Welcome to the IRS waiting game club! 😅 As someone who's been through a similar situation, that 290 code with $0.00 is definitely what you want to see - it means they've finished their review and found no issues with your return. The November 4th date is likely when they officially closed the examination. With a refund that size, they probably just wanted to make sure everything checked out perfectly. Based on other cases I've seen here, most people get their refunds within 2-3 weeks after the 290 posts. Keep checking your bank account and WMR - you should see movement soon! That's a life-changing amount of money, so I totally get why the wait has been so stressful. Hang in there! 🤞

As a newcomer to this community, I'm amazed at how knowledgeable everyone is about these IRS codes! Reading through all these responses about the 290 code has been incredibly educational. Anna, your situation sounds incredibly stressful but it really does seem like you're finally at the finish line. Seven months is such a long time to wait, especially for that amount of money. I'm curious - have you noticed any changes in your Where's My Refund tool since the 290 code appeared on November 4th? Sometimes WMR updates a few days after the transcript shows movement. Really hoping you get some good news soon! This community seems like such a great resource for navigating these complicated IRS processes. 🤞

I'm a bit worried about calling again... do you think it's possible that calling multiple times could somehow flag my account or make things worse? I really need this refund soon but I'm concerned about doing something that might delay it even more...

No, calling multiple times won't flag your account or delay your refund - that's a common worry but it's not how their system works. Each call is handled independently and they actually expect people to call for updates, especially during tax season. The IRS systems track your return status based on processing stages, not how often you call. If anything, calling might help identify issues faster like what happened with Anastasia. Just be polite with the agents since they're dealing with stressed taxpayers all day. Your refund timeline is determined by the processing center, not the phone representatives.

Just a heads up from someone who's been there - regardless of which route you choose, you should really get your EIN asap. I waited until the last minute when we needed to open a bank account for a fundraiser, and the EIN application process took longer than expected. Getting an EIN is free and relatively simple through the IRS website: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online

Another option worth considering is operating as an unincorporated association initially while you build up funds. You can still get an EIN and open a bank account without formal 501(c)(3) status. The downside is that donations won't be tax-deductible for donors, but for small school fundraisers like restaurant nights, this might not matter much. If you do go this route temporarily, make sure to keep detailed records of all income and expenses. Once you've raised enough to cover the filing fees (either $275 for 1023-EZ or $600 for full 1023), you can then apply for formal tax-exempt status. The IRS allows you to request retroactive recognition back to your formation date if you apply within 27 months of incorporating. This gives you time to see how much funding you actually receive and whether the investment in formal 501(c)(3) status makes sense for your organization's size and goals.

Did your transcript show the 570/971 combo codes before it updated? And did those codes disappear with the update? I'm asking because I've been waiting since January with those codes and wondering if mine might resolve itself too.

I'm in a very similar boat! Got my verification letter yesterday (also dated over a month ago - seems like there's a serious mail delay this year) but my transcript updated two days ago. I called the verification line this morning and actually got through after about 45 minutes on hold. The agent told me that since my transcript is already showing processing codes, I don't need to complete verification unless I see those 570/971 codes come back. She said the automated systems caught up and cleared my return without manual verification needed. Might be worth trying the phone line again - I called right at 7am EST and got through relatively quickly compared to other times I've tried.

I might have some insight on this... I went through verification back in February. In my experience, it took about 9 business days before I saw any movement. I would suggest being patient a little longer, perhaps until this Friday or next Monday. The IRS systems tend to update overnight, so checking first thing in the morning might show changes. I was very concerned when mine didn't update right away too, but it did eventually process correctly.

I'm in a similar boat - verified my identity on Wednesday too and still waiting for any sign of progress. Reading through these responses is really helpful though. I think I've been making the mistake of only checking WMR instead of my actual transcript. Going to start checking the transcript in the early morning hours like others suggested. It's frustrating not knowing if the verification actually went through properly or if there's some technical glitch. Has anyone here had success calling the identity verification line recently, or are the wait times still impossible?