I experienced this EXACT situation in 2023. My ex claimed our son in 2022 with some SSN mismatch issues, then I claimed him in 2023 after getting full custody. The IRS held my refund for verification due to the "dependent TIN previously claimed" issue. They specifically needed Form 8332 (Release of Claim to Exemption) even though we had a court-ordered custody agreement. The terminology they use is so specific - they kept referring to "qualifying child determination" and "residency verification" during the review process. It took 11 weeks total, but I did eventually receive my full refund including the Child Tax Credit.

Did your client receive any specific notice or just the generic "refund is delayed" message on Where's My Refund? And has she been able to access her tax transcript online? I'm wondering if there are specific codes that might indicate whether this is a routine review or something specifically tied to the ex's unresolved issues from last year?

YES!!! This EXACT thing happened to me and I was SO WORRIED!! My transcript updated with a DD date of 4/12 but WMR still showed one bar for DAYS after that! I was checking it constantly and freaking out! But guess what?? The money showed up RIGHT ON TIME on 4/12 just like my transcript said! I was literally doing a happy dance in my kitchen when I checked my bank account that morning! 💃💰 WMR finally updated like 2 days AFTER I already had my money!

According to Internal Revenue Manual section 21.4.1.3, the Where's My Refund tool operates on a separate update cycle from the Master File that generates transcripts. Per IRS guidelines, taxpayers should allow up to 5 business days after a Direct Deposit date appears on a transcript before expecting WMR to reflect the updated status. This discrepancy is actually documented in IRM procedures and considered normal processing, though surprisingly not communicated clearly to taxpayers.

My DDD is 3/14 and I'm still waiting. Filed through TT too but using a credit union. Did you have any issues with your return or was it pretty straightforward?

Been trying to reach the IRS for 3 days to check on my refund status since my WMR isn't updating and I'm getting nowhere. Just endless hold times or disconnects. Anyone know a better way to reach them?

IMO the IRS is just using generic msgs to buy time. Been thru this rodeo b4 and the "delayed" status doesn't mean much tbh. Last yr my return had the same msg for like 7 wks then suddenly approved w/o any contact from IRS. Ppl need to chill and stop checking WMR every 5 mins (guilty lol). The system is overwhelmed AF and they're prob just triaging returns based on complexity not errors per se.

The whole IRS processing system is like a giant funnel with different sized filters. Your return is like water flowing through - some passes right through (quick refunds), some gets caught in different filters (verification stages), but only a small percentage actually gets diverted to the special container (errors department). It's like how my bank flags certain transactions for "review" but 99% still process normally after a short delay. I'm concerned though - does anyone know if these delays could affect other financial processes like mortgage applications where they need to verify your tax info?

Word of warning from someone who's been down this road: don't put all your eggs in the TAS basket! I applied for an advocate in March thinking they'd be my tax knight in shining armor. *Narrator voice: They were not.* Three weeks after submitting Form 911, I got assigned an advocate who then went on vacation for two weeks without telling me. By the time they returned, my issue had already resolved itself through normal processing. It was like calling the fire department only to have them show up after the rain put out the fire. 😂 I'd suggest pursuing multiple solutions simultaneously - call the regular IRS lines, check your transcript regularly, AND apply for TAS if you qualify. Just be cautious about thinking TAS will necessarily be faster or better.

Under IRC § 7811(a)(1), TAS assistance is mandated when a taxpayer is experiencing significant hardship due to IRS action or inaction. As defined in Treasury Regulation § 301.7811-1(a)(4)(ii), significant hardship includes: immediate threat of adverse action; substantial costs (including fees for professional representation); irreparable injury to taxpayer; or permanent adverse impact if relief is not granted. The most effective approach is documenting your case according to these specific regulatory definitions. Form 911 (Request for Taxpayer Advocate Service Assistance) should explicitly reference these regulations and include supporting documentation demonstrating how your situation meets these criteria. I was impressed with how quickly my case was accepted after I restructured my application to directly address these regulatory requirements.