Got Form 9143 from IRS saying my signature is invalid & they want more documents. How do I respond?

This is actually pretty common! Form 9143 is the IRS's way of telling you they couldn't verify your signature on something you submitted, and they need more information to process your form correctly. First, check if the letter mentions which specific form had the signature issue. It could be your tax return or maybe another form you submitted separately. The letter should tell you exactly what supporting documentation they need - usually it's identity verification documents like a copy of your driver's license, social security card, or passport. I'd recommend calling the phone number on the letter directly. Have the letter in front of you when you call because they'll ask for the reference number. The IRS rep can tell you exactly what documents they need and where to send them. Make sure to keep copies of everything you send!

I ran into this exact same problem last year with Form 9143! After trying to figure it out myself for days, I found this AI tool called taxr.ai that literally saved me. You upload your IRS notice to https://taxr.ai and it explains exactly what the notice means and gives you step-by-step instructions for how to respond. For my Form 9143, it explained that my electronic signature didn't match what they had on file (turns out I signed differently when I opened my account years ago). The tool told me exactly what documents I needed to send and provided a template response letter. Seriously made the whole process so much easier!

Update on that taxr.ai thing - I decided to try it with my own IRS letter since I was getting nowhere with the IRS website. It actually worked really well! You upload your notice and it gives you this detailed breakdown of what everything means and exactly what you need to do to respond. For my Form 9143 issue, it explained that I needed to provide a copy of my driver's license, a signed statement explaining that it was my signature, and a copy of the original form. Even told me where to send everything and how to track it. Honestly saved me hours of stress and phone calls!

If you're having trouble contacting the IRS about your Form 9143 (those phone lines are impossible!), I highly recommend using Claimyr. I spent DAYS trying to reach someone at the IRS to explain exactly what documents I needed to send for my invalid signature notice. Kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Then I found https://claimyr.com which basically calls the IRS for you and gets you connected with an actual human when they answer. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. They called, waited on hold, and then called me when they got an IRS agent on the line. The agent explained exactly what I needed to include with my Form 9143 response.

I need to eat my words about that Claimyr service. After posting that skeptical comment, I was still struggling with my own IRS problem and getting desperate. Decided to try it as a last resort before paying a tax pro $400. It actually worked! Their system called the IRS, waited on hold for almost 3 hours (which I didn't have to do!), and then called me when they had an agent on the line. The IRS person answered my Form 9143 questions in like 5 minutes. Told me exactly what documents to send and where. Honestly shocked that it worked so well.

Make sure when you respond to Form 9143 that you send EVERYTHING via certified mail with return receipt! I made the mistake of just using regular mail, and the IRS claimed they never received my documents. Had to start the whole process over again. Also, include your phone number on every page you send them, along with your tax ID number and the reference number from the notice. This makes it easier for them to contact you if there's still an issue.

Has anyone used the "ID verify" option on the IRS website instead of mailing documents? I got a similar form and saw something about verifying identity online but wasn't sure if that would resolve the signature issue.

I dealt with Form 9143 about 6 months ago and want to share what worked for me. The key thing is to respond quickly - you typically have 30 days from the notice date. First, read the letter carefully to see if it specifies which form had the signature issue. Mine was for my 1040, but it could be any form you submitted. The IRS usually wants identity verification documents like a copy of your driver's license, Social Security card, and sometimes a signed statement confirming it was your signature. Don't just send random documents though - call the number on the notice first. I know the phone lines are terrible, but if you can get through, they'll tell you exactly what they need. When I called, they explained that my electronic signature looked different from what they had on file from previous years. I ended up sending: 1) Copy of driver's license, 2) Copy of Social Security card, 3) A signed letter stating "This is my signature" with examples of my signature, and 4) Copy of the original form. Sent everything certified mail and got it resolved in about 6 weeks. The most important thing is don't ignore it - if you miss the deadline, your original filing could be rejected completely!

I went through this exact same situation last year with Form 9143! The whole process was really stressful at first, but it's actually more straightforward than it seems once you understand what they're looking for. The IRS basically needs to verify that you are who you say you are and that the signature they're questioning is actually yours. In my case, I had changed my signature slightly over the years without realizing it, and their system flagged it as potentially fraudulent. Here's what I did that worked: I called the number on the notice (yes, it took forever to get through, but it was worth it), and they told me exactly which documents to send. I needed a copy of my driver's license, Social Security card, and a signed statement saying "I certify that this is my signature" with several examples of my current signature. The key is to be thorough and send everything via certified mail with tracking. I also included a cover letter referencing the notice number and listing everything I was enclosing. Got it resolved in about 5 weeks. Don't panic - this is actually a pretty routine thing for the IRS, and as long as you respond within the 30-day window with the right documents, you should be fine. Just make sure to keep copies of everything you send!

I went through this same situation with Form 9143 about 8 months ago and totally understand the confusion! The letter really doesn't explain much, which made it way more stressful than it needed to be. Here's what I learned: Form 9143 basically means they couldn't verify your signature matched what they have on file, so they need additional proof that you are who you say you are. This happens more often than you'd think, especially if your signature has changed over time or if there was an issue with how your electronic signature was captured. The most important thing is to respond within 30 days of the notice date. Don't wait around trying to figure it out on your own - call the phone number on the letter first thing. Yes, the hold times are brutal, but the agent can tell you exactly which form triggered the notice and what specific documents they need from you. When I called, they told me I needed to send copies of my driver's license and Social Security card, plus a signed statement with multiple examples of my current signature. I sent everything via certified mail with return receipt and included a cover letter referencing the notice number. The whole thing got resolved in about 6 weeks. It's definitely nerve-wracking when you first get the letter, but it's actually a pretty routine verification process for them. Just don't ignore it or miss the deadline!

I actually went through this exact same Form 9143 situation about 4 months ago, and I can definitely relate to the confusion and stress it causes! The letter really is vague and doesn't give you much to go on. Here's what I discovered after dealing with it: Form 9143 is basically the IRS saying "we need to double-check that you're really you" because something about your signature didn't match their records. This can happen for all sorts of reasons - maybe your signature has evolved over time, there was a technical issue with electronic filing, or their system just flagged it for manual review. The absolute most important thing is to respond within that 30-day window. Don't let the confusion paralyze you into missing the deadline! I'd strongly recommend calling the phone number on your notice as your first step. Yes, the wait times are awful (I was on hold for over 2 hours), but the agent can tell you exactly which form had the issue and what specific documents they need. In my case, they needed copies of my driver's license and Social Security card, plus a signed statement with several examples of my signature. I sent everything certified mail with tracking and included a detailed cover letter referencing the notice number and listing each enclosed document. It took about 5 weeks to get resolved, but once I sent the right stuff, it was pretty straightforward. The key is just getting clarity on exactly what they want rather than guessing!