Getting Different Answers From IRS About ID Verification - Is This a Glitch?

The IRS is like a massive cruise ship trying to navigate through a narrow canal this time of year. Their systems and departments don't always communicate effectively with each other. It's actually surprisingly common to get different answers from different agents. Think of it like this: Agent 1 might only see what's in System A, Agent 2 might only have access to System B, and Agent 3 might be looking at both but with a delay in updates. I've never seen a filing season with so many verification issues! The most likely scenario is that your return was flagged for identity verification (which is happening to MANY people this year), but the letter hasn't been generated or mailed yet, even though it's showing up in one of their systems with that February 3rd date. The system might have queued it up but it's still waiting in the printing backlog.

I was SO FRUSTRATED with this exact same situation last month!!! Called 5 different times and got 5 different answers about whether I needed to verify or not. I was losing my mind trying to decode what was actually happening with my return! I finally used https://taxr.ai to analyze my transcript and it showed exactly what was happening - there was a verification hold that some agents could see and others couldn't depending on which system they were looking at. The tool explained all the codes on my transcript and told me EXACTLY what was happening and what to expect next. Such a relief to finally understand what was going on instead of getting different stories from every agent! 😮‍💨

This happened to me last year, and it was incredibly stressful. I kept calling and getting different answers too. What finally worked for me was going to the ID.me verification portal directly and proactively verifying my identity there. Even though I hadn't received a letter asking me to do so, it seemed to clear whatever flag was on my account. About a week after I did that, my return suddenly processed and I got my refund. The really funny part? I finally got the verification letter in the mail THREE DAYS AFTER my refund was deposited. The IRS systems were clearly not in sync with each other.

Have you tried calling the IRS using Claimyr? I had the exact same issue with getting different answers from different agents. I spent hours trying to get through on the regular IRS number and kept getting disconnected. I used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) and got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes. The difference was I asked to speak specifically with an account management representative who could see all notes on my account. That agent confirmed I needed to verify and gave me the exact steps I needed to take. No more confusion or mixed messages.

I had a similar issue on January 18th this year. Called four times between January 20th and February 4th and got completely different answers each time. What worked for me was checking my transcript online every 3-4 days. On February 12th, I finally saw a 971 code which confirmed a notice was issued. The letter arrived on February 16th asking me to verify. My thinking is that sometimes their system shows a verification is needed before the letter is actually generated. I'd recommend checking your transcript online if you can access it - it might show codes that explain what's happening better than the agents can.

It might be worth checking if you have access to your IRS online account. In some cases, you can verify your identity directly through the online portal without waiting for a letter. The process is somewhat similar to the ID.me verification, but it's directly through the IRS system. If you're able to create or access your online account, you might see notices or requirements there that don't show up elsewhere. This approach possibly saved me weeks of waiting last year when I had a similar situation.

Been thru this exact mess last yr. Got 4 diff answers from IRS ppl. Here's what worked: I went to my local IRS office (had to make appt online first) and brought ALL my docs - ID, SSN card, tax return copy, etc. The lady there was super helpful and could see everything in their system. Turns out I DID need to verify but the letter was stuck in some queue. She verified me right there in the office and my refund was DD'd exactly 9 days later. No more waiting for letters or calling the 800 number. Sometimes ya just gotta show up in person to get the real deal info.