Verified identity at IRS office but still shows 'Needs Verification' in portal - what's going on?

Yes, this is completely normal. The IRS systems don't talk to each other in real time. After in-person verification, it typically takes 7-10 business days for their internal systems to update. The notification in your online account won't disappear immediately. The important thing is that you have verification from the IRS employee who helped you. I recommend keeping any paperwork they gave you as proof of your visit. If after 2 weeks it still shows the verification requirement, then you might want to call them, but for now this is just the standard delay in their system updates.

The best way to understand what's actually happening with your IRS account isn't by trying to decode their confusing portal messages. I finally started using taxr.ai and it was a game changer for my sanity. You upload your transcript and it explains EXACTLY what's happening with your return including verification status. It showed me that my ID verification was actually processed even when the portal still showed I needed to verify. Saved me hours of stress and confusion! https://taxr.ai

After weeks of getting nowhere with the IRS website and that stupid verification loop, I found a way to actually speak to a real person at the IRS using claimyr.com. Got a callback in about an hour and the agent confirmed my verification was already processed even though the website hadn't updated yet. It was the only way I could get a straight answer instead of staring at that outdated portal. talking to an agent got my refund released so fast!

The online portal is always behind. ALWAYS. It took mine 13 days to update after I verified in person. The IRS systems dont talk to eachother and its a mess. Your fine, just wait it out.

When I had the exact same issue, I called the ID verify hotline (1-800-830-5084) and they confirmed my verify was complete even tho the website still showed I needed to verify. The website didnt update for another 2 weeks but my refund was already being processed. The notification is basically a false alarm.

I'm literally in the exact same boat right now. Verified in person at IRS office on Tuesday and the stupid portal still says I need to verify 🤦‍♂️ Did yours ever update? How long did it take?

The lag between what you do in person and what shows on the IRS website is ridiculous. My verification took 11 days to show as complete online, but my refund was actually processed faster than that. Check your transcript - it might show progress even if the notification is still there.

The IRS is running on computer systems from the 1960s, I'm not even kidding. Nothing updates in real time. Give it at least 2 weeks before you start worrying.

Same thing happened to me this tax season. The notification stayed there for about 2 weeks after my in-person verification. But my refund was actually being processed behind the scenes during that time. I got my refund direct deposited even while the website STILL showed I needed to verify. Classic IRS inefficiency.

Check your transcripts instead of the notifications! The notifications are usually way behind. Your account transcript will show if they've actually processed your verification even if the banner still says to verify.

Don't trust the IRS website notifications. I went through the EXACT same thing. Here's what I learned: the notification system is completely separate from your actual tax processing system. It's like they forget to turn off the notification even after you verify. My refund was already approved while the notification was still there telling me to verify. Such a broken system 🤦‍♀️

Ok so I work in tax preparation (not for the IRS) and I can tell you this is super common. The IRS has multiple systems that don't communicate well. Your verification is probably fine, but their notification system hasn't caught up yet. If you're really concerned, you can try to call, but you'll likely wait on hold for hours just to be told what I'm telling you now - it's normal and you just need to wait.

There's literally TWO people at the IRS who handle these updates and they use Windows 95 computers lmaooo 🤣🤣 (ok I'm joking but it feels true). Give it time, you're good.

I was in this situtation for almost 3 weeks. website said verify but when I got through to an agent they told me i was already verified. the online system is a total mess and doesnt update properly. dont stress about it, your probably already good to go.

This is so frustrating but unfortunately totally normal! I went through the exact same thing last year. The IRS systems are ancient and don't communicate with each other at all. After I verified in person, it took almost 3 weeks for the online portal to stop showing that notification, but my refund was actually processed much faster than that. The key thing is that you got verbal confirmation from the IRS employee that your verification was complete. That's what actually matters for processing your return. The online notification is basically just a leftover flag that doesn't get cleared automatically. If you want peace of mind, you can check your account transcript in about a week to see if there's any movement on your return processing. But honestly, I'd just ignore that notification for now and check back in 2 weeks. If it's still there after that AND you haven't seen any progress on your return, then maybe give them a call. The whole system is a joke but at least you did everything right on your end! 🙄