Verified Online and By Phone - How Long Should Refund Wait Actually Be?

Tbh there's no standard wait time after verification. IRS is all over the place rn. Some ppl get DD within 2 wks, others wait 6-8 wks or more. Depends on what triggered the verification req in the first place. Did you claim any credits? EIC? CTC? Those take longer. Also depends on if you've got any other "review" flags on your acct.

I went through the exact same verification process on March 14th this year. The wait was unbearable since I needed that money for quarterly estimated taxes due April 15th. After waiting on hold for 3+ hours for three days in a row, I finally tried Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). Got connected to an IRS agent in about 22 minutes on April 2nd. The agent confirmed my verification was complete but my return was in the manual review queue. At least I knew what was happening instead of being in the dark. My refund was deposited exactly 9 days after that call.

I've been through this verification mess three times in the past five years. Each time was different. Last year was the worst - verified online in February, then had to verify by phone in March because apparently the online verification didn't "stick" in their system. After the phone verification, I got my refund exactly 17 days later. This year was much smoother - only had to verify once and got my refund in 11 days. The key difference? I called them 48 hours after verifying to confirm they actually received the verification. That simple follow-up call probably saved me weeks of waiting.

You need to check your transcript. The WMR tool is useless for verified returns. I used taxr.ai to analyze my transcript after verification. It showed me exactly what was happening with my return and predicted my refund date correctly. My transcript had codes that meant my return was being manually reviewed even after verification. The website explained every code and what was happening behind the scenes. Way better than guessing or getting vague answers from IRS agents.

Oh gosh, I hate to suggest this because it feels like giving up, but have you considered just waiting it out? I was so worried about my refund after verification last year that I made myself sick checking WMR and my transcript daily. In the end, it just showed up in my account one day without any status updates beforehand. Sometimes the best approach is to just set a calendar reminder for 8 weeks out and try to forget about it until then. I know that's really hard when you're counting on the money, but it might save your sanity!

According to Internal Revenue Manual section 21.5.6.4.35.1, the standard processing time after identity verification is 9 weeks. However, IRM 21.5.6.4.35.3 notes that returns selected for additional review after identity verification may require additional processing time. The Taxpayer Advocate Service has reported that for tax year 2023 returns (filed in 2024), approximately 62% of verified returns were processed within 6 weeks, with the remainder taking up to 12 weeks. Verification merely confirms your identity; it doesn't expedite any other review processes your return might be subject to under normal procedures.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Filed in February, got the dreaded verification letter, completed ID.me verification online, then had to call and verify by phone too. It's now been 3 weeks since my phone verification and still nothing. The uncertainty is killing me - I keep refreshing WMR hoping for an update. Your comparison to crypto tracking is spot on - why can blockchain transactions be transparent but tax refunds are a complete black box? I'm trying to stay patient but when you see people getting their state refunds in under a week, it really highlights how broken the federal system feels.

I'm in week 4 post-verification and this thread is both reassuring and terrifying! What strikes me is how wildly different everyone's experience has been - from 11 days to 3+ months. I called last Friday and the agent told me my verification was "processed successfully" but my return is in "manual review" which could take "several more weeks." The lack of consistency in their answers is maddening. At least now I know from Paolo's comment that 9 weeks is actually the official timeline, not the 21 days they advertise everywhere. I'm going to try that early morning calling strategy Ava mentioned - maybe getting through at 6:58 AM will get me a more definitive answer about where I actually stand in their queue.