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.

I just went through this process two weeks ago and honestly, everyone here is right - it's way less scary than it sounds! I was a nervous wreck beforehand but the whole thing was pretty smooth. My timeline was similar to what others have shared: made the appointment about 2.5 weeks out, brought my driver's license, SS card, and the verification letter. The actual appointment took maybe 20 minutes total. The agent was really professional and just asked me to confirm some basic info from my return - nothing weird or tricky. The waiting part after is probably the hardest! My transcript updated exactly 5 days later (I was checking obsessively lol), and I got my refund deposited 6 days after that. So about 11 days total from verification to money in my account. One thing that helped my anxiety was calling ahead the day before my appointment to confirm they had everything they needed from me. The person I spoke with was super helpful and reassured me I had all the right documents. You've got this! The hardest part is just getting yourself there - the actual process is totally manageable. 😊

If you do end up needing to contact the IRS about this, you should know they won't do anything until after February 15th for missing W-2s. I tried calling earlier than that last year and they just told me to wait and contact my employer first.

Just wanted to add another perspective here - if your employer is generally reliable but just running behind, you might also want to check if they switched payroll companies recently. I had this exact situation two years ago where my W-2 was delayed because my company had just moved to a new payroll provider and there were some technical issues with generating the forms. In my case, I spoke directly with our office manager (we're a small company too) and she explained the delay and gave me a specific date when the W-2s would be ready. Having that timeline helped me plan my filing strategy. Also worth noting - if you do end up using Form 4852 or any substitute method, make sure to keep really detailed records of everything. Save your final paystub, any emails with your employer about the missing W-2, and documentation of when you contacted them. This will be helpful if the IRS ever has questions about your filing. The tax deadline is still a ways off, so you have time to work through this properly. Don't panic - this happens to more people than you'd think!

Have u tried checking ur bank's pending deposits section? Sometimes they don't show in ur avail balance but are in the pending area. Also might wanna double-check ur transcript for any TC 971 codes that came after the 846 - those can indicate a reversal. If ur DDD was today or y'day, prob just normal processing delays tbh. Most PPL get their $$ within 1-3 biz days of DDD. Hope u get ur refund soon!

I went through this exact scenario last year and understand the frustration completely. After getting my 846 code with a DDD of February 14th, I waited until February 17th with no deposit showing. Here's what I learned from my experience: First, I called my bank directly and asked to speak with someone in their ACH department - not just customer service. They were able to see that the Treasury payment was actually received but was being held for verification due to a slight name formatting difference between my tax return and my bank account. Second, I discovered that the IRS Where's My Refund tool sometimes shows different information than what's on your actual transcript. My transcript showed the 846 code, but WMR was still showing "being processed." The resolution took exactly 4 business days from my DDD, and the funds appeared without any additional action needed. The bank representative explained that government deposits sometimes trigger additional verification protocols, especially if there are any minor discrepancies in how your name appears. If you're still within 5 business days of your DDD, I'd recommend calling your bank's ACH department first before contacting the IRS. They can often provide more immediate answers about whether the payment was received and why it might be delayed.

Does anyone know if this happens with state tax returns too? My federal return was processed normally but my state return status disappeared completely from the tracker.

Same thing happened to me! Filed on 2/14 with the EV tax credit for my Tesla and my status bars disappeared on 2/20. I was panicking thinking something was wrong with my return. But after reading everyone's experiences here, I'm feeling much more confident this is just routine verification. It's frustrating that the IRS website doesn't explain what "still being processed" actually means - they could save people so much anxiety by just saying "your return is undergoing routine verification for claimed credits" instead of leaving us to guess what's happening. Thanks for sharing your timeline, it really helps to see I'm not alone in this!

It's been 69 days since the MI Treasury rcvd my paper return on March 11. I filed the simplest 1040EZ form with zero income and only receiving part of my property tax as a refund (I'm disabled with no insurance, living off savings). I've checked their website at least 3 times a week for the last 8 weeks, and it always says under review. I finally called and got through to an agent, who stonewalled me and said "it can take up to 16 weeks to process". Unfreakinbelievable... This ONLY happens when you really NEED the money! In the past I have always e-filed and rcvd my refund within 2 weeks. This year, b/c my income was less than my expenses, I was ineligible (per TaxAct) to file electronically. NEVER AGAIN! What a display of total incompetence.

This is incredibly helpful information from everyone! I'm in a similar situation - my return moved to "completed" status 6 days ago but no refund yet. Reading through all these experiences, it sounds like the 7-14 day wait after completion is pretty standard this year, which is frustrating but at least now I know what to expect. @Sean Kelly - thanks for sharing the specific phone number and timing strategy. I'm going to try calling at 8:30am sharp tomorrow to see if I can get through to someone who can check if there are any holds on my account. @Barab'bas - 69 days is absolutely unacceptable, especially for such a simple return. The difference in processing times between e-filed and paper returns seems extreme this year. I really hope they get your refund processed soon. One thing I'm curious about - has anyone noticed if certain banks seem to receive Michigan Treasury deposits faster than others? I bank with a smaller credit union and wondering if that might add additional processing time on their end.