If an affected client applied for financial aid through the FAFSA program and is waiting for their return processing to be complete in order to finalize the FAFSA application, there are manual steps they can take that will allow their FAFSA application to proceed while their return is still processing.

FORBES: IRS, H&R Block Release Statements About Processing Delays

The IRS can't deny the credit while processing the return, but instead can only do it after pursuing a long audit process.

WSJ: Lawmakers Consider Expanding IRS Power to Flag Errors Before Audits

Along with the explosion in mobile technology to support commerce, startups like LevelUp have begun disrupting the payments market by offering free payment processing in return for paid loyalty and marketing services, showing that we are quickly moving into an age where the value of payment data exceeds the value of transaction fees.

FORBES: Mobile Payments: The Case For Choosing An Open Platform