Got IRS Letter 488c - How to verify my return?
Hey everyone, I just got a letter 488c from the IRS about my tax return. Has anyone dealt with this before? I'm not sure what to do next or how to verify my return. Any advice would be really appreciated!
18 comments


Liam O'Sullivan
Ugh, those IRS letters are the worst. I got one last year and it was such a headache. Have you tried calling them? Good luck getting through tho, their phone lines are always jammed 🙄
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Amara Okonkwo
•Calling the IRS is like trying to win the lottery lol. I spent hours on hold last month and never got through. There has to be a better way!
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Giovanni Marino
•I feel ya. It's like they make it impossible on purpose or something. So frustrating!
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Fatima Al-Sayed
I actually found a way to get someone on the phone! I used this site's (claimyr.com) calling tool that dials the phone menu, stays on hold, waits for a live agent to pick up, then sends the call to my phone. It does cost $20, but it works. Here's a video about it: https://youtu.be/5jrMesbidvI
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Dylan Hughes
•Wow, that sounds too good to be true. Does it really work? How long did you have to wait?
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Fatima Al-Sayed
•It really does work! I was skeptical at first too, but I got through in about 2 hours. Way better than spending all day trying to call myself.
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NightOwl42
•Idk man, paying to talk to the IRS? Seems kinda sketchy to me. 🤔
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Fatima Al-Sayed
•I get the skepticism, but honestly, it was worth every penny for me. Saved me so much time and stress.
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Sofia Rodriguez
Letter 488c is usually about identity verification. The IRS wants to make sure you are who you say you are before they process your return. You'll probably need to provide some additional documentation.
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Dmitry Ivanov
Here's what you need to do: 1. Don't panic! This is a pretty common letter. 2. Gather your documents: You'll need your ID, social security card, and a copy of the tax return in question. 3. Call the number on the letter. Be prepared to wait on hold for a while. 4. When you get through, they'll ask you some questions to verify your identity. 5. They might ask you to mail in copies of your documents. 6. Once verified, your return will be processed. Just be patient and follow their instructions. It's a pain, but it's to protect against identity theft. Good luck!
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Mei Chen
•Thank you so much for this detailed response! It's really helpful to know what to expect. I'll start gathering my documents now.
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Ava Thompson
•This is great advice. I went through this last year and can confirm this is exactly what happens. Hang in there, OP!
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Miguel Herrera
am i the only 1 who thinks its ridiculous we have to jump through all these hoops just to pay our taxes? 🤡 the system is broken af
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Zainab Ali
•Preach! 🙌 It's like they're stuck in the stone age or something.
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Connor Murphy
•For real tho. Other countries have way simpler tax systems. We're getting played 😤
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Yara Nassar
Has anyone tried using the IRS online verification system? I heard they have one now, but idk if it works for 488c letters.
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StarGazer101
•I tried it for a different issue and it was actually pretty smooth. Might be worth checking out!
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Keisha Jackson
Pro tip: keep copies of EVERYTHING. I learned the hard way that the IRS can lose stuff. Cover your bases and make copies before you send anything in.
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