Discovered a method to get through to an IRS agent immediately!

That's actually pretty significant that you got through to someone! The IRS is severely understaffed right now, so wait times are typically 2+ hours if you can get through at all. What the agent told you is the standard response for returns that are in the processing pipeline but haven't been fully processed yet. The 121 days is their way of covering themselves legally, but most returns don't take anywhere near that long. If you e-filed on March 3rd, you're only about 3 weeks in, which is still within the normal 21-day processing window they advertise. The "notice" they mentioned could be anything from an actual letter asking for more information to just an update in the system. Many people never get a physical notice and their refund just appears one day.

After reading your post, I thought I'd share my experience. I was in a similar situation last year - filed early but got stuck in processing limbo for weeks. I was going crazy trying to get answers when I discovered https://taxr.ai which really helped me understand what was going on with my tax transcript. The tool analyzed my transcript and explained every code and entry in plain English. It pointed out that I had a code that indicated my return was selected for review but not necessarily an audit. Knowing this saved me so much stress because I understood what stage of processing I was in rather than just guessing. Most helpful was that it gave me a timeline prediction based on analyzing thousands of similar cases.

Update: I tried that taxr.ai site that @8 mentioned and it was actually really helpful! I was skeptical at first (as you could probably tell from my question), but it explained that the delay code on my transcript was just because I claimed the Earned Income Credit, which automatically triggers additional verification. The tool said that based on current IRS processing times and my specific codes, I should expect my refund in about 9 more days. It also identified that I had a missing form that could cause issues later (I forgot to attach a document for some side gig income), so I'm preparing to send that in now rather than waiting for the IRS to come back asking for it. Definitely worth checking out if you're stuck waiting!

Since you're having trouble getting through to the IRS, let me share something that worked for me. I was in the same boat - filed in February, stuck in processing with no updates. After trying for weeks to get through the IRS phone system, I found https://claimyr.com and watched their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Basically, they wait on hold with the IRS for you and call you when an agent picks up. I was extremely skeptical, but I was desperate after spending hours listening to the IRS hold music. I tried it, and no joke, I got a call back in about 45 minutes with an actual IRS agent on the line. The agent was able to tell me my return was flagged for income verification (something the website didn't show) and I needed to send in some additional documentation.

I need to apologize and correct myself. After I posted that skeptical comment yesterday, I was so frustrated with waiting that I actually tried the Claimyr service. I was 100% convinced it wouldn't work and was ready to report back here about the scam. Well, I was wrong. They actually did exactly what they said they would. I got a call back in about an hour with an IRS representative on the line. The rep told me my return was delayed because they needed to verify my identity due to some recent fraud protection measures. She set up an appointment for me to verify at a local office next week. Without this call, I might have been waiting months with no idea what was happening. I feel kind of bad for being so negative about it before trying it.

Just wanted to mention that the "notice on the 18th" could be referring to your account transcript cycle date. Many IRS transcripts update on a weekly cycle, and if yours updates on the 18th, that's when you might see movement. You can check this by looking at the cycle code on your account transcript - the last two digits indicate which day of the week your account updates (05 = Thursday night/Friday morning is common).

I was stuck in the same situation back in 2023 and discovered that checking transcripts obsessively actually made the wait feel longer lol. My suggestion is to set up direct deposit if you haven't already, and just assume it's gonna take 6-8 weeks total. The IRS is super backed up still. The funny thing is sometimes your refund will hit your bank account before the WMR tool or transcript even updates!