ID Verification In Person - What's the Process Like?

I had to do this last month and it wasn't nearly as bad as I feared! 😅 The key is making an appointment through the IRS website - DO NOT just show up! Bring your photo ID, social security card, and the letter they sent you. The actual verification took maybe 15 minutes once I was called in. The agent was super nice and just asked a few questions to confirm I was really me. My WMR updated within 3 days and my refund was deposited about a week later! Trust me, it's way less stressful than it seems!

Think of ID verification like airport security - seems scary but it's just a process. I've been through it twice now. The questions are basic identity confirmation, nothing tricky. Like checking if you're the right person in the right seat on the plane before takeoff. After my verification, I wanted to understand what was happening with my transcript. Used https://taxr.ai to decode all those weird codes and cycle dates. It's like having a translator for IRS-speak. Showed me exactly what stage my return was in and predicted my refund date within 2 days of actual deposit. Much better than staring at WMR wondering what "still processing" actually means.

I work in tax preparation and had to go through this myself last year. The in-person verification is actually pretty straightforward. I brought my driver's license, social security card, and the letter they sent me. The appointment took about 25 minutes total. Here's what happened with my timeline: Verified on a Tuesday, transcript updated Friday, refund the following Wednesday. One thing I recommend - if you're having trouble getting an appointment (they're often booked weeks out), I used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to reach an IRS agent directly. They got me connected in about 15 minutes when I'd been trying for days. The agent was able to schedule me for an in-person appointment much sooner than what was showing online.

Did this last month and it was def better than expected. Brought DL, SS card, passport (overkill but w/e), 2 utility bills, and the letter. Appt took like 30 min total. WMR updated after 4 days but tbh it still showed processing for another week. Transcript updated faster tho - saw the 971 code disappear and got a DDD 2 days later. Pro tip: take screenshots of WMR and transcripts before you go in. Makes it easier to track changes after.

Curious about a few things from people who've done this: • How far in advance did you have to schedule the appointment? • Did you have to go to a specific office or can you choose any IRS location? • For married filing jointly returns, do both spouses need to verify? • How long after verification until you got your refund? My appointment is next Tuesday and I'm trying to plan accordingly.

Did this two weeks ago. Not complicated. Make appointment first. Bring two forms of ID. Letter is required. They'll ask basic questions. Mostly from your tax return. Nothing tricky. My transcript updated three days later. Refund came five days after that. Whole process was efficient. Don't stress about it.

I went through this process last month and it was much easier than I expected. Here's what happened: Step 1: Called the number on the letter to schedule an appointment (took about 20 minutes on hold) Step 2: Arrived 15 minutes early with my driver's license, social security card, and the letter Step 3: Waited about 10 minutes past my appointment time Step 4: Met with an agent who verified my ID and asked basic questions about my return Step 5: Got confirmation that my identity was verified Step 6: My WMR updated 4 days later Step 7: Received my refund 8 days after verification I was so relieved when it was over! The anticipation was much worse than the actual appointment.