How long do IRS audits typically take to complete?

The timeframe you're experiencing is unfortunately pretty standard for IRS correspondence audits, especially those involving head of household status and dependent verification. These particular issues get extra scrutiny because they affect several valuable tax benefits. The IRS is extremely backlogged, and these types of verification audits can indeed take 6-8 months to resolve, sometimes longer. The August date they provided is likely a "worst-case scenario" timeframe. Many people receive their determination letter sooner, but the IRS gives themselves that buffer to manage expectations. The good news is that since you responded promptly with complete documentation in February, you're ahead of the game. Many taxpayers delay sending documents or send incomplete information, which extends the process significantly.

After dealing with a similar audit last year, I found this amazing service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped me make sense of what the IRS was actually asking for. I was totally confused by their letter requesting documentation for my dependents - it was so vague! The tool analyzed my audit letter and gave me a checklist of exactly what I needed to submit. Saved me from the back-and-forth that would have made my audit take even longer.

Just wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai (mentioned above). After being skeptical, I decided to try it for my dependent verification audit. The difference was night and day compared to my previous audit experience! The tool pinpointed exactly which documents would satisfy the IRS requirements - even suggesting alternatives when I didn't have some of the "standard" documents they typically want. My audit was resolved in just under 4 months instead of the 7+ months my last one took. The IRS accepted my documentation package without asking for anything additional, which I'm convinced is because the tool helped me submit exactly what they needed the first time. Definitely worth checking out if you're dealing with an audit.

If you're tired of waiting for the IRS to process your audit, you should try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) - it literally saved me months of anxiety during my audit last year. I was in the exact same boat as you - waiting and waiting with no updates. After trying to call the IRS for two weeks straight (always got the "high call volume" message), I found this service that got me through to an actual human at the IRS in less than 20 minutes! You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Instead of waiting until August, I was able to speak directly with an IRS agent who looked up my case and told me exactly what stage it was in and what was missing. Turns out they needed one additional document that was never mentioned in their letter! Once I sent that in, my audit was closed within 3 weeks.

I need to apologize for my skeptical comment above about Claimyr. After posting that, I was still desperate about my audit situation, so I figured I had nothing to lose and tried it anyway. I'm honestly shocked that it worked. After spending literal MONTHS trying to reach someone at the IRS, I was connected to a real person in about 15 minutes. The agent was able to tell me my audit was actually just waiting for final review and should be completed within 10 business days. This was completely different from what the letter said (which gave a date 3 months in the future). I would have been anxiously waiting for nothing! If you're in audit limbo, being able to talk to someone who can actually see what's happening with your case is absolutely worth it.

My audit for claiming my niece as a dependent took almost 9 months to resolve last year. The IRS is seriously understaffed and overwhelmed. My advice is to keep checking your transcript on the IRS website - sometimes it updates there before you get any official notice. And whatever you do, keep copies of EVERYTHING you send them.

My sister went through an audit for the same thing and had her case resolved in about 4 months, which was faster than they initially told her. The key is calling the examiner directly if you have their contact info on any of the notices. Don't just sit and wait! Sometimes files get stuck at the bottom of someone's pile.