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!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago with my 2022 audit. After paying what I owed, my refund took exactly 47 days to hit my account. The most helpful thing I did was set up online account access at irs.gov to track my account transcript - it showed the audit closure date and when the refund was scheduled for release about a week before it actually arrived. One tip: make sure your direct deposit info is still current in their system, because mine had expired and that added an extra 10 days for them to mail a paper check instead. The waiting is definitely nerve-wracking, but it will come through!

The 45-day rule that Natasha mentioned is actually still in effect, but there's a catch - the IRS only pays interest on refunds if they exceed $1 and the delay is due to their processing error, not standard processing times. What most people don't realize is that the 45-day clock starts from the audit closure date, not when you make your payment. I've seen cases where the IRS took 8 weeks but didn't pay interest because they classified it as "normal processing time." If you're approaching that 45-day mark, it's worth calling to document the timeline - sometimes that nudges them to prioritize your case. The key is having your audit closure letter with the official date handy when you call.

I went through this process about 18 months ago after a correspondence audit for my 2022 return. One thing that really helped me was understanding that the IRS processes post-audit refunds in batches, typically on Fridays. My refund was issued exactly 39 days after my audit closure date, and it appeared in my account on a Tuesday (meaning it was processed the Friday before). The biggest lesson I learned was to keep meticulous records of everything - payment confirmation numbers, audit closure letter, and screenshots of my account transcript showing the closure date. When I called for a status update around day 35, having all those details ready made the conversation much smoother. The representative was able to immediately see my case status and confirm my refund was in the next processing queue. One more tip: if you haven't already, consider signing up for IRS email notifications through your online account. I got an automated email the day before my refund was deposited, which was a nice peace of mind after weeks of checking my account daily. The whole process definitely tests your patience, but the refund will come through!

I'm going through this exact situation right now and these responses are incredibly helpful! I completed my correspondence audit for 2023 about 3 weeks ago and paid what I owed through EFTPS. Reading everyone's experiences, it sounds like I'm right in that normal 4-6 week window that most people are experiencing. The tip about setting up the online account to track the transcript is brilliant - I just did that and can see my audit closure date was officially recorded 5 days after I made my payment. Based on the Friday batch processing info that Marilyn shared, I'm going to stop obsessively checking my bank account daily and just check on Tuesdays instead! One question for those who've been through this - did any of you experience delays if your refund amount was larger? Mine is about $3,200 after paying what I owed, and I'm wondering if larger amounts go through additional review processes. Thanks everyone for sharing your real experiences - it's so much more helpful than the generic IRS website information!