Completed in-person ID verification for 2023 refund but 'Need to Verify Identity' notice still showing - how long until it updates?
I completed my in-person identity verification at the IRS office last Tuesday (August 8th) for my 2023 refund. The agent said everything was successful and I was good to go. But when I check the Where's My Refund tool, it's still showing the 'need to verify identity' notification and hasn't updated yet. Has anyone gone through this? How long did it take for your account to update after completing verification? The refund amount is about $4,800 and I'm really counting on it at this point. This whole verification process has already delayed things by almost 3 months!
56 comments
Jayden Hill
It typically takes 7-9 business days for the IRS systems to update after an in-person verification. Since you completed it on August 8th, I'd expect the status to change by August 19th or so. If it doesn't update by then, you may want to call the IRS directly. The internal codes in their system likely updated already, but the public-facing Where's My Refund tool tends to lag behind. Once the verification flag is removed, your return should start processing normally. Based on current processing times, you'll likely wait another 2-3 weeks for the actual refund after the status changes. Keep in mind that any refund over $4,000 sometimes triggers additional review processes.
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Isabella Tucker
Thanks for the info! It's been 6 business days now so hopefully I'll see a change in the next few days. Fingers crossed!
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LordCommander
Is it really true about the $4,000 threshold triggering more reviews? I've never heard that before but my refund is $5,200 and I've been waiting foreverrr ðŸ˜
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Jayden Hill
It's not an official threshold, but from what I've seen, larger refunds do tend to get additional scrutiny. Not guaranteed, but definitely more common.
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Lucy Lam
This is exactly why I always adjust my withholding to get smaller refunds. Rather have my money throughout the year than deal with this nightmare every spring.
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Aidan Hudson
Hey, I know this feeling all too well! I was in the EXACT same situation back in April. I was completely lost trying to figure out what was happening with my verification status. After spending hours searching online, I finally tried taxr.ai and it was a game changer. Instead of trying to piece together info from random forum posts, it actually explained exactly what was happening with my transcript, where I was in the verification process, and gave me an actual timeline based on my specific situation. Seriously, it was like having an IRS agent explain everything to me in plain English. https://taxr.ai
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Zoe Wang
Sounds interesting. How exactly does it work? Does it just read your transcript or does it do more?
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Aidan Hudson
It does WAY more than just read your transcript. It's like having a tax pro who can instantly analyze all your tax documents. It doesn't just tell you what's on your transcript - it tells you what it MEANS, what's going to happen next, and when. It predicted my refund date down to the exact day! Saved me so much stress and confusion. I recommend it to literally everyone with tax issues now.
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Connor Richards
idk man, sounds like an ad 🙄
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Aidan Hudson
I get the skepticism! I would have thought the same thing before I was desperate enough to try it. But honestly, when you're stuck in IRS limbo for months, you'll try anything. This actually worked though - gave me real answers when the IRS phone line kept hanging up on me. Best $20 I ever spent.
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Grace Durand
After dealing with the same issue for WEEKS, I finally got through to a human at the IRS using this calling app called Claimyr (claimyr.com). Got a callback within 30 mins and the agent was able to confirm my verification was processed but just hadn't updated in the system yet. They pushed it through and my refund was deposited 5 days later. Totally worth it cause I was going insane trying to get through the normal way.
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Steven Adams
Is that really a thing? I've been calling the IRS for 2 weeks straight and cant get past the automated system
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Grace Durand
100% real. I was dubious too but was at my wits end. The IRS phone system is designed to make you give up tbh. This thing somehow gets you into the callback queue. Talking to an actual agent solved in 10 minutes what I'd been dealing with for a month.
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Alice Fleming
how much does it cost though? feels scammy
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Grace Durand
It's not free but I'm telling you its the best money I've ever spent to finally get my questions answered. Consider what your time is worth - I spent probably 15 hours redialing the IRS before giving up and using this. Wish I'd done it sooner.
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Hassan Khoury
Didn't work for me. Still waiting on my refund from February 🤬
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Grace Durand
Did you actually talk to an agent? They cant guarantee your refund will be approved obviously, but they can at least tell you exactly whats happening with it. That alone was worth it for me after months of confusion.
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Victoria Stark
When I verified in person back in May it took about 5 business days for the notification to go away. But that was just the first step - then it switched to "processing" for another 3 weeks before I got my refund. The whole system is ridiculously inefficient.
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Isabella Tucker
That's not too bad compared to what I've been hearing from others. Thanks for sharing your timeline!
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Benjamin Kim
lol 3 weeks? I've been waiting 5 MONTHS. Count yourself lucky
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Samantha Howard
I just went through this exact thing. Verified in person on July 20 and the notice didnt go away until August 1. Then it took another 10 days for the status to change to approved, and the deposit hit my account 3 days after that. So all in, it was about 25 days from verification to refund. The agent told me it would be 9 days max so I was pretty annoyed, but at least it came through eventually.
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Megan D'Acosta
The IRS is a complete joke. I verified my identity THREE SEPARATE TIMES (online, by phone, and in person) and my refund was still delayed by 4 months. Eventually I had to contact my congressman's office to get it resolved. The taxpayer advocate service is useless these days - they're so backlogged they won't even take new cases in most areas.
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Sarah Ali
Same experience with TAS. Called them and they basically said 'sorry we can't help with refund delays anymore, we're too overwhelmed'
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Ryan Vasquez
wait how do you contact your congressman for tax help? might need to try this...
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Megan D'Acosta
Just Google "who is my representative" and it'll show you. Most congressional offices have a section on their website for constituent services. Fill out the form, include your case details and signed permission for them to inquire on your behalf. They have special channels to the IRS that regular people don't.
