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Sophia Miller

How long after verification should WMR update?

I've been through this process before with previous tax returns, but I'm noticing this year seems different. After going through all the verification steps on my return (triple-checked my forms, confirmed my direct deposit info, etc.), I'm still not seeing any movement on Where's My Refund. Last year, I remember seeing updates within a week, but my return has been accepted for about 10 days now with zero movement. Working remotely has me checking WMR way too often (probably doesn't help!). Anyone know what the normal timeframe is this tax season? I'd really appreciate any insights from folks who've filed recently.

Here's what I've found from tracking my returns over the past few years: 1. First, make sure your return has been ACCEPTED, not just RECEIVED 2. For basic returns with no credits, WMR usually updates within 7-10 days 3. For returns with credits (EITC, CTC), it can take 21+ days 4. Check if your filing included Form 8862 or other verification forms 5. The IRS processing cycles update transcripts on Wednesdays and WMR on weekends Are you claiming any credits this year that you didn't claim before? That could explain the difference from your previous experience...

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Mason Davis

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Accepted on March 2nd. Nothing yet. No credits. No dependents. Simple return. Checked WMR daily. Still on first bar. Transcripts show nothing. Getting anxious. Need this money.

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Based on my professional analysis of the current processing environment, you're experiencing what we call a "verification delay" in the IRS queue. The Submission Processing Center is currently operating at 78% capacity for this filing period, causing longer review times. I'm concerned this could extend your timeline by 2-3 additional weeks beyond standard processing. When I encountered similar delays with clients last month, I utilized Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to connect with an IRS representative after spending hours with busy signals. Their service bypassed the phone queue and got us to an agent who confirmed the returns were simply in the verification queue, not flagged for audit. Might be worth considering if you need definitive status information rather than continuing to check WMR with no updates.

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Jacob Lewis

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Ugh, I'm in the same boat rn. Filed Feb 12, got accepted same day, and WMR hasn't moved AT ALL. Still on the first bar saying "return received" even tho it's been 6 wks! Last yr it took like 10 days max. IDK what's going on w/ the IRS this season but something seems off. Anyone else waiting way longer than usual? Starting to get a lil worried tbh...

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Thanks for sharing. Good to know I'm not alone. Makes me feel better about my situation.

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Ethan Clark

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I'm somewhat relieved to hear others are experiencing similar delays, although it's certainly not ideal for any of us. Your timeline seems particularly concerning, especially compared to previous years.

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Mila Walker

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Per IRS Publication 5344, normal processing time has extended to 21 business days this tax year due to enhanced fraud prevention measures. Your six-week wait falls outside even these extended guidelines though, which might warrant further investigation.

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Logan Scott

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Did you file electronically or by paper? And did you get any confirmation emails after your return was accepted? I'm wondering if there's a pattern with specific filing methods.

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Chloe Green

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Is anyone else sick of checking WMR every day just to see absolutely no changes? Why does the IRS make this process so unnecessarily stressful? Why can't they just give us accurate information instead of these vague status bars? I finally got some clarity by using taxr.ai to analyze my transcript. It actually explained what all those cryptic codes meant and gave me a much clearer picture of where my return was in the process. Isn't it ridiculous that we need third-party tools to understand our own tax information? But at least it helped me stop obsessively checking WMR every few hours.

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Lucas Adams

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Is that site actually legit? Sounds like another service trying to profit off our frustration with the IRS. My experience: • Filed: Feb 15 • Accepted: Same day • WMR updated: March 10 • Refund received: March 15 Patience is free, just saying.

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Harper Hill

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What you're experiencing is actually better than what happened to me last tax season. My return got stuck in verification for 3 months with no movement whatsoever. At least with yours, it's only been 10 days, which is fairly normal compared to the nightmare scenarios I've seen. The path act delays for EITC/CTC claims can hold things up until mid-February, and even simple returns are taking 3-4 weeks this year compared to 1-2 weeks in previous years. The IRS is dealing with staffing shortages similar to what many companies experienced during the pandemic recovery. I appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here - it really helps set realistic expectations.

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Caden Nguyen

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Did you experience any Refund Status Error codes during your delay period? The Technical Processing Delay (TPD) system often flags returns with minor discrepancies between reported income and information returns. Curious if you received any specific notifications during that 3-month wait.

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Avery Flores

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Thank you for sharing this! I've been panicking over my 3-week wait, but hearing about your 3-month situation puts things in perspective. So relieved to know my timeline isn't unusual for this year.

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Zoe Gonzalez

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Filed on January 29th, 2024. Accepted same day. WMR didn't update until February 26th - exactly 28 days later. No special circumstances, no credits, just a plain W-2 return. Called the IRS on February 15th and waited 2.5 hours only to be told "it's still processing, be patient." Got my refund on March 2nd. Seems like the IRS is just moving at glacial speed this year. I'm skeptical of anyone claiming there's a magic solution to speed things up - in my experience, you just have to wait it out.

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Ashley Adams

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It's like waiting for water to boil - it never happens when you're watching! I've found that the years I forget about my refund are the years it shows up fastest. Kind of like how your package always arrives when you're in the shower.

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If you want to get more detailed information than WMR provides, I recommend checking your tax transcript instead. Go to IRS.gov > Get Transcript > Account Transcript for 2023. The transcript shows specific codes and dates that give you much more insight than the basic WMR tool. According to the IRS Operations Status page (https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations), they're currently processing returns received the week of February 26th. If you filed after that, you're still within normal processing timeframes. The IRS.gov site also shows the current call volumes and best times to call if you need to speak with someone directly.

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Aaron Lee

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WMR is notoriously slow to update even when things are moving along just fine behind the scenes. I've had returns where WMR showed nothing right up until the day before the money hit my account! 🤣 This tax season seems particularly sluggish though. The IRS is still dealing with a backlog from previous years plus they've implemented new security measures. For a simple return with no red flags, I'd say 2-3 weeks is now the norm for seeing movement, with another week for the deposit. Hang in there - that money will show up when you least expect it (and probably right after you've given up checking)!

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I'm so stressed about this too! My return was accepted on February 8th and I didn't see ANY movement on WMR until March 1st - that's 22 days of nothing! 😫 When it finally updated, it went straight from "Return Received" to "Refund Approved" and I got my money 3 days later. The whole time I was checking multiple times a day and getting more anxious with each passing day. The IRS is definitely moving slower this year than I've ever seen before!

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Avery Flores

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That's exactly what happened with mine last year! Went from nothing to approved overnight after weeks of checking. Gave me such relief when it finally updated.

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Zoe Walker

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I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed on February 28th, accepted the same day, and it's been radio silence from WMR ever since. I keep telling myself to stop checking it obsessively, but working from home makes it way too easy to refresh that page every few hours. Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually really reassuring - sounds like 2-3 weeks with no movement is pretty normal this year, even for simple returns. I think the IRS is just overwhelmed and moving at their own pace. At least we're all in this waiting game together! Thanks for posting this question because I was starting to wonder if something was wrong with my return.

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