Does it really take 9 weeks after identity verification to get your federal tax return?

The 9-week timeline the IRS provides is unfortunately pretty accurate in many cases, though some people do receive their refunds sooner. The identity verification process adds an additional layer of review to your return processing. Here's what typically happens: After you verify your identity, your return goes back into the normal processing queue, but it also gets flagged for a secondary review to ensure everything matches up. The IRS is overwhelmed with returns during filing season, especially with the additional verification workload. I've seen some clients receive their refunds in as little as 4-5 weeks after verification, while others did indeed wait the full 9 weeks. It really depends on the complexity of your return and the current IRS backlog situation.

I went through this exact same thing last year and it was beyond frustrating. After verifying my identity, I started using taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) to monitor my return status and it was a lifesaver. The site analyzed my transcript data and gave me actual predictions about when my refund would arrive instead of the vague "processing" message from the IRS. In my case, it took about 6.5 weeks after verification before I saw the money in my account, which was way better than the full 9 weeks I was dreading. The tool also pointed out a discrepancy in my withholding that would have triggered additional review. Highly recommend checking it out while you wait!

Just wanted to follow up - I tried taxr.ai after posting my question, and wow! It actually showed me that my return passed the verification stage 3 days ago but is now in the refund approval queue. The IRS website was still just showing "processing" with no details. The estimated timeline feature is predicting I'll have my refund by next Friday, which is about 5 weeks total after verification instead of 9. I can finally stop obsessively checking my bank account every morning!

I went through identity verification hell last year and waited almost 8 weeks with no updates. I finally got desperate and used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to actually reach a human at the IRS. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was super skeptical at first because I'd already spent HOURS on hold myself, but they got me connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes. The agent was able to see that my return was just sitting there waiting for someone to complete the final review. She pushed it through while I was on the phone, and my refund was approved the next day. Worth every penny for my sanity alone!

Well I'm eating my words right now. After being super skeptical about Claimyr, I decided to try it yesterday out of pure frustration (week 7 of waiting after identity verification). Got connected to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes and found out my return was approved days ago but had an issue with the direct deposit info I provided. The agent updated my banking details on the spot, and I just got the deposit notification this morning! Definitely wouldn't have known about the banking error without actually talking to someone. Wish I'd done this weeks ago!

Just adding my experience - I verified my identity on January 15th and got my refund on March 11th, so just under 8 weeks. The whole time the Where's My Refund tool showed "still processing." No updates or anything until suddenly it changed to approved, and the money was in my account 2 days later. I think the 9-week timeline is pretty realistic, unfortunately.

Has anyone noticed that these identity verification requests seem to be happening way more this year? This is my first time getting one, but I know at least 3 friends who also got the verification letter this year. Feels like the IRS is flagging way more returns than normal.

I'm in the exact same situation - verified my identity on February 28th and still waiting. This whole process is so stressful! Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually really helpful though. It sounds like the 9-week timeline is unfortunately pretty realistic, but at least some people are getting their refunds earlier. I've been checking Where's My Refund obsessively every day (sometimes multiple times a day, not gonna lie) and it's been stuck on "still processing" this whole time. Based on what others have shared, it seems like it stays that way until suddenly it changes to approved. Thanks for asking this question - it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one going through this waiting game. Fingers crossed we both get our refunds sooner rather than later!

I'm also in the identity verification waiting game - verified on March 8th, so I'm about 5 weeks in now. This thread has been incredibly helpful because the IRS website gives you basically no information about what's actually happening with your return. It's frustrating that this seems to be happening to so many more people this year. I've never had to verify my identity before either, and honestly the whole process made me worried that something was wrong with my return. But it sounds like it's just their new fraud prevention measures kicking in. The hardest part is not knowing if you're in week 1 of waiting or week 8. At least now I know that the "Where's My Refund" tool staying on "processing" is completely normal during this phase. I was starting to think something was broken! Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines - it helps to know what to realistically expect instead of just hoping for the best.

