Just a quick tip - when I had to do identity verification last year, I found that the IRS phone lines were much less busy if you call on Tuesday or Wednesday during the 2nd week of the month. For some reason the first week of the month and Mondays/Fridays are absolute nightmares. Also, have you checked if you can verify your identity online through ID.me? Some IRS services now use this instead of requiring a phone call.

I completely understand your frustration - I went through this exact same nightmare about 6 months ago with a 6330C notice. After reading through all the suggestions here, I'd recommend trying multiple approaches simultaneously since you're running short on time. First, definitely try the early morning call strategy (7am sharp) for the next 2-3 days. Set multiple alarms and be ready to dial the second they open. Tuesday and Wednesday mornings tend to have slightly better odds. Second, call 844-545-5640 TODAY to schedule an in-person appointment at your local Taxpayer Assistance Center. Even if you get through on the phone first, having a backup appointment scheduled will give you peace of mind. These appointments can often be scheduled 1-2 weeks out, which should still be within your 30-day window. Third, if you're approaching your deadline and nothing else works, contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service at 877-777-4778. Mention that you're facing financial hardship due to the delayed refund (medical bills) and that you've been unable to reach the verification line despite multiple attempts. They can escalate your case. Don't panic about the 30-day deadline - while it's important to try to meet it, the IRS does have some flexibility, especially if you can document your attempts to reach them. Keep a log of when you've called and any reference numbers you receive. You'll get through this! The identity verification process itself is usually quick once you actually connect with someone.

I was in the exact same boat last month! Filed Jan 30th and stuck on pending for 5 weeks. I called my tax preparer who said not to worry. Then suddenly on March 7th, it went from pending straight to approved and I had my refund on March 10th. No explanation for the delay, but everything worked out fine. Did you claim any credits or deductions that might trigger extra review?

I'm experiencing something very similar - filed on February 2nd and still showing pending status after 5 weeks. Like you, I've never had delays this long in previous years. I've been checking Where's My Refund daily and it just keeps saying "Your return is being processed." I called the IRS hotline twice but couldn't get through after waiting over an hour each time. My return is fairly straightforward - just W-2 income and standard deduction - so I'm not sure what could be causing the holdup. It's reassuring to know others are facing the same issue, though I wish we had more clarity on when this will resolve.

turbotax is such a scam with there fees fr fr 🤮

Make sure u keep checking ur transcript every week. amendments can take forever but sometimes they randomly process faster then expected

Has anyone dealt with self-certification of a QOF using Form 8996? I set up an LLC taxed as an S-corp for my QOF last year, and the form itself is pretty straightforward, but I ran into a few weird issues with the timing requirements for the 90% asset test that weren't clear from the instructions.

Great discussion everyone! I'm also working on a QOF structure and want to add one important consideration that hasn't been mentioned yet. When you elect S-corp taxation for your single-member LLC, you'll need to run payroll for yourself as the sole owner-employee, which adds ongoing compliance costs and complexity. The IRS requires S-corp owners who work in the business to take "reasonable compensation" as W-2 wages before taking distributions. This means you'll need to set up payroll, withhold employment taxes, and file quarterly payroll returns. For a QOF where you might have irregular cash flows especially in the early years, this can be challenging to manage. Just something to factor into your decision-making process along with the tax benefits. The LLC with S-corp election definitely solves the disregarded entity issue, but make sure you're prepared for the additional administrative burden.

Pro tip for dealing with CP 11 notices: ALWAYS keep a copy of your original tax return handy! I make PDFs of everything before submitting. Makes it so much easier to compare line-by-line with what the IRS is saying when you get one of these notices. Just saved me tons of time figuring out where my math apparently went wrong on my student loan interest deduction.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago! Got my CP 11 notice and immediately panicked thinking I was in huge trouble with the IRS. Turns out it was just a simple calculation error on my Earned Income Tax Credit - I had miscalculated my qualifying income by including some unemployment benefits that shouldn't have been counted. The notice looked really intimidating at first, but once I sat down and compared it line by line with my original return, I could see exactly what they were talking about. The IRS explanation section actually does a decent job of breaking down what they changed, even though the language can be confusing at first glance. I ended up agreeing with their calculation and just paid the $430 difference online through the IRS website. The whole thing was resolved within a week and I haven't had any issues since. Don't stress too much about it - these math error notices are super common and definitely not the same as being audited. Just take your time reviewing the numbers and you'll figure out what happened!