Refund bars going away

[Ben]

My wife & I filed jointly on 2/28 and got that our tax return had been accepted an hour or so later. Today I went to check my refund status and my bars have disappeared and I have the following message:

Your tax return is still being processed.

A refund date will be provided when available.
Please Note:
For refund information, please continue to check here, or use our free mobile app, IRS2Go. Updates to refund status are made no more than once a day.

However, my expected refund amount is still listed on the left side of the page. My wife checked her status as well and still has 1 bar with the statement that returns are done within 21 days of acceptance.

So with this information I made a call to the IRS and spoke with a Mr. Robbins who was actually very helpful. He told me that since the return amount on the left had not disappeared that it was simply the IRS refund site updating our information and we should get a DDD soon. I’m hoping something changes when I check and the system updates tomorrow.

Anyone else in this situation? Be interesting to hear from different folks and get their insight as well. I will continue to keep everyone updated on my status.

[Joe]

They asked me to have my 2015/2016 tax return. She asked me to tell her certain info. She would ask what’s on line 76 for 2015.

It’s real simple, no way to fail if you have the correct tax return.

[Just]

Maybe the IRS lady was just trying to make me less-stressed. Idk if calling and saying you received a letter is good tho, I read somewhere on this blog that someone did that last year and it delayed the process bc her refund was about to get DDD and then she called to verify (made it up) and they put her through the identity process. Who knows what’s true. I’m going to wait it out.

[Kaitlin]

Wait I thought @Ben said he spoke to someone who said that it’s ok if you still have your info on the left side and it’s closer to giving you a ddd. Is that not correct?

[Neicey]

@just there is id verify people call or go online i did last year

[Just]

I just called that IRS identity hotline and they said there is no phone verification for starters so I don’t know why someone posted that. If they suspect identity theft, you can’t just call to verify. Secondly they said they don’t have access to release a refund if it was being held- they are call centers, not examiners. She said not to panic, most returns are processing and will be paid before 21 days. It doesn’t matter if we were test batch, they all started processing on the 23rd.

[Just]

@joe- does your WMR show approved now or look different?

[Ben]

@Joe

What all information did they want you to verify?

[Joe]

@Ben

I litterly just told her I forgot the letter at work and asked if I can give her my SSN.

Make sure you tell them you received a letter to verify your identity.

[Kaitlin]

I have the same thing!

The amount is still on the left but as of Sat it had no bars and the message was the same as everyone else. Refund being processed a return date will be available or something like that.

I filed with TurboTax and I’m freaking out because I’m going on vacation (filed 1/28 and received 1/29) and would love the refund.

Good to know it may just be getting closer to the DD!

[Ben]

@ Joe

What all information did they want from you?

I called the IRS ID hotline and just got off of the phone a few minutes ago. The lady wouldn’t do anything to help me. Said I either had to wait to get the actual letter or until 21 days post the date I filed my tax return. Any ideas on what I can do to convince them to push this along quicker?

[joe]

I lost my bars on Friday the 3rd and decided to call the Identity theft hotline today. she asked me if they mailed a letter to me, and I informed her no I have not received a thing as of yet.

she took my SSN and bam they jus wanted to verify som info. she said it will be pushed out tonight,

Good luck to yall

[J-me]

I have the same message. Filed 1/23 updated to this message on 2/4 still have the amount on the left side. Tried ordering return transcripts a little bit ago. Still can’t get them.

[Teresa]

@Just

Yes the amount was/is still there.

[Gab]

I filed and got accepted on the 19th. I was still on one bar until 4 days ago. It updated to me losing my bar and my refund amount on the left side but I still have my TT 152. Am I close to getting a ddd? If not, do anybody know whats going on?

[Just]

@Teresa – is/was your refund amount still appearing on WMR when your bars went missing?

[Teresa]

I filed on 1/16, was accepted on 1/17 and up until this weekend I had the normal one orange bar, my return was accepted and most refunds are issued in 21 days.

