Welcome to the IRS waiting game club! 😅 As someone who's been through a similar situation, that 290 code with $0.00 is definitely what you want to see - it means they've finished their review and found no issues with your return. The November 4th date is likely when they officially closed the examination. With a refund that size, they probably just wanted to make sure everything checked out perfectly. Based on other cases I've seen here, most people get their refunds within 2-3 weeks after the 290 posts. Keep checking your bank account and WMR - you should see movement soon! That's a life-changing amount of money, so I totally get why the wait has been so stressful. Hang in there! 🤞

As a newcomer to this community, I'm amazed at how knowledgeable everyone is about these IRS codes! Reading through all these responses about the 290 code has been incredibly educational. Anna, your situation sounds incredibly stressful but it really does seem like you're finally at the finish line. Seven months is such a long time to wait, especially for that amount of money. I'm curious - have you noticed any changes in your Where's My Refund tool since the 290 code appeared on November 4th? Sometimes WMR updates a few days after the transcript shows movement. Really hoping you get some good news soon! This community seems like such a great resource for navigating these complicated IRS processes. 🤞

I'm a bit worried about calling again... do you think it's possible that calling multiple times could somehow flag my account or make things worse? I really need this refund soon but I'm concerned about doing something that might delay it even more...

No, calling multiple times won't flag your account or delay your refund - that's a common worry but it's not how their system works. Each call is handled independently and they actually expect people to call for updates, especially during tax season. The IRS systems track your return status based on processing stages, not how often you call. If anything, calling might help identify issues faster like what happened with Anastasia. Just be polite with the agents since they're dealing with stressed taxpayers all day. Your refund timeline is determined by the processing center, not the phone representatives.

I might have some insight on this... I went through verification back in February. In my experience, it took about 9 business days before I saw any movement. I would suggest being patient a little longer, perhaps until this Friday or next Monday. The IRS systems tend to update overnight, so checking first thing in the morning might show changes. I was very concerned when mine didn't update right away too, but it did eventually process correctly.

I'm in a similar boat - verified my identity on Wednesday too and still waiting for any sign of progress. Reading through these responses is really helpful though. I think I've been making the mistake of only checking WMR instead of my actual transcript. Going to start checking the transcript in the early morning hours like others suggested. It's frustrating not knowing if the verification actually went through properly or if there's some technical glitch. Has anyone here had success calling the identity verification line recently, or are the wait times still impossible?

Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt. Called 27 times last month. Finally got through on a Thursday afternoon. Around 2pm Eastern. Wait was only 25 minutes. Much better than mornings. Everyone calls in the morning. Try afternoon instead. Counterintuitive but works. Also helps to have all your docs ready. They'll ask for verification. SSN. Filing status. Address. Previous year AGI. Have it all handy.

I've been dealing with IRS phone struggles for years, and here's what I've learned through trial and error: The key is persistence and timing. I actually keep a spreadsheet tracking my call attempts - sounds crazy but it helps identify patterns. Best success rate I've had is calling on Wednesday mornings between 7:05-7:15am EST (avoid the 7:00 rush). For investment income issues specifically, try pressing 2 for personal income tax, then 4 for "other tax questions" instead of the forms option. This route seems less congested. Also, if you get the "due to high call volume" message, don't hang up immediately - sometimes it will still put you in queue after a 30-second pause. Pro tip: Use a headset or speakerphone and do other work while waiting. I've learned to be productive during those 45+ minute holds. And always call back if you get disconnected - I've noticed they sometimes have system resets around lunch time that clear up the queues temporarily. The investment reporting deadline stress is real, but you've got this! Keep trying different times and menu combinations.

Something to consider - if one of you makes significantly more than the other, you might want to adjust your withholding differently. When my wife and I got married, we found that we needed to withhold extra from the higher-earning spouse to avoid owing at tax time. Also, don't forget about that side job with tips! Tips are taxable income and if they're not withholding enough for those, you could end up with a surprise tax bill. I'd recommend putting a little extra withholding on that job's W-4.

One thing nobody's mentioned - you can always adjust your W-4 throughout the year if you find the withholding isn't right! My husband and I got married last year and had to tweak our withholding twice before we got it right. You might consider starting conservative (slightly higher withholding) and then after a few months, use the IRS Withholding Estimator again to see if you're on track. Many people don't realize you can submit a new W-4 to your employer anytime your situation changes.