Audit Complete - How Long Until Refund After Paying What I Owed?

Based on current IRS processing timelines, you should expect to receive your post-audit refund within 4-6 weeks after the audit closure date. As of April 12, 2024, the IRS is processing post-audit refunds from early March. The exact timeline depends on whether your audit was closed with an agreed assessment (Form 4549) or through correspondence. Once the audit department marks your case as resolved (typically 5-7 business days after payment processing), your refund is queued for the next processing cycle.

I had a CP2000 Underreporter Inquiry (technically not a full audit, but similar resolution process) last year. After submitting my Agreed Assessment Response and paying the additional tax liability, my partial refund was processed within 32 days. The key was ensuring my payment was properly applied to my account through the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) rather than just the general payment portal. The EFTPS confirmation number proved invaluable when following up.

Just went through this last month! I thought it would be simple but wow... According to the IRS.gov FAQ section on post-audit refunds, they're supposed to issue them within 4 weeks, but when I checked TaxTwitter and r/tax, most people were reporting 6-8 weeks in reality. The IRS2Go app never updated properly for me either. Seems like there's a disconnect between what the online resources say and what actually happens.

Have you tried calling the IRS directly? Much like trying to reach customer service during holiday season or getting through to financial aid during the first week of college, it's nearly impossible right now. I spent 3 days trying to reach someone about my similar situation. Finally used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) and got through to an agent in about 15 minutes who confirmed my refund was scheduled for the following week. Compared to my previous attempts of waiting on hold for hours and getting disconnected, this was so much more efficient.

I'm sort of hesitant to share this, but my experience wasn't quite as smooth. I probably should have been more proactive. After my audit was closed and I paid what I owed, I assumed the refund would come automatically. After about 10 weeks with nothing happening, I finally called and discovered they needed one more form from me that nobody had mentioned. The refund was processed fairly quickly after that, maybe within 2 weeks or so, but I basically lost two months of waiting because I didn't follow up.

Tax professional here. For the 2023 tax year, post-audit refunds are following a precise timeline: 85% are processed within 42 days, 12% within 60 days, and 3% require additional review taking 75-90 days. The determining factor is your audit classification code. CP2000 inquiries (matching audits) have the fastest turnaround at 28-35 days. Field audits average 49 days. Office audits fall in between at 42 days. The payment method also matters - direct deposits are 7-10 days faster than paper checks.

I'm in a similar boat right now. It feels like watching a pot that never boils! I submitted my payment for what I owed from my audit about 3 weeks ago, and still nothing. Every day I check my bank account like a kid checking for Santa on Christmas morning, but no refund yet. I'm starting to worry they lost my payment or something went wrong in their system. The waiting is the worst part!