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New Member
posted May 31, 2019 11:22:47 PM

What does it mean when the bars go away on WMR?

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2 Replies
New Member
May 31, 2019 11:22:49 PM

The activity you observe on the IRS's "Where's My Refund" website sounds perfectly normal.

In fact, the status bars and display messages on the Where's My Refund webpage change all of the time; and sometimes the same message is displayed continuously, or the bars disappear.

There's absolutely no reason to think that anything is abnormal, so please don't worry or be concerned.   If your tax return ever is chosen for further review, or an actual audit, then the website should indicate that, and also let you know to expect an IRS notice or letter by mail.  (You haven't observed any message like that, have you?)

Taxpayers who do have their returns held for review, and who expect to receive an IRS notice, tell us that this message appears clearly on the Where's My Refund website.  The behavior that you observe with the bars is more likely an indicator that your tax return is simply moving through the processing system.  It could also be that the IRS is checking for additional information on something related to your tax return (like matching your reported W-2 data with that separately reported to the IRS by your employer); but we wouldn't call that a review . . . perhaps only a small delay.

If enough time passes after filing (21 days after e-file, or 6 weeks after paper file), and there is no new information, at that time the IRS indicates that you can call them for additional information, using the phone number provided on their Where's My Refund website.

For now, the best course of action is patience.  The IRS doesn't always move as fast as taxpayers would like (especially when waiting for a refund).

Thank you for asking this question.

New Member
May 31, 2019 11:22:51 PM

Mines did the same did u get approved