I went through this exact same frustration a few months ago! After trying several options mentioned here, I ended up using FaxZero (the free online service) and it worked perfectly. Just make sure you have a clear scan or photo of your completed 4506-T form. One tip that saved me time - before you send it, double-check that you're using the correct IRS fax number for your specific situation. Different types of transcript requests go to different fax numbers, and I initially sent mine to the wrong department which delayed everything by two weeks. Also, keep a screenshot of the confirmation page showing your fax was successfully sent. I needed that when I called to check on my request status later. The whole "fax in 2024" thing is ridiculous, but at least the online fax services make it bearable!

Just went through this nightmare myself last month! I ended up using a combination of approaches. First tried FaxZero (the free online service mentioned above) but hit their daily limit when I had to resend due to a formatting issue. Ended up going to my local UPS Store where they charged me $2 per page to fax it. The staff there was actually really helpful - they made sure the document was clear and readable before sending, and gave me a confirmation receipt with the transmission details. One thing I learned the hard way: make sure you fill out the form completely in BLACK ink before scanning/faxing. I had to redo mine because I used blue ink and some sections weren't legible after faxing. Also, sign and date it - seems obvious but I almost forgot! The whole process took about 2 weeks once the IRS received it. Got my transcript in the mail exactly 14 days after the fax confirmation. Still can't believe we're dealing with fax machines in 2024, but at least there are workarounds that don't require owning one!

Have you tried checking the Tax Advocate Service? They can sometimes help if your refund is causing financial hardship. I felt so helpless waiting after my verification last year, but they were able to assist when I explained I needed the funds for emergency home repairs. You have to demonstrate actual financial hardship though, not just wanting your money faster. The process takes some paperwork but might be worth it if you're truly depending on those funds.

I went through this exact same process about a month ago! After completing ID verification through ID.me, my refund took exactly 19 days to hit my account. The frustrating part was that my transcript barely updated during those 19 days - it just showed "return processed" but no deposit date until literally the day before it arrived. My advice is to check your transcript once a week max, not daily like I was doing (it was driving me crazy). The good news is that once verification is complete, you're basically in the final stretch. Just try not to make any concrete financial plans based on a specific date because the IRS can be unpredictable even when everything looks normal.

Everyone's talking about the app, but has anyone mentioned that international filers often get flagged for additional review? I've seen this happen repeatedly with my clients. The verification is just step one - after that, you might be in the standard processing queue or you might be in a separate international review queue. Did they specifically tell you which verification path you completed?

I went through ID verification about 3 weeks ago and my IRS2GO app just updated yesterday! Like others mentioned, checking the transcript was definitely the way to go - it showed movement about 5 days before the app caught up. One thing I noticed is that the verification confirmation email I got was pretty generic and didn't give me much confidence it actually worked. But I kept checking my account transcript every few days and saw the codes change before anything showed up in the mobile app. For what it's worth, I completed the online ID.me process on a Tuesday morning and my transcript first showed processing updates the following Monday. The app took until this past Wednesday to reflect the same information. So roughly 2 weeks total from verification to seeing real movement in the app.

This is such a frustrating situation, but you're definitely not alone - I see property tax mix-ups like this more often than you'd think, especially when autopay is involved. The good news is that this is absolutely fixable, though it will require some persistence. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is to check if your mortgage company was involved in the original closing. If you had an escrow account for taxes, they should have notified the county about the ownership change. If they failed to do this properly, they might bear some responsibility for the ongoing payments and could help expedite the correction process. Also, when you contact the county offices, ask specifically about their "erroneous payment refund process" - most counties have a formal procedure for exactly this situation. Don't just explain the problem; ask for their standard form for property tax refunds due to ownership errors. This often moves things along faster than trying to explain the whole situation from scratch each time. The tax implications are definitely something to address proactively. Since you've been claiming deductions you weren't entitled to, filing amended returns voluntarily (before the IRS discovers the issue) usually results in much more favorable treatment. You'll likely face interest on any additional taxes owed, but penalties are often waived for voluntary corrections of honest mistakes. One last tip - if you run into bureaucratic roadblocks, ask to speak with a supervisor or property tax specialist rather than general customer service. They're usually much more familiar with resolving these types of ownership transfer issues.

This situation is more common than people realize, especially with autopay systems. I work in property tax administration and see cases like this regularly. Here's what you need to know about the process: First, stop the autopay immediately if you haven't already. Then contact your county's Property Tax Division (not just the general assessor's office) and ask for their "Erroneous Tax Payment Refund Application." Most counties have a specific form and process for exactly this situation. You'll need to provide: your closing statement/deed, proof of sale date, documentation of payments made, and current property records showing the error. The county should process refunds for payments made after the legal transfer date, typically going back 3-5 years depending on local statutes. For the tax return issue, you're right to be concerned. Since you claimed deductions for property taxes on a home you didn't own, you'll need to file amended returns (1040X) for those years. The good news is that voluntary corrections like this rarely result in penalties - usually just interest on any additional tax owed. One often-overlooked aspect: check if the current owner has also been claiming these property tax deductions. If both parties claimed the same taxes, the IRS's matching systems will eventually flag this discrepancy. Getting ahead of it by filing amendments now is much better than waiting for an audit. The whole process typically takes 3-6 months to fully resolve, but starting with the county's formal refund process is your best bet for getting the $10,500 back.

I did some digging into this because it seemed so random (and frustrating!). Turns out the IRS uses something called the Return Review Program (RRP) which has different risk scoring models. 😂 Your "verification path" is assigned based on your risk score and available verification channels in your area. Fun fact: they actually increased in-person verifications by 25% this tax season according to the National Taxpayer Advocate report. So if you got stuck with the in-person option, you're definitely not alone!

This is really eye-opening - I had no idea the verification method assignment wasn't random! I got the phone verification last month and was frustrated by the 2-hour wait time, but now I understand it's part of a risk-based system. What's interesting is that my brother filed a very similar return (we're both W-2 employees with standard deductions) but he got online verification while I got phone. Makes me wonder what specific factors in my return triggered the higher scrutiny level. Has anyone found patterns in what might cause the system to assign phone vs online verification for otherwise straightforward returns?