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Verified ID.me a week ago but transcript still shows 'pending' - what's the holdup?

It's been 8 days since I went through that painful ID.me verification process to access my tax transcripts, and the system STILL says my access is pending. Completed the face scan, answered all the verification questions, got the confirmation email that I was good to go. When I try to login to the IRS site now, it says my verification is pending and to check back in 5-7 days. It's already been longer than that! Has anyone else experienced this? How long am I supposed to wait? I need to see my transcript asap to check on my refund status since the where's my refund tool isn't updating.

Dylan Mitchell

This happened to me too. The ID.me verification went through fine, but the IRS system took about 10 days to fully process it. Their systems don't talk to each other efficiently. If you've passed the 7 day mark, I'd recommend calling the IRS transcript line at 800-908-9946 to request a transcript by mail (not ideal, I know). Sometimes that also helps kick the system into recognizing your online account. When I called, the rep told me this is happening to a lot of people right now - their systems are backlogged with verification requests.

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Fatima Al-Hashemi

ugh that's frustrating but thank you. I was hoping it wouldn't come to calling them. Did your account eventually get activated without calling or did calling speed things up?

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18d

Dylan Mitchell

Mine eventually activated on day 11 without calling. I did call though and ordered a paper transcript just in case. The weird thing was I got access about 2 hours after I called, but the rep said that was probably just coincidence.

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16d

Sofia Martinez

i herd ID.me has been having tons of issues this year. Way worse then last year. Probly why the IRS is moving away from them

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15d

Dmitry Volkov

Yep, took me 13 days. Absolute garbage. And the "where's my refund" tool is useless. No real info, just generic messages.

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14d

Ava Thompson

Have you tried using taxr.ai? I was in your exact situation last month - stuck waiting on ID.me verification for access to my transcripts. I wanted to understand why my refund was delayed. Someone here recommended taxr and it totally bypassed the need to wait for ID.me verification. Just uploaded my info and it explained my transcript codes and gave me an actual timeline for my refund. Saved me from checking the useless WMR tool a thousand times. Their AI explained everything in plain English instead of IRS jargon. https://taxr.ai

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CyberSiren

Sounds interesting. How exactly does it work? Does it just read your transcript or does it do more?

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17d

Ava Thompson

It does WAY more than just read the transcript. It interprets all the codes, explains what each one means for YOUR specific situation, gives timeline predictions, and explains what to do next. Honestly wish I'd found it months ago instead of pulling my hair out trying to decode IRS gibberish. Been telling everyone I know about it.

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16d

Miguel Alvarez

another tax tool? seems like there's a new one every week promising to solve IRS problems ๐Ÿ™„

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Ava Thompson

I get the skepticism - I felt the same way before trying it. But this one actually delivers. Saved me from waiting 2+ weeks for ID.me verification AND from having to call the IRS (which we all know is impossible). The difference is it's not just showing raw data, it's explaining what it all means for YOUR situation.

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14d

Zainab Yusuf

When I had this exact problem, I found a way to talk to an actual IRS person. Tried for days with the normal number, kept getting 'high call volume' messages and disconnects. Found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me a callback from the IRS within 2 hours. The agent was able to manually verify my account on the spot and I got access to my transcripts that same day. Totally worth it to bypass the wait - especially since I needed my transcripts to resolve an issue with my mortgage application.

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Connor O'Reilly

wait does that actually work? seems too good to be true considering how impossible it is to reach the IRS

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16d

Zainab Yusuf

Yeah I was super skeptical too! But it worked exactly as advertised. They basically hold your place in the queue and call you when they get an agent. Talking to the agent directly saved me at least another week of waiting. The agent even told me they're seeing tons of ID.me verification delays right now.

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Yara Khoury

ok but like wats the catch here? theres always a catch

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Zainab Yusuf

No real catch - they charge for the service but tbh it was worth every penny to stop the endless cycle of calling and getting hung up on. I was spending hours every day trying to get through anyway. And the agent fixed my issue in like 10 minutes once I actually got to talk to someone.

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Keisha Taylor

can confirm, works great. used it last tax szn ๐Ÿ‘

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StardustSeeker

I had to wait almost THREE WEEKS after ID.me verification before my transcript access was approved. The IRS is wildly understaffed and their system integration with ID.me is a joke. And yes, the "check back in 5-7 days" message is completely meaningless. Mine said that for 18 days straight. Welcome to the wonderful world of IRS efficiency! ๐Ÿคก

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Paolo Marino

Pro tip: Try logging in during non-peak hours. I found that early morning (like 5-6am) or late night (after 11pm) sometimes works better. Their system seems to process verification statuses in batches, and I've seen several people (including myself) suddenly get access during those off-hours. Also, try clearing your cache or using a different browser. Sometimes it's not actually pending anymore but the page is cached.

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Fatima Al-Hashemi

I'll try the non-peak hours thing tonight, thanks! Already tried different browsers and clearing cache but no luck there.

