The difference between “still being processed” and “being processed” is that being processed still guarantees the standard 21 day refund process whereas, seeing “still being processed… a date will be provided when available” does not guarantee a refund within the usual 21 day time frame.
Additional to the above messages; some people report still have the amount of refund listed on the side where others do not. My best guess is that people with amounts still listed may have received this message due to issues not related to a possible change of the refund amount such as needing to I’d verify. While those with a missing amount may have a hold regarding possible changes to the amount of the refund such as offsets, credits, w2 etc.
This is most likely due to not passing initial screening check done by the computer resulting in a manual check by an irs agent which can confirm nothings wrong or adjust as necessary.
This does not mean you can’t get your refund sooner even with offsets, it’s simply saying prepare yourself in the event it takes longer to process.
You have a couple of options regarding offsets.
1. You can call the department of education to reference the debt and possibly make payment arrangements which you’ve already done.
2. Your tax advocate can petition on your behalf for information.
3. You can call the irs directly and state that you received a letter which will prompt an inquiry into your account.
4. You can request a online or mailed Copy of your transcripts and research your account status via the codes provided.
5. Keep calling offset line as it updates every 24hrs and does not include state or federal debt, so if owe the state or federal due to discrepancies in past years returns you will need to call the IRS directly.
Information on the web supports the theory that people who have received this message “ still being processed….a date will be provided when available.”
May have been flagged due to a simple random I’d verification, offsets, mismatched information, claiming self-employment credits, or waiting for w2 verification none of which should drastically delay your refund.
For most the wait and the not knowing precisely the issue is the cause of frustration. Taking the above actions can at least prevent the feeling of helplessness and give you some peace of mind.
Hope this helps, I’m not a tax professional, I’m just like you stressed and patiently waiting.
