What happens when IRS puts my tax refund under review? Help needed!

The "under review" status happens more often than you might think, especially with larger refunds. The IRS frequently does these reviews as part of their fraud prevention measures. Refunds over $10,000 tend to get flagged more frequently for verification. There are a few common reasons this happens: identity verification needs, income verification, or checking claimed credits/deductions. Usually, they're just confirming everything matches their records. The good news is that if everything on your return is accurate and supported by your documentation, you'll likely get your full refund. For most people, these reviews resolve within 45-60 days from the letter date. Unfortunately, calling doesn't usually speed things up since the review process is largely automated. The best thing to do is wait for their next communication, which will either be your refund or a request for more information.

After dealing with a similar review situation last year, I discovered this service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that really helped me understand what was going on. I was totally confused by the IRS letter and feeling anxious about when I'd get my money. I uploaded my return documents and the IRS letter to taxr.ai and their system analyzed everything. It actually identified that my higher-than-usual charitable contributions were likely what triggered the review (something I never would have guessed). The service also gave me a personalized timeline estimate based on similar cases and explained exactly what documentation I should have ready if the IRS requested more info. Their explanation of the review process made me feel much better about the situation, and their timeline estimate was spot on. Definitely worth checking out if you're stressed about your refund status.

I have to come back and admit that taxr.ai actually helped me understand my situation. After my skeptical comment earlier, I decided to try it anyway since I was desperate for answers about my review. Turns out my review was flagged because I had a W-2 from a short contract job I did that the IRS system was having trouble matching to my return (even though I included it correctly). The analysis showed me exactly what documentation I needed to have ready. When the IRS did contact me a week later asking for verification, I was completely prepared with exactly what they needed. My refund was released just 8 days after I sent the documentation. Without knowing what was causing the hold, I might have sent incomplete info and dragged this out even longer. Now I'm just waiting for the direct deposit to hit my account in the next few days.

After spending HOURS trying to call the IRS about my refund under review (literally 20+ attempts), I found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real IRS agent in about 20 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was about to give up completely because the IRS phone system kept disconnecting me saying they were "experiencing high call volume." I was ready to just wait it out for months, but I needed to know if there was anything I could do to resolve the review faster. The IRS agent I spoke to was able to tell me exactly why my return was flagged (a mismatch between reported interest income and what the bank reported) and what I needed to do to clear it up. I honestly don't know if I would have ever figured this out without actually talking to someone directly.

Ok I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, I was still desperate to find out about my review status since it's been 8 weeks with no update. I decided to try it as a last resort. It actually worked exactly as described. They got me through to an IRS agent within about 35 minutes (which is miraculous compared to my previous attempts). The agent told me my return was flagged for review because I had claimed an education credit that needed verification. The crazy part is that they were waiting for me to send documentation they had supposedly requested in a letter - which I NEVER received! If I hadn't finally gotten through to ask, I might have been waiting forever. I've already sent in the required documents and the agent said my refund should be processed within 2-3 weeks now. Sometimes being skeptical costs you time and money. Lesson learned.

Has anyone had a refund review where they actually adjusted your refund amount? I'm worried they're going to find some "error" and reduce my refund substantially. My brother had his education credit denied last year and ended up getting almost $2000 less than expected.

Pro tip: Make sure you're checking both the Where's My Refund tool AND your IRS online account if you have one. Sometimes the online account shows more detailed status info than the WMR tool.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago. My refund was around $9,500 and got stuck in review for what felt like forever. The anxiety was real because like you, I had plans for that money. In my case, it turned out the review was triggered because I had moved during the tax year and the IRS couldn't match my address history properly. It took about 7 weeks total, but I eventually got my full refund with no issues. One thing that helped me was keeping detailed records of everything - screenshots of the Where's My Refund status, copies of all correspondence, and notes with dates. When they finally did contact me for additional verification, I was able to respond quickly with exactly what they needed. The waiting is brutal, but try to stay positive. Most reviews end up with people getting their full refund, especially if your return is straightforward like you described. The IRS is just being extra cautious with larger refunds these days.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now and it's incredibly stressful! Filed in February, expecting about $8,200 back, and got the dreaded "under review" letter three weeks ago. Like you, my return was pretty straightforward - just W-2 income and standard deductions. What's really frustrating is how vague the IRS letter is. They basically just say "we're reviewing your return" without any indication of what specifically they're looking at or how long it might take. I've been checking the Where's My Refund tool obsessively and it just keeps saying the same thing. Reading through these comments has actually been really helpful though. It sounds like most people do eventually get their full refund, it just takes time. The 45-60 day timeline mentioned earlier gives me some hope, even though the waiting is brutal when you're counting on that money. Has anyone found that the timing varies based on when you filed? I'm wondering if filing earlier in the season vs. later makes any difference in how quickly reviews get processed.

