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Code 420 Dependent Audit - Anyone Used the New Online Document Upload Feature?

I'm currently going through what appears to be a code 420 audit specifically related to my dependents. I received the notification letter through my IRS portal account, which, somewhat surprisingly, allowed me to upload the requested verification documents directly through the website interface rather than mailing them. This digital upload feature seems to be relatively new, and it's possibly a more efficient way to respond to the audit request. I've already submitted all my documentation through this system, but I'm still a bit concerned about processing times. Has anyone else possibly used this online document submission feature for a dependent verification audit? And if so, did you notice that the audit resolution was faster compared to the traditional mail-in method? I'm trying to get a sense of what timeline I might be looking at here.

Yuki Kobayashi

That's the new Document Upload Tool. It launched last year. It's much faster than mail. Most audits process in 30-45 days now. Paper mail can take 90+ days. Keep checking your account. You'll see updates there first.

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Carmen Vega

I went through a similar audit last tax season and can confirm this is accurate. The online system is a significant improvement over how they used to handle these verifications. My experience with mail-in documentation in 2021 was painful compared to the online upload I used this year.

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15d

AstroAce

I used the document upload tool for my dependent verification in February. According to irs.gov/individuals/document-upload-tool, it's supposed to speed up processing by 2-3 weeks. But I still couldn't get through to an agent to check my status after waiting 6 weeks. Finally used Claimyr.com (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) and got connected to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes who confirmed they received everything and my case was moving forward. Such a relief to know they actually had my documents instead of wondering!

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Andre Rousseau

Did you really need to pay for a service to reach the IRS though? I've heard if you call right when they open and select the Spanish option (then ask for English) you can sometimes get through. Like throwing money at a problem that just needs patience.

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15d

Zoe Stavros

I recently experienced a Code 420 Examination audit with the Document Upload Tool functionality. The verification process still required submission of Birth Certificates, School Records, and Residency Verification for my dependents. The digital submission interface was functional but not intuitive - required TIFF format for some documents which was unexpected. Resolution timeframe was 37 days from document submission to closure notification, which appears to be approximately 40% faster than previous manual processing timelines based on my research.

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Jamal Harris

The online document upload is much better than what we had to do for dependent verification in 2022. Back then, I had to mail everything and wait almost 4 months for resolution. My sister just went through this process using the online portal and had her refund released in about 5 weeks. Have you received any confirmation that they've started reviewing your documents yet?

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GalaxyGlider

I received confirmation exactly 3 days after uploading. There was a status change in my account that said "Documents Received - Under Review" with a date stamp. Then it took exactly 41 days from that point to get my refund released.

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11d

Mei Wong

I uploaded my documents for a 420 audit on January 17, 2024, and received resolution on February 29, 2024 - about 6 weeks total. When my transcript updated, I couldn't make sense of all the codes that appeared. I used https://taxr.ai to analyze my transcript and it explained that the 571 code meant my audit was resolved favorably. The 846 code that appeared on March 6, 2024 indicated my refund was scheduled for release. The tool correctly predicted my deposit date.

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Liam Sullivan

I used the upload feature last month for my dependent audit. Thought it would be a game-changer... turns out it's more like changing from a rotary phone to a flip phone. Better, but still frustratingly slow! šŸ˜‚ Took about 5 weeks total for resolution which is better than the 3 months it took my neighbor who mailed his docs. One weird thing - they still sent me a paper letter saying my audit was resolved even though everything else was digital. The IRS is dipping its toe in the digital pool but keeping one foot firmly in 1995.

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Amara Okafor

Did you possibly receive any interim notifications during those 5 weeks? I'm at week 4 now and getting concerned that I haven't heard anything since the initial upload confirmation.

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10d

Giovanni Colombo

Did u have to call them at all during the process or just wait it out? Wondering if I should b proactive or just chill.

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10d

Fatima Al-Qasimi

This document upload functionality represents a significant shift in IRS verification protocols. While the immediate benefit is reduced processing time, the broader implications include increased audit capacity for the IRS and potentially higher verification standards. The National Taxpayer Advocate specifically mentioned this technology implementation in their 2023 report to Congress as part of the IRS modernization efforts. Worth noting that dependent verification audits (Code 420) have increased by approximately 31% this tax season compared to previous years, likely due to the efficiency gained through this digital process.

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StarStrider

Do you think this increased efficiency means they're targeting more returns with dependents? I've noticed several friends getting these audits this year when they've never had issues before.

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10d

Dylan Campbell

I work as a tax preparer and have seen this trend as well. According to Internal Revenue Manual 4.19.14, the IRS uses a scoring system called Dependent Database (DDb) to flag returns with potential dependent issues. The new system doesn't change selection criteria, but it does allow them to process more verifications with the same staffing levels. Last year, approximately 1 in 8 returns claiming EITC faced some form of verification, compared to about 1 in 5 this year.

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10d

Sofia Torres

It may be worth noting that the increase could possibly be related to the expanded Child Tax Credit rules for 2023, which might have led to more claims requiring verification, rather than necessarily indicating a targeted enforcement strategy.

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10d

Dmitry Sokolov

I'm a bit worried now! I claimed my nephew as a dependent this year for the first time, and I'm wondering if that's going to trigger one of these audits. I have all the documentation, but the waiting and uncertainty would be stressful!

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10d

Ava Martinez

I used the online upload system for my dependent audit in March. Here's my experience: ā€¢ Received audit notice: March 3rd ā€¢ Uploaded documents: March 5th ā€¢ Status changed to "In Review": March 10th ā€¢ Received "Audit Complete" notification: April 12th ā€¢ Refund deposited: April 19th Total time: 47 days from notice to refund Compared to my 2022 paper audit which took 116 days from start to finish.

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Miguel Ramos

Try calling the dedicated Examination department instead of waiting. The online system is faster than mail, but calling can speed things up even more. I called after 3 weeks of waiting and they told me exactly what was happening with my case. The number is different from the main IRS line - it's on your audit notice letter.

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QuantumQuasar

Be careful with the online upload system! Have you verified you received confirmation that your documents were successfully uploaded? I thought mine went through, but after waiting 8 weeks with no updates, I called and discovered they never received anything - apparently there was a system error but no error message displayed on my end. Wouldn't it make sense for a modern system to provide a confirmation number or email? Now I'm back at the beginning of the process and my refund is delayed by two months. Double-check your account to make sure there's some acknowledgment they received your documents.

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Zainab Omar

Did you happen to get any kind of error message or was it just silent failure? I want to make sure I don't run into the same issue.

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10d