I recently navigated this issue as a CPA. The Practitioner Priority Service (PPS) line was experiencing unprecedented call volumes, so I implemented an alternative strategy for my clients. I utilized Form 8821 (Tax Information Authorization) and Form 2848 (Power of Attorney) to access client information through the IRS e-Services platform, which circumvented the need for phone contact in approximately 70% of cases. For the remaining situations requiring direct communication, I established a systematic approach of calling precisely at 7:00 AM ET on Wednesdays, which statistically demonstrated the lowest call volume based on our firm's internal data analysis.

Have you possibly tried checking if you qualify for help from your local Taxpayer Advocate Service? They might be able to assist if you're experiencing financial hardship or if the normal IRS channels aren't resolving your issue in a reasonable timeframe. In my experience, they can sometimes be more accessible than the main IRS phone lines, although their criteria for accepting cases has become somewhat stricter in recent years. I'd recommend documenting all your attempts to contact the IRS before reaching out to them.

My transcript finally updated this morning after being blank since January 30th. According to Internal Revenue Manual section 21.4.1, the IRS has up to 45 days from acceptance to process a return before it's considered delayed. After that point, they're required to pay interest on any refund due. I received no notices or indication of issues - it just suddenly appeared with a direct deposit date for next Wednesday. Has anyone else checked their transcript today specifically?

The IRS Where's My Refund tool and the transcript database pull from different systems that don't always sync in real-time. According to TaxSlayer's status page (which I check regularly), many filers are experiencing this discrepancy right now. You might want to try the IRS2Go app instead of the website - sometimes it updates faster. Also check if your state tax return shows any movement, as some states process faster than federal and can indicate your information is moving through the system.

I waited 9 weeks last year, and when I finally got through to the IRS, they just told me it was "in process" and to keep waiting. This year I used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get through to an agent after waiting 5 weeks. Got connected in about 15 minutes instead of spending hours on hold. The agent was able to tell me exactly what was happening and when to expect my refund. Worth every penny to not sit on hold for 3+ hours.

Have you checked your account transcript on the IRS website? Sometimes that will show pending refund info even when WMR doesn't update. Look for an 846 code with a date - that's your refund date.

I filed Jan 29th, accepted Feb 13th, and also got the errors department runaround. Spent THREE DAYS calling the IRS number and could never get through. Used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) after someone recommended it here, and got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes. The agent was actually helpful and told me my return was flagged for income verification but was cleared last week. Got my refund 5 days after that call. Worth every penny to not waste days on hold.

The IRS is severely understaffed this year. I know someone who works there and they said returns with even minor discrepancies are getting kicked to the errors department automatically, and then it takes weeks for someone to look at them. If you claimed any credits like EIC or CTC, that can trigger extra scrutiny too.

I had the same situation last month. My WMR said approved but then nothing happened for over a week. I got worried and tried calling the IRS but kept getting the "high call volume" message. Finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get through to an agent without the endless wait. Found out there was a small verification hold they needed to clear. Got my deposit 2 days after the call. Sometimes it's worth talking to an actual human to make sure everything's moving along.

Just a heads up - if you filed with certain tax credits (like Earned Income or Additional Child Tax Credit), even after approval there's sometimes an extra 1-2 day hold before release. That happened to me this year.