I'm so sorry for your loss. One thing to consider - if you had any medical costs out of pocket for your pregnancy, birth, or for your son, make sure you're including those as itemized medical deductions if they exceed the threshold (7.5% of your AGI). This includes therapy costs related to the loss. Also check if you have an FSA or HSA through any employer - those funds can be used for mental health services. And don't forget to check with your insurance provider about grief counseling coverage, as many plans include this but don't advertise it well.

I'm so deeply sorry for your loss, PaulineW. What you're going through is unimaginable, and please don't feel awful about asking these questions - you're being practical during an incredibly difficult time, and that takes strength. The good news is that yes, you can absolutely claim the Child Tax Credit for your son. The IRS doesn't require a minimum time that a child must have lived - if your baby was born alive, even for just those precious two days, he qualifies as your dependent for tax purposes. A few additional things to keep in mind beyond what others have mentioned: 1. You may also qualify for Head of Household filing status if you're unmarried, which could lower your tax burden significantly. 2. All your pregnancy-related medical expenses from this year can be included in your medical deductions - prenatal care, delivery, hospital stays, and even the grief counseling you mentioned. 3. Don't rush yourself through this process. You can file for an extension if you need more time to gather documents or if you're just not ready to deal with tax paperwork yet. Take care of yourself first. The tax benefits will still be there when you're ready to pursue them. You're doing everything right by exploring your options during this impossible time.

In my experience, identity verification for amended returns typically results in transcript updates within approximately 10-14 business days, though this can possibly vary depending on current processing volumes. The verification acknowledgment should generally appear as transaction code 971 with a specific action code, which essentially confirms your identity has been successfully verified. It's worth noting that the WMAR tool is somewhat notorious for delayed updates compared to actual processing status.

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago! After my ID verification call, it took almost 3 weeks before I saw any movement on my transcript. The agent told me the same thing - "released for processing" - but then nothing happened for what felt like forever. Here's what I learned: the verification department and the amended return processing department don't really talk to each other efficiently. Your case basically gets moved from one queue to another, and each has its own timeline. The good news is that once you see that TC 971 code everyone's mentioning, things usually move faster. My advice? Check your transcript weekly (not daily - it'll drive you crazy) and look for that verification code. Once that appears, you'll know they've actually processed your ID verification and your amended return is back in the normal processing queue. Hang in there - the waiting is the worst part!

The IRS system is such a joke fr fr 🤡 why do we gotta decode these numbers like we're solving a mystery

Also keep in mind that if you see code 846 (refund issued) on your transcript, that's when the IRS actually sent your money out. The cycle code date just shows processing, but 846 is the real deal - that's your actual refund date. Check for both when reading your transcript!

In my experience, most transcript updates happen within 2 weeks after verification, but I've seen it take up to 3 weeks during peak filing season. Have you checked if your return has any complexity factors that might extend processing? Things like claiming certain credits, self-employment income, or amended information can add time. Also, did the agent mention anything about your return being selected for additional review during your verification call?

As someone who went through this process twice in the past two years, I can share that the 7-day mark is still well within the normal range. The IRS verification system operates on batch processing cycles, not real-time updates. Your verification likely processed correctly, but the transcript updates happen in scheduled waves. I found that checking daily at 5:30 AM actually increased my anxiety - the updates typically appear on Wednesday or Thursday mornings when they do their weekly batch processing. Since you're new to the US tax system, it's worth noting that this verification process is actually a security feature to protect taxpayers from identity theft. The wait is frustrating but normal. I'd suggest giving it until the 14-day mark before calling back, as that's when most cases resolve according to the IRS's own published timelines.

For those still waiting: I recommend setting up IRS transcript access if you haven't already. The cycle code on your transcript can tell you exactly when your return is being processed. For example, cycle code 20240805 means your return was processed in the 8th week of 2024 on the 5th day (Thursday). Wells Fargo typically posts IRS deposits between 3-5am Eastern time on the scheduled date. I've tracked my deposits for 5 years now, and Wells Fargo has never been early but has occasionally been 1 day late depending on when the IRS initiates the ACH.

Thanks for sharing your timeline! This gives me hope - I filed on 2/13 with Wells Fargo and my WMR just updated to show a 3/5 deposit date. Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like Wells Fargo is pretty consistent with their timing, even if they're not the fastest. I appreciate you mentioning that it matched your timeline from last year too - helps set realistic expectations. Did you have to do anything special when you moved to the US regarding your tax filing, or was the process pretty straightforward once you got your SSN sorted out?