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Here's another approach you might consider: 1. Try the Tax Advocate Service at 877-777-4778. They can sometimes intervene in cases of hardship. 2. Document everything - dates, times, who you spoke with, what they told you. 3. Check if your state has a local Taxpayer Advocate office you can contact directly. 4. If you have documentation proving financial hardship (like eviction notice, utility shutoff, etc.), mention this specifically. 5. Contact your Congressional representative's office - they often have staff dedicated to helping constituents with federal agencies. The key is persistence and documentation of your attempts to resolve this through normal channels.
I had exactly this problem in March 2023. Called the verification line 17 times over 3 days without getting through. Finally reached someone who told me I needed an in-person appointment that was 42 days away. I explained I was facing a mortgage approval deadline in 21 days that required my tax transcript. The agent gave me a direct number to the Taxpayer Protection Program at 800-830-5215, which is different than the standard verification line. Called at exactly 7:01am when they opened, waited 38 minutes, and was able to verify over the phone. The key was explaining the specific financial hardship and asking for the TPP department specifically.
Waiting for that verification letter is like watching paint dry while your house is on fire. I've been through this three times in the last five years. The first time, I waited patiently for the letter (big mistake). The second time, I called immediately and got it resolved in one day. The third time, I tried the online verification without the letter and it worked perfectly. The IRS verification system is like a maze where they keep moving the cheese - sometimes you need the letter, sometimes you don't. Try the online route first, then call if that fails. Just don't sit around waiting for a letter that might take weeks to arrive or get lost in the mail.
OMG I had this EXACT same issue last month! Filed Feb 1st, got the verify notice on the 15th. I freaked out bc I needed my refund ASAP for rent. Didn't wait for any letter - just went to irs.gov/verify and did the whole ID.me thing. Had to upload my ID and do a video selfie thing. Kinda weird tbh but it worked! My return started processing again literally that same day. Got my $$$ about 10 days later. Don't wait for that letter - try online first! Def worth a shot, right?
I tried that route last year and got stuck in verification limbo for 6 weeks. The online system kept saying I needed to verify in person, but the in-person appointments were booked solid. I'm starting to think these verification requests are completely random. This year I filed with exactly the same information and got my refund in 8 days with no verification required. Makes me wonder if they're just randomly flagging returns.
This verification issue has been happening a lot this year. Last filing season I had a similar gut feeling about my transcript access not working properly. Called and discovered my identity verification hadn't been processed despite the confirmation screen. The agent told me they were seeing this with about 30% of online verifications during peak periods. The system gets overwhelmed and fails to transmit the final confirmation to the master database. I'm slightly worried this is happening again this year on an even larger scale.
Had this exact issue. Verified online February 28th. Waited patiently. Called April 5th. No record of verification. Verified by phone. Refund deposited April 12th. Seven weeks wasted. System is broken. Trust your instincts.
I think it's important to mention that, while most verifications do complete faster than 9 weeks, there are certain factors that might extend the timeline. If your return contains multiple credits, especially refundable ones, or if there's any mismatch between reported income and what employers submitted, the process could potentially take longer. In some cases, particularly if additional documentation is requested, the verification can extend closer to that 9-week mark. It might be prudent to prepare financially for the full timeline, while hoping for the quicker resolution that most people experience.
Quick q - did the IRS agent mention what type of verification they're doing? There's ID verify, income verify, and credit verify - each has diff timelines. ID verify is usually fastest (2-3 wks), credit verify for things like CTC or EIC can take longer (4-6 wks). Just wondering what they told u specifically?
Does anyone know if you can request to expedite the verification process if you're experiencing financial hardship? My landlord isn't exactly patient when it comes to rent being late.
Regarding expedited processing: The IRS does offer Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) assistance for documented financial hardships. Qualification criteria include: imminent eviction, utility disconnection, or medical emergency. Contact information: 877-777-4778. Documentation of hardship is required for consideration.
Kyle Wallace
I would... cautiously suggest... checking with each state's offset program separately. The Federal Treasury Offset Program might indicate a federal offset is coming, but it may not have complete information about state-level actions. Perhaps consider contacting each state's revenue department directly to inquire about potential offsets. While not guaranteed to be accurate, this approach might provide some clarity regarding which returns could be affected.
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Ryder Ross
Last year I had NY take my entire refund for an old utility bill I didn't even know about, but my NJ refund came through fine even though I had the same address for both! My federal was partially offset - they took about 80% of it. The weird thing was that I got the NY offset notice a full month AFTER they'd already taken the money. I was budgeting based on getting all three refunds and it completely messed up my plans. Now I always assume the worst and treat any potential refund as a surprise bonus rather than counting on it for my budget.
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