Tax Filing Acceptance Time - How long does it normally take for e-filed taxes to get accepted?

The IRS acceptance process has been running slower than usual this year. What you're experiencing isn't uncommon. When your return is first submitted, you get an initial "accepted" notification, which just means the IRS received your electronic filing. The second phase is when they actually process your return and determine if everything is correct. That "we may need more information" message typically means your return is in a verification queue. This can happen for various reasons - identity verification, income verification, or checking claimed credits. The average processing time this year is running 21-30 days, but that "we may need more information" status can extend it. I'd recommend checking the IRS2Go app or the "Where's My Refund" tool every few days. If you haven't received a letter after 6 weeks from filing, it might be worth calling the IRS directly to inquire, though wait times can be lengthy.

I went through something similar last month with the "we may need more information" message. After weeks of checking daily and stressing, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which helped me figure out what was going on. Their AI analyzed my return information and flagged a potential mismatch between what my employer reported and what I entered. The tool also gave me personalized guidance on what to expect with my specific situation. In my case, I didn't need to do anything - the IRS resolved it on their own and my refund was approved about 5 weeks after filing. The taxr.ai service helped me understand why there was a delay instead of just anxiously waiting. Might be worth checking out if you're concerned.

I have to admit I was wrong about taxr.ai! After waiting another week with no updates from the IRS, I decided to give it a try. The system identified that my delay was likely due to a discrepancy with my reported retirement account distribution. Sure enough, two days later I got mail from the IRS asking for documentation on exactly that. The prediction was spot on! I was able to respond promptly instead of wondering what was happening. My refund was approved just 8 days after I sent in the documentation. Definitely saved me from weeks of additional waiting and stress.

After dealing with similar IRS delays last year, I discovered a service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that helped me actually speak to an IRS agent instead of waiting for mail. They basically hold your place in the phone queue and call you when an agent is about to answer. I was skeptical but desperate after waiting 2 months with that "need more information" status. You can see how it works in this demo video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Using Claimyr, I got through to an IRS rep in about 45 minutes instead of the 3+ hours I spent on previous attempts (most of which ended in disconnection). The agent was able to tell me exactly what the issue was and how to resolve it. Much better than waiting for a letter that might take weeks to arrive!

OK I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After another week of getting nowhere with the IRS website, I tried the service. It actually works exactly as described. I got a call back after about 90 minutes (which is WAY better than the 3+ hours I spent last time trying to reach someone). The IRS agent told me they needed verification of my identity because my husband filed with a different service than last year. They hadn't even sent the letter yet! I was able to verify everything over the phone and they removed the hold immediately. My refund was approved two days later. Would have been weeks more of waiting if I hadn't called.

Did you check if your husband had any outstanding debts that might be offsetting his refund? My brother had his refund held up because of an old student loan debt he didn't even know about. The "we need more information" message sometimes appears when they're planning to take your refund for debt repayment.

If your return was accepted but now says "we may need more information," check if you claimed any of these credits, as they often trigger additional review: - Earned Income Tax Credit - Child Tax Credit - American Opportunity Credit - Premium Tax Credit (for health insurance) My return was held up last year because of EITC verification. Took almost 8 weeks total but eventually processed without me needing to do anything.

I'm going through almost the exact same situation! Filed through FreeTaxUSA about 5 weeks ago, got the initial acceptance, then that dreaded "we may need more information" message appeared. Haven't received any mail yet either. Reading through these comments has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the identity verification delays when switching from a professional preparer to self-filing. That's probably exactly what's happening since we used H&R Block last year. The 21-30 day processing time Brandon mentioned gives me some peace of mind that we're still within normal range, even if it feels like forever when you're counting on that refund. Going to check out that Treasury Offset Program number Axel mentioned just to rule out any debt issues, and might try the taxr.ai tool if we don't hear anything in another week or two. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - makes me feel a lot less alone in this waiting game!