OMG same boat here! Military fam too. What worked 4 me was going to the IRS website directly & checking if I had any notices in my online acct. Nothing showed up for like 2 wks then BAM - verification notice appeared. Didn't even get the paper letter til a wk later! Def create an online acct if u haven't already - way faster than waiting 4 snail mail. Hang in there, the military spouse struggle is real! 🫡

Ask for a supervisor. Be polite but firm. Get their ID number. Write down everything they say. Call back later if needed. Different departments have different information. The verification department knows more than general reps. Military returns sometimes get flagged differently. There's a specific military tax hotline too.

I don't think you should be celebrating clean transcripts just yet. The IRS is like that friend who remembers you owe them money years later - they never truly forget! 😂 But seriously, their systems don't always communicate well between departments. You might get a refund one year and then suddenly get hit with collection notices for past debts. I'd be shocked if they just let it slide forever.

The IRS typically begins the collection process within 60 days of assessment, but there are exactly 180 different factors that can delay this timeline. In your case, I suspect one of three things is happening: 1) There's a 180-day collection hold due to first-time penalty abatement eligibility, 2) Your account is flagged for review but not yet assigned to collections, or 3) There's a processing delay due to staffing limitations. Based on current statistics, about 32% of taxpayers with balances under $10,000 experience a delay of 12-18 months before active collection begins. I'd recommend proactively setting up a payment plan before they take action.

Transcripts update weekly. Main cycle is Friday. Some updates Tuesday. System runs overnight. Check early morning. Business returns take longer. IRS uses RICS verification. Normal processing is 4-6 weeks. Your March 1 filing means April update likely. Create online account at IRS.gov/account. Set calendar reminder for Fridays. Transcript appears all at once when done.

Oh my gosh I was STRESSING about this same issue last month! If you need to make your April 15th estimated payment but are worried about accuracy, just pay what you reasonably think you'll owe based on last year's numbers. The safe harbor rule (Publication 505) says you won't face penalties if you pay at least 100% of last year's tax (or 110% if your AGI was over $150k). You can always adjust your June 15th estimated payment once your return is processed! That's what I did and it saved me so much anxiety!

Did this two weeks ago. Not complicated. Make appointment first. Bring two forms of ID. Letter is required. They'll ask basic questions. Mostly from your tax return. Nothing tricky. My transcript updated three days later. Refund came five days after that. Whole process was efficient. Don't stress about it.

I went through this process last month and it was much easier than I expected. Here's what happened: Step 1: Called the number on the letter to schedule an appointment (took about 20 minutes on hold) Step 2: Arrived 15 minutes early with my driver's license, social security card, and the letter Step 3: Waited about 10 minutes past my appointment time Step 4: Met with an agent who verified my ID and asked basic questions about my return Step 5: Got confirmation that my identity was verified Step 6: My WMR updated 4 days later Step 7: Received my refund 8 days after verification I was so relieved when it was over! The anticipation was much worse than the actual appointment.

Has anyone tried adjusting their withholding instead of getting a refund? I'm wondering if it would be better for the OP to update their W-4 to have less tax withheld throughout the year, then use that extra money in each paycheck to make larger payments on the installment plan. Wouldn't that give you more control rather than waiting for a refund that will be taken anyway?

Just so you're aware of the timeline: If you file electronically by March 1, 2024, and are due a refund, the IRS will process the offset by approximately March 15-22. You'll receive a notice dated around March 25 explaining the offset. Your payment plan balance will typically update in their system by April 15. Make sure you continue your regular monthly payments regardless of the offset - missing even one payment can void your entire installment agreement and trigger collection actions.

The processing date on your transcript is the IRS's internal deadline for completing the review of your return. For PATH Act returns filed in 2024, there's an average of 9.2 days between processing date and DDD (846 code) appearing. Since your transcript updated exactly 7 days ago with all codes except 846, you're most likely going to see your DDD within the next 48-72 hours. The current processing cycle ends tomorrow, so check your transcript Friday morning around 3:00 AM Eastern when the overnight updates typically complete.

Based on community tracking of hundreds of PATH returns this season: • Processing date = when IRS plans to finish review (not when you get paid) • Test batch filers typically see longer waits (2-3 extra days) • Missing 846 code means refund not yet scheduled • Weekly updates happen Wednesday night/Thursday morning • Daily updates can happen any day • Most PATH filers with early March processing dates are getting paid next week Check your Account transcript, not just Return transcript. Sometimes 846 appears there first.

You need to act NOW rather than waiting for that notice! This is much more urgent than people realize. Compared to other verification issues, ID verification can delay your refund by 9-12 weeks if not addressed immediately. I've seen cases where people waited for the letter and ended up with their returns being suspended entirely, requiring them to refile. At minimum, you should try to get through to the dedicated Identity Verification line at 800-830-5084 rather than the general IRS number. If you can verify now, you might get your refund in 2-3 weeks, whereas waiting could push it into July or August.

SUCCESS UPDATE! After reading all your advice, I finally got through and completed my verification! Here's what worked: • Called the specific ID Verify number (800-830-5084) not the general line • Called at 7:02am exactly when they opened • Had ALL my documents ready: last 2 tax returns, W2, divorce papers, SSN card • Asked specifically for ID verification specialist • Stayed super polite even when frustrated The agent confirmed my identity and said my refund should process within 9 business days! Such a relief after 3 months of stress. Thanks everyone for your help!

I filed on February 3rd this year and got the identity verification request on February 12th while my transcript still showed N/A. After completing verification on February 13th, my transcript updated on February 22nd, and I received my refund on February 26th. The key dates to watch for are the 'As of' date on your account transcript and the cycle code once it appears. Those will tell you exactly when your weekly processing occurs.

You know what they say - the IRS works in mysterious ways! 😂 But seriously, don't stress about this. The verification is actually a good sign that your return is moving through the system. If they weren't processing it at all, they wouldn't bother with verification. The transcript updates and WMR status often lag behind what's actually happening with your return. Just complete the verification and be patient for about 2 weeks - the updates will start flowing after that.

Did you claim any other credits besides EITC? I'm wondering if having multiple credits changes how the PATH Act message appears.

I work at a tax preparation office, and I've noticed this pattern with early filers this year. About 30% of our clients who filed before January 20th with EITC didn't get the PATH message but still had the expected delay. One interesting case: a client filed January 17th with identical circumstances to someone who filed January 25th. The later filer got the PATH message, the earlier one didn't, but they received their refunds on the exact same day in February. The messaging system seems inconsistent, but the actual processing follows the same timeline regardless.

Be careful about assuming everything is fine. On January 25, 2023, I filed electronically and had a similar 'no return filed' message. I waited until February 28th before taking action, and discovered my return had been rejected on January 26th due to an AGI verification issue. The rejection notice went to my spam folder, and by the time I resubmitted, I had missed the deadline for a business tax credit. The IRS doesn't always proactively notify you when there's a problem - as of March 15, 2024, I'm still dealing with the fallout from last year's issue.

Can you check if your return included any special forms or schedules? For example, I had a client who filed on January 31st with a Schedule C, Form 8949 for crypto transactions, and Form 8962 for premium tax credits. His transcript showed nothing for 24 days, then suddenly appeared complete. Some forms trigger additional verification processes that aren't visible to us as taxpayers.