Filed Jan 29th - ID Verification Notice Arrived But Message Disappeared from IRS Account
I filed around Jan 29th and sort of received notifications on the IRS site saying I needed to verify my identity. I finally received the letter today with the control number, but when I logged back into my account to complete the verification process, the message seems to have disappeared completely from my dashboard. Has this perhaps happened to anyone else? I'm a bit confused about what to do next, as I'm not entirely familiar with the US tax system. Should I possibly still try to verify with the control number somehow, or maybe just wait to see if my return processes normally?
19 comments


Ava Thompson
This is actually a known issue with the IRS verification system. According to the IRS.gov knowledge base, verification notices can temporarily disappear from your online account if there's a system update or if your return moves to a different processing stage. You should still verify using the control number by going directly to https://idverify.irs.gov/ instead of through your account dashboard. You can also check your transcript at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript to see if there's a 570 code (verification hold) still active.
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CyberSiren
•Do you know if there's a time limit on using the control number? I've heard some people say these expire after 30 days, but I'm not sure if that's accurate.
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Miguel Alvarez
•I had something similar happen last year where the verification notice vanished from my account. It was like trying to follow a treasure map where half the clues disappear! In my case, I called the verification hotline at 800-830-5084 and they confirmed I still needed to verify even though the notice was gone. Compared to other tax issues I've dealt with, this was actually relatively easy to resolve once I knew what to do.
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Zainab Yusuf
•This happened to me. Called the number. Verified over phone. Got refund 9 days later. System glitch. Happens every year. Don't worry. Follow the letter instructions. Use the control number. You'll be fine.
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Connor O'Reilly
•I'm usually pretty wary of these kinds of system issues, but I have to say I'm impressed with how well you explained this. My verification message also disappeared last month, and I was completely lost until I spoke with an agent who told me almost exactly what you just said. The IRS really should make this clearer on their website.
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Yara Khoury
This verification stuff is like trying to catch a fish with your bare hands - just when you think you've got it, it slips away! I was in the exact same boat last month. After my verification notice disappeared, I spent three days trying to reach someone at the IRS. It was like trying to win the lottery! Finally used Claimyr (https://www.claimyr.com) and got through to an agent in about 15 minutes. They confirmed I still needed to verify despite the message disappearing. Saved me days of stress and redial finger cramps. Sometimes you need a shortcut when the IRS maze gets too complicated.
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Keisha Taylor
I experienced this verification anomaly during the current filing season. The Identity Verification Protocol (IVP) occasionally disconnects from the Taxpayer Digital Communication (TDC) system, causing notification inconsistencies. Despite the message disappearance, your verification requirement likely remains active in the Master File. I successfully verified using my control number via direct portal access rather than through the account dashboard, and my return processed within 14 days post-verification.
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StardustSeeker
•This is extremely helpful information. I tracked exactly 43 verification cases like this last tax season as part of my research. In 41 of those cases (95.3%), the verification requirement remained active despite the message disappearing. The average processing time after successful verification was 12.7 days. The IRS really needs to fix this communication gap, but until they do, following the letter instructions is the safest approach.
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Paolo Marino
This verification notice disappearance is frustrating but happens frequently. According to Internal Revenue Manual section 25.25.6, identity verification requirements remain active for 180 days regardless of online message visibility. I was dealing with the same situation and found https://taxr.ai extremely helpful - uploaded my letter and transcript, and it identified the specific verification hold codes and explained exactly what steps I needed to take. Saved me hours of research trying to interpret what was happening with my return. According to Taxpayer Advocate Service reports, over 5 million returns required verification last year, and many experienced this same notification glitch.
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Amina Bah
Call the Identity Verification hotline directly at 800-830-5084. Don't wait. The notification disappearing doesn't mean verification is no longer needed. Have your control number, last year's AGI, and this year's filing information ready. Verify as soon as possible. Processing won't continue until verification is complete. The hotline has extended hours during tax season - 7am to 7pm local time. Ask for confirmation number after verification for your records.
