payment. I received 2 tax returns in error.