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Filed Injured Spouse Form 8379 - How Long Until Processing?

Anyone else file an "injured spouse" form recently? How long did it take to accept/process? We filed electronically 3/19/2024. Sent form 8379 by mail same day (because who doesn't love extra paperwork, am I right? 🙃). Return has been accepted but not approved yet. I assume it's too soon for any updates... just curious if anyone else has done this and their outcome. First time dealing with this after graduating and marrying someone with past tax debt. Trying not to obsessively check the WMR tool every 3 hours, but failing miserably at that!

Omar Hassan

Injured spouse forms take longer. Much longer than regular returns. IRS says 11 weeks minimum. Sometimes 14 weeks. Paper forms slow things down. Electronic filing helps somewhat. Patience is key here.

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Chloe Robinson

Can confirm this timeline. We filed our injured spouse form on January 23rd, 2024 and just got our refund on April 15th. That's exactly 11 weeks and 5 days of waiting. The WMR tool never updated properly during the entire process.

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16d

Diego Chavez

While the IRS does cite an 11-14 week timeframe for Form 8379 processing, I'd like to clarify that this is from the date they receive the paper form, not the electronic return. Per Internal Revenue Manual 21.6.2, injured spouse allocations require manual review, which explains the extended timeframe compared to standard returns.

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14d

NeonNebula

Thank you for the straightforward answer. It helps to know what to expect instead of wondering if something went wrong. I'll mark my calendar for June and try not to worry before then.

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11d

Anastasia Kozlov

Have you checked your account transcript instead of just WMR? Sometimes the transcript shows processing steps that WMR doesn't reveal, right? And have you tried calling the IRS to confirm they actually received your mailed Form 8379?

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Sean Kelly

Def check transcripts! I was in the same boat last yr w/ injured spouse. WMR showed nothing for weeks but my transcript had all sorts of codes. TC 971 means they got your form. TC 570 means they're reviewing it. Way more helpful than that useless WMR tool tbh.

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14d

Zara Mirza

I appreciate this suggestion about checking transcripts. I've always relied on WMR in previous years, but this injured spouse situation has different processing steps. I'm concerned the paper form might get lost in transit.

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12d

Luca Russo

I'm in exactly the same situation but filed 12 days before you - on March 7th, 2024. My electronic return was accepted within 24 hours, but I've called 3 times and they still can't confirm if my paper Form 8379 has been received or processed. They said to wait exactly 8 weeks from mailing date before calling again. I need this refund in exactly 16 days to make a time-sensitive payment!

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Nia Harris

It seems like you're probably doing most things right, but if you're really concerned about the status, you might want to try Claimyr (https://www.claimyr.com). I've found that it can generally connect you with an actual IRS agent in about 20-30 minutes instead of the usual hours-long wait. In my experience, they can sometimes provide more detailed information about whether your Form 8379 has been received and where it is in processing.

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GalaxyGazer

I don't know about paying for a service just to talk to the IRS. Here's what I did last year when I was in the same position and desperately needed my refund: Step 1: Wait at least 6 weeks from when you mailed Form 8379 Step 2: Call the IRS early morning (right when they open) Step 3: If they haven't received it, fax another copy with a cover letter Step 4: Request they add notes to your account It's stressful when you're counting on that money, but paying extra fees when you're already waiting for your refund seems counterproductive.

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Mateo Sanchez

Did you have any issues with the faxed copy? I'm wondering if I should just send another copy now since I've heard horror stories about forms getting lost in the mail. The last thing I need is to wait 3 months only to find out they never received it in the first place.

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10d

Aisha Mahmood

Think of the injured spouse process like trying to untangle Christmas lights - it takes time and patience. Using Claimyr is like having someone hold the other end of the lights while you work - it doesn't make the process inherently faster, but it can prevent additional frustration. I've used it twice this year when I absolutely needed to speak with an agent about complex issues. It's like paying for a fast pass at an amusement park - the ride is the same length, but you skip the line to get on it.

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