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Has anyone tried contacting their Congressional representative's office about this? I had a similar issue last year (though with a different IRS notice), and after weeks of getting nowhere, I reached out to my Representative's constituent services. Their office has liaisons specifically for dealing with federal agencies like the IRS. They managed to get someone from the IRS to call me directly within 5 days.
I second this approach! I had a CP01A identity verification issue (similar to 5071C) and my Senator's office was incredibly helpful. They have dedicated staff who deal with IRS issues all the time. Just go to your representative's website and look for "constituent services" or "casework" - most have an online form specifically for federal agency issues.
I'm dealing with this exact same frustrating situation right now! Got my 5071C letter about 10 days ago and have been banging my head against the wall trying to get through on that phone number. The online verification portal also keeps rejecting my information even though I'm entering everything correctly. What's really concerning me is that the letter mentions a deadline for responding, but how can they expect us to meet it when their own verification systems don't work? I've tried calling at different times - early morning, late afternoon, even on weekends - and it's always the same "high call volume" message followed by an immediate hangup. Has anyone here had success with any specific calling strategies? Like certain days of the week or times that seem to work better? I'm also wondering if there are any other phone numbers that might connect to the same department but aren't as overwhelmed. This whole situation is making me incredibly anxious about my tax refund and whether my identity has been compromised in other ways too.
I completely understand your frustration - I'm in the exact same boat! Got my 5071C letter two weeks ago and it's been a nightmare trying to get through. The anxiety about missing the deadline while their own systems are broken is the worst part. From what I've gathered reading through this thread, it seems like the most reliable solutions people have found are either scheduling a TAC appointment (call 844-545-5640) or using services like Claimyr to get through the phone queue. The Taxpayer Advocate Service and congressional representative options also sound promising if you have time to wait. I'm personally going to try the TAC appointment route first since it seems like the most straightforward official channel. Hang in there - it sounds like everyone who's persisted has eventually gotten it resolved, even though the process is absolutely maddening!
Just be careful about not paying while you dispute this. Even if you're 100% right, the penalties and interest can add up FAST if you ultimately lose the dispute. In my case, my original tax bill of $3,200 ballooned to over $5,000 with penalties and interest during the 7 months it took to resolve.
I went through something almost identical with California's FTD last year - employer double-reported my 1099 income and the state wouldn't budge despite having all the documentation. Here's what finally worked for me: 1. File Form 540X (Amended Return) even while disputing - this creates an official paper trail showing you're challenging the assessment through proper channels. 2. Request a "Collection Due Process" hearing if they're threatening collection action. This buys you time and gets you in front of an independent hearing officer. 3. Document everything with certified mail. I literally sent copies of my bank statements showing the actual deposits vs. what they claimed I received. The key breakthrough was when I escalated to the Taxpayers' Rights Advocate office. Every state has one - it's an independent ombudsman specifically for situations like this where normal channels aren't working. They have more authority to actually look at your case with fresh eyes. It took 11 months total, but I eventually got a full refund plus interest. The interest wasn't much (about $47 on a $2,800 refund), but it was something. The important thing is to keep fighting and use every official channel available to you.
This is incredibly helpful, thank you! I didn't even know about the Taxpayers' Rights Advocate office - that sounds like exactly what I need. Do you happen to remember how you found the contact information for Michigan's advocate office? And when you say "Collection Due Process" hearing, is that something I request through the regular tax department or is it a separate process? I'm definitely going to follow your advice about the amended return and certified mail. At this point I'm willing to try every official channel available since the regular customer service route has been completely useless.
22 Has anyone used the IRS Identity Protection PIN system to prevent this from happening again in future years? I'm thinking about requesting PINs for my kids after dealing with this same issue.
This is such a frustrating situation! I went through something very similar last year with my ex claiming our daughter when it was clearly my year according to our divorce decree. Here's what worked for me: I filed a paper return with a cover letter explaining the situation and included the relevant pages from my court order (highlighted the specific language about alternating years). The IRS processed it and sent my ex a notice that their return was being adjusted. One tip - make sure your court order language is very specific about tax years. Mine said "odd numbered years" vs "even numbered years" which made it crystal clear to the IRS. If your agreement just says "alternating years" without specifying which parent gets which years, you might need to provide additional documentation showing the pattern. Also consider getting an Identity Protection PIN for your son next year - it prevents anyone from using his SSN on a return without the PIN that only you would know. Saved me from dealing with this headache again this year! Good luck - the paper filing route is slow but it does work when you have proper documentation.
This is really helpful, thank you! My court order does specify that I get "even numbered years" so 2024 should be clear cut. I'm definitely going to look into the Identity Protection PIN - that sounds like a game changer for preventing this mess in future years. Did you have to wait the full 3-4 months that everyone mentions for paper returns, or was it faster since you had clear documentation? I'm really hoping to get this resolved sooner rather than later since I was counting on that refund. Also, when you say your ex got a notice about their return being adjusted - did they have to pay back the refund they shouldn't have gotten? Just curious how that part works.
Been waiting on my 810 code for about 4 weeks now and seeing all these success stories gives me hope! Quick question for those who've been through this - when you finally got the 846 code, did you get any kind of notification or did you just have to keep checking your transcript daily? Also seeing a lot of mentions about taxr.ai in here... might have to check that out if this drags on much longer š
Hey! No notifications from IRS unfortunately - you gotta keep checking manually or set up transcript monitoring. I was checking mine obsessively every morning lol. The 846 just shows up overnight usually when transcripts update. And yeah honestly taxr.ai might save you some stress - I wish I knew about it during my 810 nightmare! Worth the $5 just for peace of mind š
Anastasia Popov
has anyone used quickbooks for tracking the mileage? ive been using it for my electrician business and it automatically tracks trips using gps. not sure if its good enough for irs though
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Sean Murphy
ā¢I've been using QuickBooks Self-Employed for tracking mileage for my home inspection business for 2 years now. The IRS has accepted it during an audit because it records all the required information: date, starting point, destination, purpose, and mileage. Make sure you add the business purpose for each trip though - that's what the IRS specifically asked me about during my audit.
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Alfredo Lugo
Great questions about your LLC tax situation! I run a small pet grooming business and went through similar decisions last year. For your vehicle situation, I'd actually recommend keeping it in your personal name initially and using the standard mileage rate like Isabella suggested. It's much simpler for record-keeping and you avoid the potential complications with insurance changes and transfer fees that NeonNinja mentioned. One thing I learned the hard way - definitely get that original purchase documentation from your grandparents. Even if you don't use Section 179 right away, having the proper basis established will be important for future depreciation. My accountant said it's much harder to reconstruct this information later if you get audited. Also, since you're doing pet transport specifically, make sure you're tracking not just the mileage but also any pet-specific vehicle modifications or supplies (seat covers, barriers, carriers, etc.) - those can be fully deductible business expenses. The mileage tracking apps mentioned earlier are definitely worth it. I use Everlance and it's been a lifesaver for keeping organized records. Good luck with your new business!
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Ella Knight
ā¢This is really helpful advice! I'm also just starting out with a small service business and had no idea about tracking pet-specific vehicle modifications as deductible expenses. Do you happen to know if things like rubber floor mats or cargo area liners would qualify? I'm planning to get some protective gear for my car since I'll be transporting dogs regularly. Also, when you mention getting the original purchase documentation from grandparents - would a copy of the title or bill of sale be sufficient, or does the IRS need specific types of documentation to establish basis?
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