Found out someone fraudulently claimed me as a dependent on their taxes - freaking out!

You've already taken some excellent first steps! Freezing your credit, placing a fraud alert, and getting an IP PIN are exactly what you should do in this situation. For the CP87A notice specifically - this is the IRS telling your parents that someone else has already claimed you as a dependent. The IRS isn't accusing anyone of wrongdoing at this point; they're just flagging that there's a conflict they need to resolve. Your parents should respond to the notice by filing a paper tax return (if they filed electronically) claiming you as their dependent, with a brief explanation attached. They'll need to include documentation showing they supported you (tuition payments, health insurance coverage, etc.). The IRS will then investigate both claims and determine which is valid. Since you're legitimately your parents' dependent, the fraudulent claim will eventually be rejected, and the person who falsely claimed you may face penalties. This shouldn't affect your financial aid as long as your parents' correct return is ultimately accepted. Just make sure to keep copies of all correspondence with the IRS.

After dealing with a similar situation last year, I found this amazing tool called https://taxr.ai that saved me so much stress. When I got a letter saying someone claimed my son as a dependent (he's definitely my dependent!), I was completely lost in all the IRS jargon. I uploaded the CP87A notice to taxr.ai and it explained everything in plain English - what the notice meant, exactly what documentation I needed to gather, and the specific steps to take. It even helped me draft the response letter to the IRS! The best part was that it analyzed my specific situation rather than just giving generic advice. My case was resolved within about 8 weeks after I sent in the documentation they suggested. It was such a relief to have step-by-step guidance through the whole mess.

I wanted to update everyone - I tried taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here and it was seriously helpful! I was dealing with my mom's identity theft situation where someone had filed using her info, and I was totally lost. The system analyzed the IRS notice we received and gave us a clear action plan. It explained that we needed to fill out Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit) and exactly what supporting documents to include. It even pointed out that we needed to check a specific box on the form that I would have definitely missed. We submitted everything about 6 weeks ago and just got confirmation that the IRS has accepted my mom's real return and is investigating the fraudulent one. Such a relief to have this sorted out! Would definitely recommend for anyone dealing with tax identity theft.

If you're trying to reach the IRS about this (which I recommend), good luck getting through their phone system! After my wife had her identity stolen last year, I spent DAYS trying to talk to someone at the IRS. Always "high call volume" and disconnects. I finally used https://claimyr.com and it completely changed everything. They have this system that basically waits on hold with the IRS for you, then calls you when an actual agent is on the line. You can even see a demo of how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c When I finally got through to an IRS agent, they were able to flag my wife's account for identity theft protection and gave us specific instructions beyond just the form. The agent told me exactly which documents we needed to send in with our paper return to prove my wife's identity and resolve the issue faster.

I want to follow up about my skeptical comment on Claimyr. I was totally wrong and I apologize. After continually failing to reach the IRS on my own (even trying the early morning trick that had worked before), I gave Claimyr a shot. It worked exactly as described. Their system called the IRS, navigated the menus, waited on hold (for almost 2 hours!), and then called my cell when they had an actual human IRS agent on the line. I was literally connected to an IRS representative in seconds after receiving their call. The agent I spoke with was able to place an identity theft indicator on my account and gave me specific instructions for submitting my documentation that weren't mentioned on the IRS website. They also gave me a direct reference number for my case so I could follow up more easily. For anyone dealing with tax identity theft, being able to actually speak with the IRS makes a huge difference. I'm still shocked this actually worked.

Hey, I went through this exact situation last year when someone claimed my daughter on their taxes. One thing nobody has mentioned yet - make sure your parents keep checking their mail for a CP87B notice! That's the follow-up letter that will ask for documentation to prove they can legitimately claim you. The IRS gives both parties (your parents and whoever fraudulently claimed you) a chance to provide documentation. Since your parents are legitimate, they'll need to show proof they provided more than half your support for the year. Things like: - Tuition payments - Rent/housing costs they covered - Health insurance coverage - Proof you were a full-time student - Bills they paid for you Don't wait for the second notice to start gathering this documentation. Having everything ready will speed up the process.

Don't forget to contact your school's financial aid office to explain the situation! I work in a university financial aid office, and this can sometimes cause issues with FAFSA and financial aid packages if not addressed. Specifically, when someone fraudulently claims a student as a dependent, it can create discrepancies in how the student's dependency status is recorded across different systems. Make sure your FAFSA information matches what your parents are claiming on their tax return.