On Feb. 5 I noticed this was now on WMR page:

A refund date will be provided when available.
Please Note:
For refund information, please continue to check here, or use our free mobile app, IRS2Go. Updates to refund status are made no more than once a day.

I checked my mail today and had a letter asking me to send in Form 8962 with my 1095. It did not ask that I file an amended return or to send any pages of my current return. So, I would check your mail. The letter was dated 2/3 and it was in my mail on 2/4, I just didn’t see it until 2/6. That’s on me, I forgot I even had any whack-a-mole ACA coverage for a few months this year. :|

[Just]

@Daniel-

When you aren’t able to retrieve transcripts, what error does it give you? I’ve never tried transcripts until reading this forum. I requested them online and the IRS said it would mail me a code to activate my account (requested this last Saturday 2/4) then tried via phone and it said the system was experiencing technical difficulties.

Is this the same for you?

[Ben]

@ John

I remember reading the identity theft thing as well. If memory serves me right I believe the individuals talking about that said the refund amount disappeared on the left? From what the IRS agent told me and what I’ve read it seems that if the refund amount stays on the left that a DDD is coming soon.

I can’t imagine everyone is getting manually reviewed that has seen this as it would be significantly over the normal threshold of returns manually reviewed.

Fingers crossed we get good news on Wednesday :)

[John]

@Ben

filed and accepted on 1/23 , bars disappeared for myself on 1/28, wife still has one bar, refund amount still on left.

Still waiting for DDD as of right now, have not heard anything.

I tried calling and heard the same as others that I could not do anything before the 21 days.

I also saw another thread someone got a letter about having to call and verify identity , also read people were told the site was updating, busy , had glitches etc.

This is all within the last 7 days on this site that I have read that. Hope an update soon.

John

[DanielA]

@Ben

I never got any info.

I had called before the 21 days, and they just told me to wait.

So I waited (albeit not very patiently) and after about a week of just being able to order account transcripts I was able to order return transcripts.

About a week after that I finally got a DDD.

Also, just a standard return no joint, no credits.

[Just]

I’m in the same boat…. filed 1/17 accepted 1/18 and had one bar until 2/4 when it disappeared.

The refund amount is still there and everything I’ve read is that this the final step before approval…. crossing my fingers that we get a DDD this week!

[Ben]

DanielA,

Was your return pulled for further review? Did the IRS request any additional information from you or was your refund just delayed?

[DanielA]

I’ve got no bars as well.

Filed (and accepted) 1/25.

Bars disappeared 2/4.

The same thing happened to me last year, and it took quite a while to get my refund.

For 2015 I filed 1/31 but didn’t get my refund until 3/09.

I’m expecting the same this year, but hopefully this timeline is a bit quicker.

[Ben]

KllyH516,

I think this should be news that we will see a change soon and possibly even DDD this week! From reading other posts I’ve found on the web it seems there is a mass amount of individuals getting this when they check their status. Too many for it to all be manual checks. Everything I’ve read and from what the IRS agent told me is if the refund amount disappears then it is a manual check if it stays it is the system finishing the processing steps.

Additionally, the IRS agent I spoke with said currently the IRS is at about 13 days processing refunds from the first day they began accepting (I believe he said that was 1/23 but not sure). So hopefully we will have more info soon.

Hopefully more folks comment so we can get a good thread of information going.

[KellyH516]

Ben,
I am in a similar situation.

I filed on 1/9 and was accepted on 1/13.

I sat at 1 bar until 2/4 (Saturday) when I changed to the same processing message as you have. Mine also still shows my anticipated refund amount.

I did not have as much luck when I called the IRS 3 times. I got the same answer from 3 agents, “We can’t even look at your file or tell you anything until it’s been 21 days. Sorry, keep checking back on the WMR tool.”

Hopefully we’ll see a change soon!

[Author]

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