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Oliver Becker
I went through this exact situation in February. The verification message on my account disappeared after 9 days, but the letter arrived on day 12. I used the ID.me verification option on the IRS website by manually navigating to the verification page. My transcript updated with code 971 (notice issued) on February 18th, then code 290 (additional tax assessed - $0.00) on February 25th, followed by 846 (refund issued) on March 4th. The system is definitely glitchy this year with all the tech updates they're implementing.
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Natasha Petrova
Be careful with this situation. My brother-in-law ignored his verification letter last year because the message disappeared from his account. He assumed it was resolved automatically. Six months later, he got a CP05A notice saying his refund was being held until he verified. By then, he had misplaced the original letter with the control number and had to request a new one, which took another 6 weeks. Don't assume anything with the IRS - always follow through on notices you receive physically, even if the online status changes.
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Javier Hernandez
I had the exact same issue and successfully navigated it! I received my verification letter in mid-February, but the message had vanished from my account. I wondered if I should still proceed with verification or if my return was already processing normally? Decided to verify anyway using the control number directly at idverify.irs.gov instead of through my account. Completed verification on February 20th, and my refund was deposited on March 8th. Isn't it better to be safe than sorry with these verification issues?
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Emma Davis
OMG this EXACT thing happened to me!!! 😤 The IRS verification system is SO broken this year! I'm seeing this issue EVERYWHERE in tax groups. Here's what works: IGNORE the message disappearing and verify anyway! The verification requirement is still in their system even if it's not showing up. I was freaking out when this happened but verified with my control number anyway and got my refund 11 days later! Don't wait for the message to reappear because it probably won't. Trust me on this one! 💯
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Jean Claude
I can relate to this frustration - it's like the IRS is playing hide and seek with important notices! Based on what others have shared here, it seems the verification requirement is still active even when the message disappears from your account. Since you have the physical letter with the control number, I'd recommend proceeding with verification rather than waiting. You can go directly to idverify.irs.gov or call 800-830-5084 to complete the process. It's better to verify and potentially do it unnecessarily than to let your refund get held up for months. The consensus from everyone's experiences here seems to be that the system glitch is cosmetic - the verification hold is still there behind the scenes.
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Liam Sullivan
•Thanks for the clear advice! As someone new to the US tax system, this whole verification process has been pretty confusing. It's reassuring to see so many people have dealt with this same issue successfully. I think I'll follow your suggestion and proceed with the verification using my control number rather than waiting around. Better safe than sorry, especially since everyone seems to agree the requirement is still active even when the message disappears. Really appreciate how helpful this community has been!
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Yara Abboud
This verification message disappearing issue has become incredibly common this tax season! I work with taxpayers daily and see this exact scenario at least 3-4 times per week. The good news is that everyone here has given you solid advice - the verification requirement absolutely remains active even when the online message vanishes. I've tracked dozens of these cases, and in every single instance, taxpayers who proceeded with verification using their control number got their refunds processed normally. The IRS system architecture separates the user interface notifications from the actual processing requirements, so what you're seeing (or not seeing) online doesn't reflect the backend status. Go ahead and verify at idverify.irs.gov with your control number - you'll likely see your transcript update within 7-10 days with the verification completion codes. Don't let this glitch delay your refund any longer!
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Jamal Anderson
•This is really reassuring to hear from someone who works with these cases regularly! As someone completely new to the US tax system, I was honestly starting to panic when the message disappeared from my account. It felt like I was missing something important or had done something wrong. Your explanation about the system architecture makes perfect sense - the frontend display issues don't affect the backend processing requirements. I'm definitely going to proceed with the verification using my control number today. It's amazing how this community has turned what felt like a confusing crisis into a clear action plan. Thank you for taking the time to share your professional insights!
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Sofia Rodriguez
I've been through this exact same scenario and can confirm what everyone else is saying - the verification requirement is definitely still active even though the message disappeared from your account. This happened to me in February, and I made the mistake of waiting a week thinking the system would fix itself. Finally decided to just proceed with verification using my control number at idverify.irs.gov, and it went smoothly. My transcript showed the verification codes updated within 5 days, and I got my refund about 2 weeks later. The IRS really needs to fix this messaging issue because it's causing unnecessary stress for so many taxpayers. Since you already have the physical letter with the control number, I'd definitely recommend verifying today rather than waiting any longer. The system glitch seems to be purely on the display side - the actual processing requirements are still there in the background.
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