Have you considered setting up Informed Delivery through USPS? It gives you daily scans of mail that's about to be delivered to your address. I've been using it to monitor for IRS correspondence without having to physically check my mailbox every day. It's free and at least gives you a heads-up when something from the Treasury Department is coming. Are you waiting for a specific type of letter or just general confirmation?

Not to add more anxiety to your plate, but sometimes the IRS doesn't send any correspondence at all if everything is proceeding normally! 😅 I filed in February and received my refund without ever getting a letter. Then three weeks later, I randomly got a letter confirming my filing was accepted. The IRS works in mysterious ways... like that one ex who texts you back weeks after you've moved on. If you really need confirmation, you can request a Record of Account transcript which shows all actions taken on your account.

Be prepared for a long wait. My cousin had this happen with her stepson two years ago, and it took almost 9 months to resolve. The ex-wife had claimed him despite not having seen him in over a year. The worst part was that my cousin's refund was held up the entire time - over $5,000 with the Child Tax Credit. She ended up having to take out a loan to cover expenses she had been counting on that refund for. Make sure your sister has a financial backup plan while this gets sorted.

This is a classic IRC Section 152(e) conflict scenario. The resolution pathway depends on several factors: 1. If there's a Form 8332 signed by the custodial parent (which seems unlikely given your description) 2. If there's a pre-2009 divorce instrument specifically allocating the exemption 3. The application of the tiebreaker rules in absence of the above In your case, the tiebreaker rules would likely apply, with residency being the primary factor (where the child lived for the majority of nights during the tax year). Your sister should complete Form 8862 (Information To Claim Certain Credits After Disallowance) along with her paper return and include substantial documentation proving residence and support.

Just went through this exact situation last month! My direct deposit got rejected because my bank account had a fraud lock (thanks to my attempt to buy concert tickets from a sketchy site... lesson learned 😅). Check took exactly 9 days to arrive after the 570/971 codes appeared. The day it was mailed, my transcript updated with code 846 and WMR finally changed to approved. Such a relief after checking those sites 20 times a day!

Many people don't realize there's a specific IRS refund schedule. Paper checks typically go out on Fridays. If your 7-day hold ends this week, watch for transcript update next Monday or Tuesday. I've tracked hundreds of these cases in tax forums. International accounts often trigger extra verification. Keep all notices they send - you'll need them if there are further issues.

Oh come ON with these service recommendations! Every thread has someone pushing some paid service! The IRS phone system is frustrating but if you call right when they open you CAN get through! I'm so tired of people acting like you HAVE to pay some third party just to talk to the government agency WE FUND with our tax dollars!!!

According to the IRS's own data (https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations-during-covid-19-mission-critical-functions-continue), they're still answering less than 35% of calls, with average wait times over 40 minutes for those who do get through. I've personally tried the "call right when they open" approach multiple times without success. Services like Claimyr use technology to navigate the phone tree and wait on hold so you don't have to - seems reasonable for people who value their time or have urgent issues.

Have you checked your transcript on the IRS website? Sometimes that updates before the WMR tool and can give you more detailed info. Do you have access to your online account?

According to the IRS.gov refund status page (https://www.irs.gov/refunds), most refunds are issued within 21 days of e-file acceptance. I filed on February 2nd this year, got accepted same day, and received my refund on February 14th - exactly 12 days later. The IRS Direct Deposit system batches payments on specific days, so once approved, you'll typically see the money within 1-3 business days of your scheduled date. The cycle seems faster this year than in previous tax seasons.