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What you need to know about CA FTB CALFILE this year:
1. They are really screwed up this year and screwing folks around. But you already know this.
2. Equifax breach last year got literally got yours and everyone elses info (whoever has any credit)…..name, address, SSN, driver license #, income, bank info, credit amounts, previous addresses, name changes,….all the stuff needed to file a phony tax return and direct deposit a refund in another account, This info has been sold in batches, and being used to grab 2017 refunds, especially state refunds which are very vulnerable with any online tax filing.
3. CA and most other states are automatically putting a hold on refunds e-filed. The hold is anywhere from 1 month to 16 weeks.
4. Past years, if you e-filed with CALFILE, your return was marked received and a refund fund was issued the very same day you clicked e-file. 7 days later a check was direct deposited in your bank account.
5. This year, if you e-file early with CALFILE, and have a refund due you, your return is put on hold with a ‘stamped’ date of April 29. which means FTB has that long to decide when to “process” it, and how it verify it is a credible return.
6. When you check the FTB page “Check Your 2017 Refund”, “Processing” means HOLD, and “Issued’ means PROCESSING. Pay no attention to whatever estimate FTB gives on this page for your refund to be sent. They have until APRIL 29 to decide what to do with your return and refund. Usually, FTb will sent a verify letter. Most times FTB tracks and logs all calls for each SSN, and the magic number of calls to get your refund issued (which means processed) depends on which agent you are lucky, or unlucky to get.
7. On the FTB page “Check Your 2017 Refund”, even tho you enterned all your correct info, you will get a ‘cant find’ error, usually 1 out of 3 times. Go back, and keep putting in your correct info each time, untilk you finally get the “Received-Processing-Issued” page. FTB tracks & logs each of these attempts and these attempts show up with the number of calls you make. The higher the number of calls and attempts on the Refund Status page, the better for you getting your refund out of “Processing” (aka: HOLD) and into “Issued” (aka: PROCESSING).
8. Once the FTB Refund Status page shows “Issued”, it will take 6-7 days for direct deposit, and 2-4 weeks for a paper check in the mail.
9 DO NOT USE CALFILE next year unless they put in a pin system and 2 step verification via text, which would be linked an account on FTB.gov.My stats:
1/31 CAL FILEd
2/07 Refund status moved from 7-10 days to 2-4 weeks.
2/14 Refund status moved 2-4 weeks to 1 month.
2/16 Called FTB 800 # and agent said refund on hold to April 29.
2/22 Checked status on FTB site 20+ times since 2/7
2/23 Refund status page moved from “Processing” to “Issued”
2/27 Received Verify Return Filed letter postmarked 2/23.
2/27 Called 916 # on the Veriify letter. Agent said verifying not necessary since my “refund is slotted to be issued and allow 2-4 weeks”
3/01 My bank text: Refund direct deposited.(despite what the agent said 2 days ago)Good luck. Make your comments known on the CAL FILE Facebook pag, and on any FTB survey, or FTB Feedback.
I filed IRS & Ca on 1/31. Got my IRS refund in 7 days, as usual. CA refund was MIA and still is “Processing”. It has always been direct deposited in 7 days for the last 15+ years. This year, I believe the reason is EQUIFAX. Remember the hack that stole 400 million peoples’ ID info last year? Hackers got your name, SSN, address, phone number, and CC financials. All the things to successfully file a return in your name for those who bought up blocks of that info. If you filed thru another online service, CA figures that return is vetted.CA FTB’s website has got to be so vulnerable, FTB doesn’t trust anyone filing using CAL FILE. Make sure to dislike CAL FILE on Facebook. I’m not using it next year since it may take 1 to 3 months to get a refund. Some people get lucky when they wait for hours for several days calling until they get thru to someone who knows what they are doing.
For those that efiled with Cal File and still waiting for a refund, let them know your pain here:> https://www.facebook.com/CalFile/
IRS & CA efiled and accepted 1/31/18.
Every year it’s been 7 days (for me) to get both direct deposted.
IRS refund received 2/7/18,
CA refund still “Processing” 02/14/18
Last week CA FTB website said 7-10 days for efilers.
This week CA FTB website says 2 weeks for efilers.
Check refund status says 1 month for efilers.
Left bad feedback pon CA FTB website.
20 years ago CA FTB sent a letter to my employer to garnishee my wages 80% because my paper return never showed up and gave me 48hrs to pay 250% of what they said was my tax due. Should be a law the other way…….no refund on time gets CA FTB a penalty of 100% per day of the refund due! Mad as hades this year being a victim of BAD CA FTB.