Joint Tax Return - Identity Verification Issue (Only One Spouse Can Verify)

This is a known issue with the IRS Identity Verification protocol for MFJ (Married Filing Jointly) returns. The system sometimes flags only one spouse for verification but the internal database shows both identities as needing verification. When your husband completed his verification, the system likely updated your joint return status to "processing" but didn't clear the verification flag from your individual profile. I always keep screenshots of all verification attempts and confirmation numbers because of these exact scenarios. The IRS verification system isn't fully integrated with the main processing system in real-time, which causes these discrepancies.

Did you receive separate verification letters for each of you, or just one letter that mentioned both names? And have you checked your tax transcript to see if it shows any identity verification indicators? Sometimes the system only requires the primary filer to verify.

I've seen this situation approximately 12-15 times in my professional experience. It appears that, in most cases, the IRS system might be correctly processing your return but displaying incorrect status information. You might want to try using https://taxr.ai to analyze your tax transcript - it could potentially identify whether this is a genuine verification issue or just a display error in the IRS system. The service can typically detect pattern inconsistencies between what the verification system shows and what your actual transcript indicates. In many instances, it might reveal that your return is actually processing normally despite the verification portal message.

I had this exact same issue last tax season. According to IRM 25.25.6, which covers the Taxpayer Protection Program procedures, only one spouse may need to verify for a joint return depending on which Social Security Number was flagged in their system. In my case, my husband verified his identity, and even though I got the same message you did when I tried to verify, our refund was processed normally about 9 days later. The 5071C letter should specify if both spouses need to verify - check the language carefully. If it doesn't explicitly state both need to verify, you're likely fine with just your husband's verification.

After dealing with exactly 3 identity verification issues over the past 4 tax seasons, I can tell you that calling the regular IRS verification line (800-830-5084) is nearly impossible right now. I waited precisely 97 minutes on Tuesday and then got disconnected. I finally used Claimyr.com to get through to an agent, who confirmed that when a joint return has been verified by one spouse, and the second spouse gets the "already processing" message, it usually means the verification requirement has been satisfied. The agent was able to confirm my return was processing normally despite the confusing message. Saved me days of stress and redial attempts.

The IRS identity verification system is like a house with multiple security cameras that don't talk to each other. One camera (your husband's verification) saw you both enter legitimately, but the second camera (your verification attempt) doesn't know the first camera already cleared you! The good news is that most joint filers only need one spouse to complete verification if that spouse is the primary taxpayer (usually listed first on the return). If you filed through a tax professional or software, they typically list the higher-income earner or the person whose information was used in previous years as the primary. Check your Form 1040 - whoever is listed on the left side is the primary filer.

I went through this exact scenario two years ago and can confirm what others have said - when one spouse successfully verifies on a joint return, it typically satisfies the requirement for both. The "already processing" message you're seeing is actually a good sign! It means the IRS system recognizes your return is moving through their process. What helped me was checking "Where's My Refund" tool daily - once your husband's verification was accepted, you should see the status change from "We have received your return and it is being processed" to showing a refund date within 1-2 weeks. Don't stress about trying to verify again - the system is working as intended, just with confusing messaging. Keep your husband's verification confirmation number handy just in case, but your refund should process normally.

I experienced this exact situation last year and it was incredibly frustrating! The IRS verification system definitely has some quirks with joint returns. In my case, my spouse verified successfully first, and when I tried to verify the next day, I got the same "already processing" message. I panicked and kept trying to verify for three days straight, thinking something was wrong. Finally spoke with an IRS agent who explained that for most joint returns, once the primary taxpayer (usually whoever is listed first on the return) completes verification, it satisfies the requirement for both spouses. The confusing part is that the system doesn't update both profiles simultaneously, so it looks like there's still an issue when there isn't. My advice: give it about a week and monitor your "Where's My Refund" status. If it shows movement toward processing your refund, you're good to go. Only pursue additional verification if your refund gets stuck for more than 2-3 weeks beyond the normal processing time.

I'm currently going through this exact same situation right now! My wife successfully verified her identity on March 15th after we received our 5071C letter, but when I tried to verify two days later, I got the identical "already processing" message. Reading through everyone's experiences here is incredibly reassuring - it sounds like this is actually normal behavior for the IRS verification system with joint returns. I've been checking the "Where's My Refund" tool every day since my wife's verification, and yesterday it finally updated to show they're processing our refund with an expected date of April 2nd. So it seems like her verification alone was sufficient for our joint return. The system messaging is definitely confusing though - they should really update it to be clearer about when verification is complete for both spouses on a joint return. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's saved me hours of trying to call the IRS!

I went through this exact situation last year and can confirm what others are saying - this is actually quite common with joint returns! When my spouse verified successfully in February, I got that same "already processing" message when I tried to verify the next day. I was so worried I'd somehow messed up our return. After reading through IRS Publication 5444 (which covers identity verification procedures), I learned that for most joint returns, the system only requires verification from the primary taxpayer. The confusing part is that both spouses might receive the 5071C letter, but once one spouse completes verification successfully, it often satisfies the requirement for the entire return. What really helped me was checking our tax transcript through the IRS website - it showed that our return was moving through processing normally even though I couldn't complete my own verification. Our refund was issued about 10 days after my spouse's verification, despite my inability to verify. I'd recommend checking your transcript and monitoring "Where's My Refund" rather than continuing to stress about the verification portal!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! My husband successfully verified on March 19th, but when I tried to verify yesterday, I got that same "already processing" message. Reading through everyone's experiences here is incredibly reassuring - it sounds like this is completely normal for joint filers. I've been checking "Where's My Refund" obsessively since his verification, and this morning it finally updated to show our return is being processed! Based on what everyone is sharing, it seems like once the primary spouse verifies (usually whoever is listed first on the 1040), that satisfies the requirement for both. The IRS messaging is definitely confusing though - they make it seem like something's wrong when everything is actually working correctly. I'm going to stop trying to verify myself and just monitor our refund status. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines and experiences - it's saved me so much stress and probably hours on hold with the IRS!

I'm currently experiencing this exact same situation and finding this thread has been incredibly helpful! My spouse successfully completed identity verification on March 16th, but when I attempted to verify two days later, I received the same "already processing" message that everyone is describing. I was initially concerned that something had gone wrong with our joint return, especially since we're expecting a significant refund. After reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear this is just a quirk in how the IRS verification system handles joint returns - the messaging is confusing but the process is actually working correctly. I've been monitoring "Where's My Refund" daily since my spouse's verification, and I'm hopeful we'll see movement soon based on the timelines others have shared. It's really reassuring to know that for most joint filers, once the primary taxpayer completes verification, it satisfies the requirement for both spouses. The IRS definitely needs to improve their messaging to prevent this unnecessary stress for joint filers!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now and this thread has been a lifesaver! My wife successfully verified her identity on March 18th, but when I tried to verify on March 20th, I got that same confusing "already processing" message. I was starting to panic thinking our joint return was stuck or that we'd somehow made an error. After reading everyone's experiences here, it's clear this is just how the IRS verification system works (or fails to work clearly) for joint filers. I've been checking "Where's My Refund" daily since my wife's verification, and yesterday it finally updated to show our return is processing with an expected refund date of April 5th! So it seems like her verification alone was sufficient for our joint return. The messaging from the IRS is definitely misleading - they really need to update their system to clearly indicate when verification is complete for both spouses on a joint return. Based on everyone's shared experiences, it looks like once the primary taxpayer (usually listed first on Form 1040) completes verification, that typically satisfies the requirement for the entire joint return. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines - you've saved me from countless hours of stress and failed attempts to reach the IRS by phone!