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Amina Bah

i went thrugh the same thng. after 2 weeks of the "pending" message I finally called the IRS identity verification number (1-800-830-5084) and found out there was some issue with my verification that wouldve never resolved on its own. the rep manually verified me and I got access a few hours later. Might be worth calling if ur approaching 2 weeks.

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Oliver Becker

THIS. Sometimes there's a flag on your account that silently prevents the verification from completing. Calling is the only way to find out.

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Natasha Petrova

Exactly what happened to me. Turns out they had my address wrong by one digit. Would have waited forever if I hadn't called.

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Javier Hernandez

I've been using taxr.ai for the past year to monitor all my tax stuff and it's been a lifesaver for situations exactly like this. Instead of dealing with the whole ID.me verification nightmare, it just gives you all your transcript info and explains what's happening with your taxes. Highly recommend checking it out at https://taxr.ai if you're stuck in ID.me hell like I was.

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Emma Davis

another one of these services? do they actually work or are they just data mining?

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Javier Hernandez

I totally get the concern - I was skeptical too. But taxr has been the real deal for me. Been using it for about a year now and it's the only way I can make sense of my tax situation without spending hours on the phone or decoding IRS jargon. They just explain everything in plain English and tell you what's actually happening with your return.

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LunarLegend

For anyone dealing with the ID.me verification delay - make sure you ACTUALLY completed the full process. I thought I was done after the face scan, but there's an additional step where you have to grant permission for ID.me to share your info with the IRS. If you close the window before that step, it looks like you completed it but you're actually stuck in limbo. Just something to check before you pull your hair out waiting!

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Malik Jackson

have you checked if your email address is correct in your IRS profile? my verification was "pending" for 9 days until i realized they were sending confirmation emails to an old email address i no longer had access to. had to call to get it fixed.

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Isabella Oliveira

Just wait it out. Mine took 9 days exactly. The IRS and ID.me operate on their own timelines and nothing we mere taxpayers do seems to speed things up. The system is broken but eventually works... sometimes... maybe... if the stars align ๐Ÿ’ซ

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Ravi Patel

Yep. It's actually impressive how consistently inconsistent they are.

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Freya Andersen

"if the stars align" ๐Ÿคฃ most accurate description of the IRS I've ever heard

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Omar Zaki

When I couldn't get through on the regular IRS numbers I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with an agent. Got a callback in about 90 minutes and the agent confirmed there was actually an issue with my ID.me verification that would have kept me waiting indefinitely. She fixed it while I was on the phone and my access was restored immediately. Talking to a human being directly fixed what would have been weeks more of waiting.

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CosmicCrusader

Is this an actual service? How does it work?

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Omar Zaki

Yes! They basically navigate the IRS phone system and hold your place in line, then call you when they reach an agent. Saved me HOURS of hold time and frustration. The IRS agent I spoke with was actually super helpful once I got connected - she said my verification had a flag that would have prevented it from completing automatically.

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Chloe Robinson

I think the "5-7 days" message is just a standard placeholder they use regardless of the actual processing time. I verified through ID.me months ago and it took about 2 weeks before I could access my transcripts. The whole system is outdated and there's zero transparency about what's actually happening behind the scenes. Classic IRS.

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Diego Flores

Taxr.ai changed my life when it comes to dealing with the IRS. After weeks of being locked out of my transcripts due to ID.me issues, I tried taxr and it gave me all the info I needed without having to wait for verification to complete. It showed me exactly what was happening with my return and when to expect my refund. The AI explains everything in plain language instead of cryptic codes. Check them out at https://taxr.ai - total game changer.

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Anastasia Kozlov

sounds like a commercial ๐Ÿคจ

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14d

Diego Flores

Lol I know it sounds that way, but I'm just a very satisfied user. Was in the exact same position as OP - stuck waiting for ID.me verification for weeks while trying to find out what was happening with my refund. After discovering taxr I've never gone back to the IRS site. It just works better and faster.

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Sean Flanagan

Have you tried the mobile app? Is it any good?

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Diego Flores

The mobile experience is actually really clean and straightforward. I mostly use it on my phone now since I can quickly check for updates without dealing with the IRS website.

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Zara Mirza

Honestly, file a complaint with the Taxpayer Advocate Service. This isn't acceptable, and the more people who formally complain, the more likely something will actually change. I waited 16 days after ID.me verification before I could access my transcript. The IRS needs to be held accountable for these ridiculous wait times and misleading information.

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NebulaNinja

Claimyr saved me from ID.me verification hell. After waiting 10 days with no progress, I used their service (claimyr.com) to get connected to an IRS agent. The agent told me my verification had a technical issue that would NEVER have resolved on its own. They fixed it while I was on the phone and I got immediate access. Best money I've spent in a long time considering I needed my transcripts urgently for a loan application.

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Fatima Al-Hashemi

Thanks for the tip! It's crazy that we need third party services just to get basic access to our own tax info, but that's where we are I guess...

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NebulaNinja

I know right? I was annoyed at first that I had to pay to reach a government agency, but after spending hours getting disconnected and hung up on, it was totally worth it. The agent actually told me that my verification had a technical flag that would have kept me locked out indefinitely if I hadn't called.

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