I'm currently in week 4 after verifying my identity on February 15th, and this thread has been so helpful! Like many others here, this was my first time ever getting the identity verification letter and I was honestly panicking that I'd done something wrong on my return. The most frustrating part is how the IRS website makes it sound like verification is just a quick step, but then you're stuck in this limbo for potentially 9 weeks with zero updates. I've been checking "Where's My Refund" daily and it's been showing "still processing" this entire time - no progress indicators, no timeline updates, nothing. Reading everyone's experiences has at least given me realistic expectations. It sounds like most people are getting their refunds somewhere between 5-8 weeks after verification, which is better than the full 9 weeks but still way longer than I was hoping for. I'm trying to be patient but it's tough when you're counting on that money for bills and other expenses. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines - it really helps to know this is normal and that the "still processing" message doesn't mean something is wrong with your return. Here's hoping we all get our refunds soon!

I'm currently in week 5 after verifying my identity on February 8th, and this thread has been incredibly reassuring! Like so many others here, this was my first time getting the verification letter and I initially thought I had made some major error on my return. What's been most helpful from reading everyone's experiences is understanding that the "Where's My Refund" tool basically becomes useless during this period. I was checking it multiple times a day for the first few weeks, getting increasingly anxious that the "still processing" message meant something was wrong. Now I know that's just how it works during the verification review process. It's also interesting (and frustrating) to see how much more common these verification requests seem to be this year. I've talked to several coworkers who got the same letter, when none of us have ever dealt with this before. The IRS fraud prevention measures are probably necessary, but the communication about timelines and what to expect could definitely be better. Based on the timelines people have shared, I'm cautiously optimistic that I might see movement in the next few weeks. The waiting is definitely stressful, especially when you're budgeting around expecting that refund, but at least now I have realistic expectations instead of hoping it would be resolved in a week or two. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know we're all in this together!

I'm currently in week 6 after verifying my identity on January 30th, and this entire thread has been so helpful! Like everyone else, this was my first time getting the verification letter and I initially panicked thinking I'd made some major error on my tax return. The most frustrating part has been the complete lack of useful information from the IRS. The "Where's My Refund" tool has shown "still processing" for over a month now with absolutely no indication of progress or timeline. Reading everyone's experiences here has been reassuring that this is completely normal during the verification review process. What really struck me is how many more people seem to be going through this compared to previous years. I've talked to friends, family, and coworkers and it feels like at least half of them got verification letters this year. The IRS fraud prevention efforts are probably necessary given all the tax-related scams, but the communication about what to expect could definitely be much better. Based on the timelines shared here, I'm hoping to see movement soon since I'm getting into that 6-8 week range where many people have gotten their approvals. The waiting has been stressful since I was counting on the refund for some planned expenses, but at least now I have realistic expectations instead of checking my bank account every morning hoping for a miracle! Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it really helps to know we're all going through this together and that the long wait times are unfortunately just part of the process right now.

I verified my identity on March 2nd, so I'm about 4 weeks into this waiting game. This thread has been absolutely invaluable - I was starting to think something was seriously wrong with my return since the "Where's My Refund" tool has been stuck on "still processing" this entire time. Like so many others here, this was my first time ever getting the verification letter and I initially freaked out thinking I'd made some huge mistake. It's both frustrating and oddly comforting to see how common these requests have become this year. My tax preparer mentioned they've seen a massive increase compared to previous years. What's been driving me crazy is the complete lack of transparency in the process. The IRS website makes it sound like verification is just a quick step, but then you're potentially looking at 9 weeks of radio silence. Reading everyone's actual timelines here (mostly 5-8 weeks) is way more helpful than anything on the official website. I'm trying to be patient since I'm still in that 4-6 week range where it seems like most approvals start happening, but it's tough when you were counting on that refund for planned expenses. At least now I know the endless "still processing" message is completely normal and doesn't mean my return is lost in some bureaucratic black hole! Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it really helps to know we're all suffering through this together!