I've been through this exact situation twice in the past few years, and I know how nerve-wracking it can be when you're counting on that refund. The good news is that in both cases, I eventually received my full refund amount - it just took longer than expected. The first time was in 2022 with a $9,800 refund that got flagged for review. Turned out they were verifying my mortgage interest deduction because the amount was higher than the previous year (we had refinanced). The second time was last year with a smaller refund that got held up because of a new employer's W-2 that didn't match perfectly in their system. What I learned from both experiences is that the IRS review process is mostly automated and designed to catch discrepancies before they issue large refunds. Since your return sounds straightforward with just standard deductions, it's likely just a routine verification that will resolve itself once they work through their queue. My advice: try not to stress too much about it (easier said than done, I know), keep checking the status weekly rather than daily to save your sanity, and make sure you have copies of all your supporting documents ready just in case they request additional information. The waiting is the hardest part, but most reviews do end positively.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now and reading all these responses has been incredibly helpful! Filed in late January expecting about $12,500 back, got the review letter two weeks ago, and have been stressed about it ever since. What really stands out to me from everyone's experiences is that most people do get their full refund eventually - it's just the waiting that's brutal. The 45-60 day timeline seems pretty consistent across different situations, which at least gives me something concrete to expect rather than wondering if this will drag on for months. I'm definitely going to take the advice about checking weekly instead of daily. I've been refreshing the Where's My Refund page way too often and it's just making my anxiety worse. Also planning to get all my supporting documents organized this weekend so I'm ready if they need anything additional. For anyone else going through this - it sounds like the key things are: stay patient (the hardest part!), keep good records of everything, and remember that reviews are mostly routine verification processes rather than signs that something is wrong. The IRS is just being extra careful with larger refunds these days, which honestly makes sense even though it's frustrating when you're the one waiting. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here. It really helps to know we're not alone in dealing with this!

I'm currently dealing with this exact situation too and wanted to add my perspective. Filed in mid-February with an expected refund of around $9,800, and got the review letter about 10 days ago. Like everyone else here, my return was pretty straightforward - just W-2 income, student loan interest deduction, and standard deduction. What's been most frustrating is the complete lack of communication about what specifically triggered the review or any realistic timeline. The generic "your return is being processed" message on Where's My Refund doesn't help with the anxiety when you're counting on that money for important expenses. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring though. It seems like the vast majority of people do eventually receive their full refund - it's just the waiting period that's brutal. The 45-60 day timeline mentioned by several people gives me something concrete to expect rather than wondering if this will drag on indefinitely. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about checking less frequently and getting all my documentation organized. Has anyone found it helpful to set up the online IRS account for potentially more detailed status information? I've been hesitant to go through their identity verification process, but if it provides better insights into what's happening, it might be worth the hassle. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences - it really helps to know we're not going through this alone!

I'm going through the exact same situation right now and this thread has been a lifesaver! Filed in late January expecting around $10,800 back, got the review letter about two weeks ago, and have been anxiously waiting ever since. My return was also straightforward - just W-2 income, mortgage interest, and standard deduction. What's really helping my peace of mind is seeing how many people here eventually got their full refunds, even though the waiting period was stressful. The consistent 45-60 day timeline mentioned by multiple people gives me hope that there's actually an end in sight to this process. I've definitely been guilty of the obsessive Where's My Refund checking that others mentioned - sometimes multiple times a day! Going to try the weekly check approach instead since the daily checking is just adding to my stress without providing any new information. One thing I'm curious about - for those who did eventually hear back from the IRS requesting additional documentation, how clear were their instructions about what exactly they needed? I'm trying to get all my paperwork organized now so I can respond quickly if they do contact me, but I'm not sure what specific documents to prioritize having ready. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here. It's incredibly reassuring to know that most of these reviews are just routine verification processes and that we're not alone in dealing with this frustrating waiting period!

I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now! Filed in early February expecting about $9,200 back and got the dreaded review letter just last week. Like so many others here, my return was completely straightforward - just W-2 income, some student loan interest, and standard deduction. Nothing that should have triggered any red flags. The most frustrating part is the complete lack of transparency from the IRS. That generic "your return is being processed" message tells us absolutely nothing about what's actually happening or when we might see our money. When you're counting on that refund for important expenses, the uncertainty is incredibly stressful. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both reassuring and eye-opening. It's clear that most people do eventually get their full refunds - it's just the waiting game that's brutal. The consistent 45-60 day timeline mentioned by multiple people gives me something concrete to hold onto rather than wondering if this will drag on indefinitely. I'm definitely guilty of the obsessive checking behavior others mentioned. I've been refreshing Where's My Refund multiple times a day, which obviously doesn't help with anxiety levels! Going to try switching to weekly checks and focus on getting all my supporting documents organized instead. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories here. It really helps to know we're not alone in dealing with this frustrating process, and that there's light at the end of the tunnel for most people going through reviews.

I'm going through the exact same situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Filed in January expecting about $11,500 back and got my review letter three weeks ago. Like everyone else, it's been a stressful waiting game with no real information from the IRS about what's happening. What gives me hope after reading all these experiences is that the vast majority of people do eventually get their full refund - it really does seem like these are mostly routine verification processes rather than actual problems with our returns. The 45-60 day timeline mentioned by multiple people is reassuring, even though the waiting feels endless when you're counting on that money. I've definitely been guilty of the obsessive checking behavior others mentioned. Going to follow the advice here about switching to weekly checks instead of multiple times per day. Also planning to get all my supporting documents organized this weekend so I'm prepared if they do request additional information. One thing I'm curious about - has anyone noticed if there are certain days of the week when the Where's My Refund tool tends to update? I know it probably doesn't matter, but I'm looking for any patterns that might help predict when we might see status changes. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences. It's really comforting to know we're not alone in this frustrating process, and that most people do get positive outcomes eventually!