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.

The collective wisdom around here is that persistence pays off, but with strategy. The IRS actually publishes their call center metrics, and Mondays and Tuesdays are statistically the worst days to call (who knew tax problems strike on weekends? 😏). Thursdays between 10-11am and 2-3pm Eastern tend to have the lowest volume. One trick that's worked for several folks here: if you have a specific form question, call the forms ordering line (800-829-3676) which usually has humans answering, then politely explain your situation and ask to be transferred to the appropriate department. The forms people are often the unsung heroes of the IRS phone system. Just be patient and unfailingly polite - these folks deal with frustrated people all day.

I've had success with a hybrid approach that combines several strategies mentioned here. First, I use the callback feature on the main line (800-829-1040) - press 2 when they offer callback instead of waiting on hold. This preserves your place in queue while you go about your day. Second, I've found that calling exactly at 12:00 PM ET often works because that's when they return from lunch and queues temporarily clear. For 1099 discrepancies specifically, you might also try the Automated Underreporter (AUR) unit directly if you've received any notices - they have a dedicated line that's less congested than general inquiry. The key is having all your documentation ready before calling: the 1099 in question, your filed return, and any related correspondence. I've noticed agents can resolve these issues much faster when you have everything at hand rather than having to call back multiple times.

I'd strongly recommend reporting the $500 even though it's a small amount. Here's why: the IRS has been increasing their data matching capabilities, and many online platforms are required to report payments to them even if they don't send you a 1099. If you use PayPal, Venmo, CashApp, or similar services, they're now reporting transactions over $600 total per year to the IRS. Even if your feet pic income stays under that threshold, it's better to be transparent. The good news is that for $500 in self-employment income, you likely won't owe any self-employment tax (since that kicks in at $400 net income, and you can deduct legitimate business expenses). You'd just report it as other income on your tax return. My advice: keep detailed records of all transactions, set aside about 20-25% of what you earn for taxes just in case, and consider any expenses you can legitimately deduct (portion of phone/internet bills, any equipment, etc.). Better to over-report than under-report when it comes to the IRS.

I've been following this thread and wanted to add something that might help. As someone who works in tax preparation, I see situations like this all the time. The $500 threshold is actually pretty common for people testing out online side gigs. Here's what I tell my clients: even though $500 seems small, reporting it correctly from the start establishes good habits and protects you down the line. The IRS has gotten much better at cross-referencing data from payment processors, social media platforms, and other digital sources. For your specific situation, since you're planning to stop after making $500, you're probably looking at reporting this as "Other Income" on Schedule 1 of your Form 1040, assuming your net earnings stay under $400 after any legitimate business deductions. Keep receipts for anything related to this activity - even small expenses like a portion of your internet bill or phone costs can help reduce your taxable income. The key is documentation. Screenshot every transaction, keep records of any expenses, and track dates. Even if you never get audited, having clean records makes filing so much easier. And honestly, for $500 in additional income, you're probably looking at maybe $50-75 in extra federal taxes depending on your bracket, so it's not going to break the bank. Good luck with the car repair fund!