Had to Verify Identity in Person - IRS Says 9 Week Wait for Refund?

What was the specific reason they asked you to verify? Was it identity verification (ID Verify) or was it for income/deduction verification? Those are two different processes with different timeframes. Also, did they give you any paperwork with a specific timeframe mentioned?

OMG I had to do this last month. They told me 9 wks too but I got my $$ in abt 4 wks. Def not as fast as normal returns but way faster than they said. Keep an eye on ur transcript if u can access it - mine updated w/ an 846 code b4 WMR showed anything. Fingers crossed u get urs soon! IDK why they always give the worst case scenario timeline.

I went through this exact mess last year. Took me 7 weeks to get my refund after verifying in person, and I needed that money for rent! After waiting 3 weeks with no updates, I used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) to actually get through to an IRS agent. Waited 15 minutes instead of 3+ hours on hold. The agent confirmed my verification was processed and gave me an actual timeline instead of the vague "9 weeks" answer. Cost me $25 but saved my sanity and helped me plan better.

I completed my in-person verification on February 22nd this year and received my refund on March 18th. Here's exactly what happened: 1. Got letter 5071C on February 15th 2. Made appointment at local office for February 22nd 3. Brought two forms of ID and my tax documents 4. Verification took exactly 15 minutes 5. Transcript updated with code 570 on March 8th 6. Code changed to 846 on March 15th 7. Money in my account March 18th So it took 24 days total from verification to refund. The 9 weeks is definitely their worst-case scenario.

Think of the IRS like an old computer that needs time to boot up. They give you 9 weeks because that's like saying "your download will take 45 minutes" when it might only take 15. I had to verify last year and they told me 9 weeks, but my experience was more like watching paint dry in a sauna - surprisingly quick! However, my brother had the same verification and his took the full 9 weeks. It's like the IRS is playing refund roulette with verification cases.

The 9-week timeframe is deliberately exaggerated. In FY2023, the average post-verification processing time was 32.7 days (4.7 weeks), with 72.4% of verified returns processed within 6 weeks. Only 11.6% actually took the full 9 weeks or longer. The IRS builds in a buffer because certain verification types (particularly those involving EIC, ACTC, or Schedule C income) can take longer due to additional review cycles. Your filing status change to HOH after divorce won't typically cause additional delays once your identity is verified.

Has anyone checked your transcript for you yet? I'm so worried for you because waiting for money after a divorce is SO stressful! 😫 I went through something similar and checking my transcript daily was both helpful and anxiety-inducing. Did they say anything about why you needed to verify in person vs. online?