When I was under review last year, waiting for updates was driving me crazy. After trying to call the regular IRS number for two weeks (and never getting through), I finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes. The agent was able to tell me exactly what they were reviewing (in my case, some investment income reporting) and confirmed I didn't need to send any documentation. Just knowing what was happening reduced my stress tremendously. They also told me my review was actually ahead of schedule, which the website didn't show.

I think people sometimes misunderstand these reviews. They're not always bad news! • Many reviews are truly random (part of IRS compliance sampling) • Some are triggered by specific items but don't mean you did anything wrong • Reviews without document requests often resolve faster • The IRS actually does finish many reviews earlier than the timeline they quote My review last year finished in 3.5 weeks even though they quoted me 6 weeks. I was surprised when my deposit just showed up!

I think, possibly, your friend might have had trouble with the online verification system and that's why she was told to call back. In my experience, the online verification through ID.me can sometimes be a bit finicky, especially if your address has changed recently or if there are any discrepancies between your ID and tax return information. If the online system works for you and accepts your verification, you should be good to go without calling again, at least in most cases.

Tax professional here. The identity verification process follows these steps: 1. You receive a letter (typically 5071C, 5747C, or 4883C) 2. You follow the specific instructions on YOUR letter 3. If it's a 5071C, you can verify online through ID.me 4. Once online verification is complete, the system updates within 9-14 days 5. If online verification is successful, no further action is needed The confusion often happens because there are different types of verification requests. Some require in-person, some online, some by phone. The key is to follow exactly what YOUR specific letter instructs. Do not follow general advice from friends or even what worked for others.

I was in the same situation last year and got super stressed about it. I found https://taxr.ai super helpful for understanding what was actually happening with my refund. You upload your transcript and it explains all those confusing codes and gives you a more accurate timeline than WMR. According to the IRS refund schedule I found on igotmyrefund.com, direct deposits with a Friday date like 3/22 sometimes don't post until Monday for some banks, especially if they don't process ACH transfers on weekends. Might be worth checking your bank's policy on ACH processing days.

FYI - Credit Karma tax was actually acquired by Cash App in 2020, so technically you're using Cash App Taxes now, not Credit Karma. This might explain why the experience is diff from what you expected. The IRS sends the $ regardless of which tax prep you used, but sometimes the routing can take an extra day depending on your bank. FWIW, my CK/Cash App tax refund hit exactly on my DDD last year, not early like some other services.

I filed for both myself and my daughter on February 12th, and we had the same experience you're describing. My transcript updated with an 846 code on March 18th, but WMR didn't update until March 21st. My daughter couldn't get through ID.me verification until March 25th, and by then her refund had already been processed. The IRS is especially backlogged this year - I spoke with an agent on April 2nd who confirmed they're running about 15-20 days behind on WMR updates compared to actual processing status.

The WMR tool is notoriously unreliable during peak processing periods due to Database Synchronization Latency between the Master File and the public-facing IRTF systems. Your 846 code is the definitive indicator - the refund is already scheduled regardless of what WMR displays. The ID.me verification system is a complete disaster this filing season. The facial recognition algorithm has a 37% failure rate for filers under 25 according to the Taxpayer Advocate Service report from February. This isn't just an inconvenience - it's actively preventing taxpayers from accessing their own information and creating unnecessary anxiety.

Just to clarify something that might help others - there's a difference between transcript updates and WMR (Where's My Refund) updates. Transcripts typically update overnight Thursday into Friday for weekly processing cycles, while WMR might not update until Saturday morning. So if you're comparing your situation to someone else's, make sure you're both looking at the same tool. Your timeline is actually pretty quick compared to many filers this season!

FYI for anyone checking - transcripts usually update overnight Thurs-Fri, and once you see that 846 code w/ your DDD, you're good to go! The IRS batches refunds, so ppl who got their 846 code last week prob got their $$ today or tmrw. OP's 3/11 date is solid - I've never seen them miss a DDD once it shows up on transcripts. Congrats on making it through the waiting game!