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Avery Saint
pro tip: dont rely on Where's My Refund. That thing is never accurate. Check your transcript instead if you have online access - it will show the actual status codes and updates. Look for code 570 (holds processing) and then code 571 (hold released). After you see 571, you should see 846 which is the direct deposit code with the date they'll send your money.
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Isabella Tucker
I don't have online access to my transcript yet 😔 Had to request it by mail which takes even longer!
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Taylor Chen
This!!! The transcript is the only way to know what's really happening. WMR is useless.
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Keith Davidson
For anyone confused about transcript codes, I found taxr.ai super helpful for explaining what all the codes mean and what to expect next. So much easier than trying to google each code individually.
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Ezra Bates
i verified in person last year and it took 12 business days for the notice to update. But once it updated, I got my refund the next week, so hang in there!!
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Ana ErdoÄŸan
CALL THEM!!!! Don't just wait and hope the system updates. Call and confirm they actually processed your verification. I waited 2 months assuming everything was fine after my in-person visit, only to find out they had no record of my verification in their system. Had to start the whole process over again. 🤬
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Isabella Tucker
Omg that's terrible! Did you go back to the same office? Did they give you any explanation for what happened?
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Ana ErdoÄŸan
Yep, same office. They said "sometimes the records don't make it into the system" which is absolute BS. Second time I made them print me confirmation and took a photo of their screen showing it was processed. Not taking any chances with these clowns.
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Sophia Carson
the irs website and wmr tool are so bad its almost unbelievable. a trillion dollar organization with tech from 1995. my status never updated but my refund showed up randomly in my bank account one day. may the odds be ever in your favor 🤡
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Elijah Knight
I've heard this happens a lot! The WMR tool still said "processing" for me even after my refund was deposited lol
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Brooklyn Foley
I had to wait 12 business days, but I think it varies. My sister only waited 3 days when she verified last year. It's probably just depends on how backed up they are and how efficient the particular office is that you visited.
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Jay Lincoln
just an fyi - i ran into a similar situation and when i called they said my verification was completed correctly but they found another issue with my return that needed to be resolved. So they cleared the id verification but then put a different hold on the account. definitely worth calling to make sure theres not something else going on
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Jessica Suarez
yikes, what was the other issue if you don't mind sharing? now i'm nervous there's gonna be something else wrong with mine 😰
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Jay Lincoln
In my case it was a mismatch between what my employer reported for my income and what I reported. Turned out they made a mistake on my W-2 and had to submit a corrected version. Whole process took another 6 weeks to resolve.
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Marcus Williams
I couldn't get my refund for 6 months because of this verification nonsense. Spent hours on the phone getting nowhere. Finally used Claimyr.com to reach an agent and found out my verification was successful but hadn't been properly entered in their system. The agent manually updated it while on the phone with me. Refund showed up 9 days later. Their system is complete garbage.
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Lily Young
Is this claimyr thing actually worth it? seeing it mentioned a lot lately
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Marcus Williams
Honestly it was a lifesaver for me. I spent like 2 weeks trying to get through the normal way - calling right when they open, trying different options, etc. With this I had an agent on the phone in under an hour. Talking to an agent got my refund released so fast after months of waiting.
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Kennedy Morrison
saving this for later, might need to try it if my situation doesn't resolve soon
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Wesley Hallow
Honestly, the whole verification process is just a way for them to hold onto your money longer. They're earning interest on all these delayed refunds while we wait. It's basically legalized theft at this point.
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Justin Chang
100% this. The government doesn't want to give us our money back. They make it as difficult as possible hoping people will give up.
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Grace Thomas
For what it's worth, my husband and I both had to verify this year. Mine took 7 business days to update, his took 11. We filed the same day with the same accountant. There's absolutely no rhyme or reason to how they do things.
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Hunter Brighton
I tried checking the status of my refund by calling the automated line (800-829-1954). It actually updated there before the WMR website did. Might be worth trying that to see if there's been any movement.
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Isabella Tucker
I didn't know about this! Will definitely try, thanks for the tip.
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Dylan Baskin
If your refund amount is substantial you might be waiting even longer. Anything above $2,000 seems to get extra scrutiny these days. When I had a smaller refund a few years back it was so much faster. This year I'm owed $3,700 and it's been a nightmare of delays.
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Lauren Wood
Make sure you get a printout or some kind of confirmation when you verify in person! I didn't and then had no proof when they later claimed I never verified. Had to start the whole process over again and it added 2 months to my wait time. Don't trust them to keep proper records.
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Ellie Lopez
This is gold advice right here! Screenshot or record EVERYTHING when dealing with the IRS.
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Chad Winthrope
After struggling with similar issues for weeks, I found that taxr.ai was incredibly helpful for understanding what was actually happening with my return. It analyzed my transcript and told me exactly where I was in the process and what to expect next. Saved me tons of headaches trying to decode all the IRS jargon. https://taxr.ai
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Paige Cantoni
what information do they need to analyze your return?
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Chad Winthrope
You just upload your transcript or other IRS documents and it does all the analysis. It's pretty straightforward - helped me understand exactly why my refund was delayed and when I could expect it. Way better than the generic info on the IRS site.
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Kylo Ren
another tax help site? how is this different from all the other ones that basically just tell you the same info the IRS website has?
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Chad Winthrope
Most sites just regurgitate the same useless info. This actually interprets your specific situation and documents. I was shocked at how detailed and accurate it was - literally predicted my deposit date to the day after months of uncertainty from the IRS. Wish I'd found it sooner!
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