I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation right now - submitted my 8288-B back in March for a $68,000 withholding and I'm still waiting 8 months later! It's incredibly frustrating to have that much money tied up, especially when the IRS's own website says 90 days. Based on what I've read here, it sounds like the interest does help somewhat, but I'm curious about the practical side - does anyone know if there's a way to estimate how much interest you'll receive while you're waiting? With rates around 7-8% as mentioned, I'm trying to figure out if it's worth pursuing some of these services to get faster resolution or just waiting it out. Also, has anyone had success with congressional inquiry? I've heard that sometimes contacting your representative's office can help move things along when federal agencies are taking excessively long to process applications.

Thank you all for sharing your experiences with FIRPTA delays - this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm now at the 7-week mark since submitting my 8288-B, so still within the official 90-day window but clearly that doesn't mean much based on everyone's actual timelines. A few follow-up questions based on what I've learned here: 1. For those who received interest payments, did the IRS send any advance notice about the interest calculation, or does it just show up with the refund check? 2. Has anyone tried both the congressional inquiry route AND one of the callback services mentioned? I'm wondering if combining approaches might be more effective. 3. @Raul Neal - as an attorney handling these cases, have you noticed any patterns in terms of which applications get processed faster? For example, does the dollar amount of withholding seem to matter, or certain types of properties? I'm trying to decide whether to be proactive now or wait closer to the 6-month mark before taking additional steps. Given that I potentially have $75K+ tied up for many months, the interest will help but I'd obviously prefer to have access to my money sooner rather than later.

I made a huge mistake last year by putting my estimated tax payments on the wrong line of my 1040. The IRS sent me a letter saying I owed a bunch of money plus penalties, and it took months to get sorted out. Double check where you're entering everything!

This is exactly why I always keep detailed records of all my tax payments throughout the year! For your situation with two types of withholding, I'd recommend creating a simple spreadsheet to track everything before you start filing. List your W-2 withholding amount from box 2, then separately list each quarterly estimated payment you made with the dates and amounts. When you're ready to file, the W-2 withholding goes on line 25a of Form 1040, and your estimated payments total goes on line 26. In TurboTax, these will be in different sections - the W-2 info gets entered when you input your W-2 form, and the estimated payments have their own dedicated section usually under "Federal Taxes" or "Payments." The key thing is to make sure you have documentation for all your estimated payments - either bank records, confirmation numbers, or receipts. This way if the IRS ever questions anything, you have proof of what you paid and when.

Pro tip from someone who's been thru this 2x - after verifying, check your transcript not WMR. WMR is often delayed but transcripts update first. Look for TC 570 (hold) followed by TC 571 (hold released) and finally TC 846 (refund issued). Once you see 846, you'll have $$ in 3-5 days. Hang in there - the system works, it's just slow AF.

I just went through this exact situation two weeks ago! Got my 5071C letter in early April and was freaking out about my car payment deadline. Here's what actually happened: • Verified online through ID.me on April 8th (took about 20 minutes) • Transcript updated with TC 971 on April 15th (showing verification complete) • WMR still showed "processing" until April 20th • Got TC 846 refund issued code on April 22nd • Money hit my account on April 25th So 17 days total from verification to deposit. Way faster than the 9 weeks they quote! The key is checking your transcript like others mentioned - it's your real-time window into what's happening. Don't stress too much about the tuition deadline, most schools have payment plan options if you need to buy a few extra weeks.

The IRS verification system is like that friend who texts you asking where you are while you're sitting right next to them. 😂 But seriously, the consensus among tax pros is that if you've verified by phone with a letter, you're generally good to go. The online notification is likely just system lag. Most people in your situation report getting their refunds processed normally despite the lingering notification. If you're really concerned, getting your transcript is the best way to confirm your actual status.

I went through this exact scenario in February! Phone verified using the CP01A letter on Feb 15th, then kept getting the online verification prompt for another two weeks. I was panicking because my refund was over $8,000 and I thought something went wrong. Turns out it was just their systems being slow to sync up. My transcript showed the 971 code about 5 days after my phone call, and my refund hit my account on March 2nd without me doing the online verification. The key thing is checking your transcript - if you see processing codes updating, you're likely fine even with the persistent online notification. The IRS phone rep I spoke to said this dual notification issue affects about 30% of people who verify by phone during peak season.

Honestly, don't waste money on paper guides that'll be outdated. I use the IRS publications directly - they're FREE and the actual source of truth. Publication 17 covers most individual tax situations, and there are specific publications for business, investments, etc.

Great question! I'm also relatively new to tax prep work. From what I've researched, the CCH Master Tax Guide is definitely legitimate - Wolters Kluwer is a well-established publisher in the tax and legal space. One thing I'd add to the recommendations already mentioned: consider getting the digital version if available. Many of these guides now come with online access that includes search functionality, which can be a huge time-saver when you're looking for specific topics mid-preparation. Also, don't forget about continuing education requirements if you plan to do this professionally. The IRS requires Annual Filing Season Program participants to complete continuing education, so factor that into your planning as well. Good luck with your tax prep work this season!