Filed 2/16 - ID Verification for State Taxes - Does it Affect Federal Processing?

State and federal tax systems operate independently. ID verification requirements for your state return have no direct impact on federal processing. Your federal return with code 152 is simply in normal processing. States have different verification triggers based on their own fraud prevention systems, and these change yearly. The timing is coincidental, not suspicious.

I went through this exact same situation last year - state verification but federal was processing normally. It's like when you update your address with the post office but still need to update it separately with your bank. I was completely confused by all the transcript codes until I used https://taxr.ai to analyze my federal transcript. Unlike the generic IRS descriptions, it explained exactly what each code meant for MY specific situation and gave me a much clearer timeline. Way better than trying to decode the WMR tool, which is about as helpful as a weather app that just says "weather happening today."

This happened to me in 2023 and I spent approximately 8,000 years on hold trying to reach someone at the state tax office to verify my ID. 😂 Meanwhile my federal return was stuck in processing purgatory. I finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get through to an IRS agent and found out my federal return was completely fine - just slow processing. Saved me hours of redial hell! I was convinced the state issue was affecting my federal return, but turns out they really are separate systems, who knew?

I had almost the identical experience last year! My state suddenly wanted verification after years of just taking my refund for back taxes. I was also suspicious about the timing. When I finally got through to someone, they explained that they had implemented a new verification system that flags returns based on different criteria each year. Did you get a letter from your state tax agency explaining what documents they need for verification? In my case, once I submitted everything, my state refund was processed within about 10 days. Federal continued processing normally the whole time.

If you need to get this resolved quickly, here's what to do: 1. Check your state tax website immediately for their verification requirements 2. Gather all requested documents (usually ID, SS card, W-2s) 3. Submit verification ASAP through their portal if available 4. Call your state tax office first thing tomorrow morning if no portal exists 5. Continue monitoring your federal return separately through WMR 6. Check for IRS transcript updates every Thursday morning Don't wait on this - state verification deadlines can be strict and missing them can delay your refund by months!

Think of your tax returns like checking into two different hotels on the same trip. Just because one hotel asks for extra ID doesn't mean the other one will. The state verification is like getting flagged for a random security check at the airport - it doesn't mean there's anything wrong, just that you got selected by their system. I wouldn't worry about your federal return being affected unless you get a separate notice from the IRS.

I experienced the same situation during the 2023 filing season. The state Department of Revenue implemented enhanced verification protocols due to increased identity theft attempts. Your federal return with TC 152 is still in the standard processing queue within the IRS Master File system. According to the current IRS processing timeline, non-complex returns filed in mid-February should complete processing by approximately March 9-15, assuming no additional review flags are triggered. The state verification requirement is completely separate from federal processing parameters.

Be careful with assuming this is a coincidence. Under IRC §6103(d), states and the IRS can share taxpayer information for tax administration purposes. While the verification processes are separate, if your state finds discrepancies during their verification, they may report this to the IRS, potentially triggering additional federal scrutiny. I've seen this happen to clients where state verification issues led to federal delays of 8+ weeks. Document everything and respond promptly to any verification requests to minimize potential delays.