I'm currently in week 5 after verifying my identity on February 10th, and this thread has been such a relief to find! Like everyone else, this was my first verification letter ever and I was convinced I'd somehow messed up my return badly. The most frustrating part has been the complete information blackout from the IRS. That "Where's My Refund" tool has been absolutely useless - just showing "still processing" for over a month with zero indication of what's actually happening or how much longer to expect. It's maddening when you're trying to plan your finances around that refund. What really gets me is how the IRS makes identity verification sound like a simple 2-week process on their website, but then the fine print mentions "up to 9 weeks" for processing afterward. That's a huge difference! Reading everyone's real experiences here (mostly 5-8 weeks total) gives me much more realistic expectations than anything official. I've definitely been guilty of obsessively checking my bank account and the IRS website multiple times a day, but based on what others have shared, it sounds like nothing changes until suddenly everything processes at once. Trying to limit myself to checking once a week now for my own sanity. Really hoping to see some movement soon since I'm getting into that 5-6 week range where approvals seem to start happening. Thanks everyone for being so open about your timelines - it's incredibly helpful to know we're all going through this frustrating waiting game together!

I'm in week 6 after verifying my identity on February 5th, and this entire discussion has been incredibly helpful! Like so many others here, this was my first time getting the verification letter and I initially panicked thinking I'd made some catastrophic error on my return. What's been most frustrating is how the IRS website makes verification sound like a quick, routine step, but then you're potentially stuck waiting 9 weeks with absolutely no meaningful updates. The "Where's My Refund" tool has been showing "still processing" for over a month now, which based on everyone's experiences here seems to be completely normal but feels broken when you're living through it. It's actually somewhat comforting to see how widespread these verification requests have become this year - I've talked to coworkers and friends and it seems like a huge percentage of early filers got hit with this. Clearly the IRS has ramped up their fraud detection systems significantly, which is probably necessary given all the tax scams, but the communication about what to expect could be so much better. Reading through everyone's actual timelines (mostly 5-8 weeks) gives me much more realistic expectations than the vague "up to 9 weeks" on the official website. Since I'm at 6 weeks now, I'm cautiously optimistic I might see some movement soon based on what others have shared. The waiting is definitely stressful when you're budgeting around that refund, but at least now I know this is just unfortunately part of the process right now. Thanks to everyone for being so open about sharing their experiences - it really helps to know we're all suffering through this together!

I'm currently in week 7 after verifying my identity on January 28th, and this thread has been such a sanity saver! Like everyone else here, this was my first verification letter ever and I was convinced I'd somehow filed incorrectly. The complete lack of useful information from the IRS has been maddening - "Where's My Refund" has been stuck on "still processing" for almost two months now with zero indication of progress. Based on everyone's shared experiences, it sounds like this is totally normal but it feels completely broken when you're going through it. What's really struck me is how many people are dealing with this for the first time this year. I've been filing taxes for 15+ years and never had to verify my identity before, but clearly the IRS has significantly increased their fraud detection efforts. It's probably necessary given all the tax-related scams, but the 9-week timeline with no updates is brutal when you're counting on that refund. Reading through all the real timelines shared here (mostly 5-8 weeks) has been way more helpful than anything on the official IRS website. Since I'm at 7 weeks now, I'm really hoping to see movement soon based on what others have experienced. The uncertainty is definitely the hardest part - if they just said "your refund will be processed on April 15th" you could at least plan around it! Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences so openly. It's incredibly reassuring to know we're all navigating this frustrating process together and that the long wait times are unfortunately just the new normal right now.

I'm currently in week 3 after verifying my identity on March 18th, and finding this thread has been such a relief! Like so many others here, this was my first time ever getting the verification letter and I immediately thought I'd made some terrible mistake on my return. What's been most helpful from reading everyone's experiences is understanding that the "Where's My Refund" tool basically becomes useless during this period - I've been checking it daily and getting frustrated by the same "still processing" message, but now I know that's completely normal and it'll probably stay that way until everything suddenly processes at once. It's crazy how widespread these verification requests seem to be this year compared to previous years. I've talked to several people at work and it feels like at least half of us got hit with this. The IRS fraud prevention efforts are probably necessary, but the communication about realistic timelines could definitely be much better than the vague "up to 9 weeks" they mention. Based on all the real timelines shared here (mostly 5-8 weeks), I'm trying to set realistic expectations rather than hoping for a quick resolution. The waiting is definitely stressful when you're budgeting around that refund, but at least now I know I'm not alone in this process and that the long delays are unfortunately just the new normal. Thanks to everyone for being so open about sharing your experiences - it really helps to know what to actually expect during this frustrating waiting period!