Just finished my verification yesterday after getting the letter last week! According to IRM 25.25.6, the Identity Theft Victim Assistance (IDTVA) program requires full verification within 30 days of letter issuance or your return may face additional delays. I was so relieved when the agent confirmed my identity and told me my return was being released from the verification hold. She said I should see my refund within 2-3 weeks, but my WMR already updated this morning showing approved! So glad I didn't wait around thinking the letter was just informational.

Tax professional here. I need to caution everyone about a common mistake with verification letters. There are actually several different types, and each requires different actions: • Letter 5071C/5747C: Requires verification by phone or online • Letter 4883C: Requires you to visit a Taxpayer Assistance Center in person • Letter 5447C: Requires documentation submission by mail Misidentifying your letter type can cause significant delays. Additionally, if you fail to respond within 30 days, your return will typically be rejected completely, requiring you to start over with amended filing procedures. I've seen cases where taxpayers ignored these letters thinking they were just notifications, resulting in 6+ month delays and penalties.

When this happened to me last month with a similar situation, I got tired of waiting and called the IRS. Sat on hold for HOURS. Finally found Claimyr (https://www.claimyr.com) which got me through to an agent in about 15 minutes. They confirmed my refund had been sent to the tax preparer's bank and was just working through that system. At least I knew what was happening instead of stressing about it.

If you're with Chime, check your account for a pending deposit. Sometimes they show it as pending for 24-48 hours before it posts. Also, did you check both your Spending and Savings account? Sometimes deposits can go to the wrong account if you've changed your default.

Did you file on February 26th electronically or by paper? On March 15th, the IRS announced extended processing times for certain returns. Have you checked if your bank account information was entered correctly when you filed?

I tracked 43 returns this season for my family and clients. The average wait time was 24 days for simple returns and 37 days for returns with credits. 100% of returns with EITC filed before March 1st took at least 35 days. 12 returns had exactly your timeline (filed last week of February) and 9 of them received refunds between April 12-19. The other 3 had verification holds.

Def don't panic about this sitch. IRS is way more reasonable than ppl think when you're proactive. IMO, start w/ the most recent yr (2023) and work backwards. The IRS is actually pretty chill about unfiled returns when refunds are due - they're not gonna come after you for $ they owe YOU, yk? Just make sure you keep copies of EVERYTHING and send returns via certified mail so you have proof of when you filed. Good luck w/ the post-divorce tax cleanup! 👍

Let me share what happened to my brother-in-law in a similar situation: Step 1: He ignored 5 years of unfiled taxes Step 2: He assumed he'd get refunds for all years Step 3: When he finally filed, he discovered he had self-employment income he'd forgotten about Step 4: Instead of refunds, he owed $17,000 plus penalties Step 5: The IRS put a lien on his house Don't assume you know the outcome! Get your wage and income transcripts FIRST, then file accurately. The IRS has a 10-year collection window, and they WILL find you eventually. I'm not trying to scare you, but being realistic about what can happen.

Don't count on that money until you have it. My transcript showed a direct deposit date. WMR showed PATH delay. Neither was right. My refund got pulled for manual review. No explanation. No timeline. Took 11 weeks longer than expected. Always have a backup plan for your finances. Keep calling until you get confirmation. Don't make financial commitments based on expected refund dates. The IRS systems are unreliable during peak season.

Have you attempted to recover your transcript access through the IRS identity verification process? The transcript data is typically more authoritative than the WMR interface since it reflects the Master File Record (MFR) status of your return. If you're experiencing this discrepancy, it would be beneficial to regain access to verify your Direct Deposit Date (DDD) and confirm whether any Transaction Code (TC) 570 or 971 notices appear that might explain the inconsistency.