FINALLY completed identity verification after 4 transfers and 1hr 45min on phone!

I went through almost the exact same nightmare last month! Called at 7:15am thinking I'd get through quickly, but ended up spending 2 hours and talking to 4 different people. The verification process is unnecessarily complex this year because of the enhanced fraud prevention protocols they implemented in January. I noticed that if you call earlier in the week (Mon-Wed), you tend to get more experienced agents who know the verification override procedures. Friday agents seemed more likely to stick to the script about waiting for letters. Once verified, my refund hit my account exactly 9 days later - which was actually faster than I expected based on the DDD timeline in my transcript.

So glad you got through! I'm in the same boat but haven't called yet. Few questions: • Did they ask for specific documents during the call? • What information from your 2019 return did they need? • Did they give you any confirmation number? • How long did they say until your refund processes?

I was in EXACTLY your situation last week - no letter, no notifications, just a processing delay. Spent 3 days trying to get through on the regular IRS line with no success (kept getting disconnected after 30+ minutes on hold). Finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and got connected to an IRS agent in under 20 minutes! The Identity Verification department was able to complete everything over the phone. The $20 I spent saved me literal days of frustration and probably hours of lost wages from missing work to make these calls. My refund status updated to approved just yesterday!

I had an almost identical experience on March 14th! Called at 7:30am and finally finished at 9:20am. The rep needed information from my 2020 return specifically, and I had to confirm the exact date I filed (March 2, 2021). What surprised me was they asked for my current employer's EIN and my exact income from January 2024. The verification specialist told me they're being extra cautious this year because of the 27% increase in identity theft attempts. My refund hit my account on March 23rd - exactly 9 days after verification.

After going through verification last week, I used taxr.ai to analyze my transcript and understand what was happening behind the scenes. It showed me exactly which verification codes were on my account and explained that the 971 notice followed by code 290 meant my verification was successful. The timeline prediction was spot-on - said I'd see movement in 7-10 days, and my transcript updated on day 8. Have you checked if your transcript has updated since your verification call? Did they mention how long the post-verification processing might take?

According to IRM 21.5.6.4.35.3 (Identity Verification Program), once you've completed verification, your return should resume processing within 9 business days. If you verified today, you should see transcript updates by approximately April 5th. The Taxpayer Protection Program guidelines were updated in January 2024 to allow phone verification without letters in certain circumstances, which is why that rep was able to help you. I'd recommend checking your account transcript every 2-3 days rather than WMR, as the transcript will show processing movement sooner.

I successfully navigated this exact situation in February! Here's what happened after verification: Step 1: Day 1-2: No visible changes in system Step 2: Day 3: Transcript showed code 971 (notice issued) Step 3: Day 5: Code 290 appeared (verification complete) Step 4: Day 7: Processing date updated Step 5: Day 8: DDD (direct deposit date) assigned Step 6: Day 10: Money in my account I'm concerned that people don't realize verification is just the first step. The system still needs to process your return after identity is confirmed. If you claimed certain credits, the Path Act might add additional waiting time regardless of when you verified.

Congrats on getting thru! The ID verify process this yr is brutal. FWIW, I've helped about 30 ppl in this sub with similar issues. The key thing you did right was being persistent about not needing a letter. The IRS actually updated their internal procedures (IRM 25.25.6.1) in Jan to allow phone verification w/o letters, but many reps haven't been trained on it. For anyone else stuck: call right at 7am ET, ask specifically for TPP dept (Taxpayer Protection Program), and have ALL tax docs from last 3 yrs ready. Refunds typically process 9-14 days after successful verification.

I'm so happy you got this resolved! The emotional toll of these verification issues is something the IRS doesn't seem to understand. Did they explain why you were selected for verification in the first place? I'm wondering if there are specific triggers we should all be aware of to avoid this next year. Also, did they give you any specific timeframe for when your refund might be processed now that verification is complete?