How Long Does IRS Identity Verification Letter Take to Arrive?

This is spot on! I had this exact situation last month with my mother's return. The letter took 23 days to arrive even though WMR showed they needed more info after just 5 days. The post office in our area has been TERRIBLE lately. When the letter finally came, it was indeed for identity verification. We needed it handled ASAP because we were using the refund for medical expenses, so the waiting was incredibly stressful!

In my experience, the timeline varies significantly depending on when you filed. I submitted on January 29th, 2024, got the "need more information" message on February 7th, and didn't receive the identity verification letter until February 26th. That's nearly 3 weeks just for the letter! After verifying online on March 1st, my refund was approved on March 15th and deposited on March 20th. The whole process took almost 2 months from start to finish.

I'm always surprised by how the IRS verification system works. Last year I got flagged for verification because I had moved to a different state, and the letter arrived within 5 days. This year my neighbor with almost identical circumstances waited almost a month for the same letter! The Identity Theft Risk Assessment Filter (IDTRAF) and the Return Review Program (RRP) use different criteria at different times of the tax season, which explains the inconsistency. It's not just about mail delivery.

Got my letter in 9 days. Verified online. Refund came 2 weeks later. Simple process. Worth the wait. Better than dealing with identity theft.

Does this actually work better than just checking the transcript directly on the IRS website? I've always just looked up the codes myself when I see them.

Not the original commenter, but I've used both methods. The IRS website just gives you the raw transcript with all those mysterious codes, but taxr.ai actually explains what each code means in plain English. Made me feel much better when I was panicking about a 570 code! 😅 It's basically like having a tax pro look at your transcript without paying the $200+ consultation fee.

Step 1: Create IRS online account if you don't have one Step 2: Download transcript Step 3: Upload to taxr.ai Step 4: Get actual explanations Saved me hours of googling random code combinations and worrying about what they meant. The IRS site gives you the data but no context for what it means for YOUR specific situation or timeline.

I had almost the exact same timeline! Filed Feb 15, got the message Feb 25, letter arrived March 10. I was going crazy checking my mailbox every day. What frustrated me most was that there was no way to know FOR SURE that identity verification was what they needed until the letter arrived. I kept worrying it might be something worse!

Question - did you call the IRS at all during this process? I'm wondering if calling actually speeds things up or if it's just a waste of time when the system is already processing everything.

This is really helpful info - thanks for sharing your timeline. Gives me a better idea of what to expect. I'm at day 25 since filing and still waiting for any kind of letter.

Thank you for sharing that phone number! I've been searching everywhere for the direct line to identity verification. Definitely going to try calling tomorrow.

Just to clarify - when you call that number, do you need to have any specific information ready? Like the verification code from the letter (which defeats the purpose if you're calling because you didn't get a letter)?

I had the exact same experience last year. Letter never came, but when I finally got through to someone, they helped me verify right over the phone. Had my refund within 2 weeks after that call. Before that I was just checking WMR daily getting more and more frustrated.

Does this phone number work for third party situations like the OP who's helping their aunt? Or do they only talk to the actual taxpayer?

Thank you so much for this detailed information! I had no idea there were specific IRM sections covering this. This is incredibly helpful - especially the part about being able to verify without waiting for the letter. I'm going to look into the ID.me option right away.

I went through this last month. Had Form 2848 for my father and called that exact number. The agent was able to help me complete the verification over the phone after asking security questions. Refund was processed about 10 days later. Having the proper authorization form already on file with the IRS made all the difference.

I tried the ID.me route without having received a letter, and it wouldn't let me complete the verification process. The system kept saying I needed a specific verification code from the letter. Maybe I was doing something wrong, but I eventually had to call anyway.

@aa0a55660898 This is incredibly thorough - thanks for citing the actual IRM sections! Quick question about the Form 8821 vs 2848 - which one would be better for a caregiver situation like the OP's? I'm in a similar spot with my elderly parent and want to make sure I have the right authorization in place before calling that number.

@d8b0dab8a774 Great question! For a caregiver situation like yours and the OP's, Form 2848 (Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative) is typically better than Form 8821. Here's why: Form 8821 only allows you to receive tax information, but Form 2848 actually authorizes you to act on behalf of the taxpayer - which means you can handle the identity verification process directly with the IRS agent. Since caregivers often need to take action rather than just receive information, the 2848 gives you the full authority to resolve issues like this verification requirement. Just make sure both you and your parent sign it and that it's filed with the IRS before you call that number!

This is such valuable insight from someone who actually works with these cases regularly! I'm curious - when you mention checking the transcript for codes, are there specific ones that indicate identity verification holds versus other types of issues? I've seen people mention codes 570 and 971, but I'm not sure if those are the only ones to look for. Also, do you find that calling tends to resolve things faster than waiting for the letter, or is it more about peace of mind for your clients?

I completely understand that anxiety about not knowing what's actually needed! I'm in almost the same boat right now - filed my mom's return 3 weeks ago, got the "need more information" message, and still no letter. The uncertainty is driving me crazy too. Reading through everyone's experiences here, it seems like being proactive after 3 weeks is definitely the right move. I'm going to try calling that 800-830-5084 number tomorrow. Thanks for sharing your timeline - it's reassuring to know that even when the letter took nearly a month, the verification process itself was pretty quick once you got it. Did you need any special documentation when you called, or just the basic tax info?