How to confirm IRS received and processed my 83-B election form submission

The 83-B election process is definitely frustrating in terms of confirmation. I help clients with this regularly. The best practice is to send your 83-B election via certified mail with return receipt requested (which it sounds like Carta did for you) and keep that receipt forever. The IRS doesn't actually "process" 83-B elections in the way they process tax returns. They simply keep them on file. They don't send confirmation letters or anything similar. The USPS delivery confirmation is generally considered sufficient proof of timely filing. For extra protection, many tax professionals recommend also including a second copy of the 83-B form with a self-addressed stamped envelope requesting that the IRS stamp and return it. But honestly, even this method isn't foolproof since the IRS often doesn't return these.

After dealing with similar anxiety over my 83-B filing last year, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it was a game changer. I uploaded my 83-B confirmation documents and USPS tracking info, and their system analyzed everything and provided an assessment of my documentation's completeness. The service helped me understand exactly what constitutes legal proof of filing according to tax court precedents. They even provided me with a detailed document explaining what records I needed to keep and for how long. It gave me serious peace of mind when I was in the same position you're in now.

Just wanted to follow up that I tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here. Totally worth it for the peace of mind! I uploaded my 83-B documentation and USPS tracking, and within minutes got a detailed report analyzing my filing. They confirmed my documentation would likely be considered legally sufficient based on tax court precedents. The report even pointed out that I'd made a minor date error on my form (which I hadn't caught) and explained how to document the correction properly. Definitely helped me sleep better knowing my equity won't get screwed up years from now when I go to sell.

I was in this exact situation last quarter. After days of frustration with the IRS phone system, I used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and finally got through to someone who could help. They have this system that basically waits on hold with the IRS for you, then calls you when an agent picks up. You can see how it works in their demo video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I initially thought it was BS, but after two failed days of calling myself, I tried it. Within about 2 hours, I was connected to an IRS agent in the business division who actually knew what an 83-B election was! They confirmed they had received mine and gave me the name of the person I spoke with and the date/time for my records.

I need to admit I was wrong about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it myself for a different tax issue (not 83-B related). I was connected to an IRS agent in about 90 minutes after spending days trying on my own. While they couldn't directly confirm my 83-B election (apparently these go to a special department), the agent was able to transfer me to someone who explained the proper documentation requirements for proving 83-B filing. She confirmed that certified mail receipts are considered legally sufficient proof, and recommended I keep digital backups of everything. The time saved was absolutely worth it. I'm still frustrated with the IRS's lack of a proper confirmation system, but at least I got some clear answers.

Former IRS employee here. The truth is that 83-B elections aren't "processed" in the traditional sense. They're simply filed and stored. The IRS doesn't have a system to look them up easily because they're not entered into the main database systems like tax returns are. Your certified mail receipt is your proof. Keep it forever (seriously, forever) along with a copy of your 83-B form. If you're ever audited about this issue years down the road, that receipt is your golden ticket.

Did Carta send a return receipt requested form (PS Form 3811) or just regular certified mail? There's a big difference. With return receipt, you get actual proof the IRS signed for it. Without that, you just know it arrived at the IRS building.

I went through this exact same stress last year with my startup equity. What finally gave me peace of mind was creating a comprehensive documentation package that I keep in multiple places. Here's what I did: I took screenshots of everything - the USPS tracking showing delivery, the certified mail receipt, photos of the actual 83-B form I sent, and even the Carta dashboard confirmation. Then I printed everything and put it in a dedicated tax folder, saved digital copies to three different cloud services, and emailed it all to myself with a clear subject line. I also reached out to a tax attorney who specializes in startup equity who confirmed that courts have consistently ruled that certified mail delivery confirmation is legally sufficient proof of timely filing. The key is that you have that paper trail showing it was sent within the 30-day window and delivered to the correct IRS address. Your USPS delivery confirmation from Carta should absolutely be sufficient. The IRS's lack of a confirmation system is frustrating, but it doesn't invalidate your filing as long as you have proof it was properly mailed and delivered on time.

I'm dealing with this exact same anxiety right now! Filed my 83-B election about 3 weeks ago and have been losing sleep over whether it was properly received. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea that the IRS doesn't actually "process" these forms in the traditional sense. Based on all the advice here, I'm going to follow the comprehensive documentation approach that StarStrider mentioned. I already have my certified mail receipt, but I'm going to screenshot everything, save to multiple cloud services, and create that dedicated email folder system. One question for those who've been through this - how long did you keep checking on the documentation? I find myself obsessively looking at the USPS tracking every few days even though I know it's already been delivered. At what point did you feel comfortable that everything was properly filed and stop worrying about it? The startup equity game is stressful enough without having to worry about tax elections with zero confirmation systems!

Welcome to the 83-B anxiety club! I'm also relatively new here but went through this exact same stress about 6 months ago when I exercised options at my startup. The obsessive tracking checking is totally normal - I probably refreshed that USPS page a hundred times even after it showed delivered. What finally helped me relax was realizing that the certified mail receipt is literally designed to be legal proof of delivery for exactly these situations. To answer your question about when I stopped worrying: it took about 2-3 months before I stopped thinking about it daily. The turning point was when I organized all my documentation the way others have described here - screenshots, multiple cloud backups, printed copies, etc. Having everything systematically stored made me feel much more confident that I was covered. One thing that really helped was setting a calendar reminder for myself to review the documentation every 6 months just to make sure all the cloud links still work and the files are accessible. That way I'm not constantly worrying about it, but I know I'm staying on top of maintaining the proof I need. The lack of IRS confirmation really is maddening, but based on everything I've read and the advice from the former IRS employee here, you're in good shape with that delivery confirmation!

I'm new to this community but dealing with this exact same issue right now! Just filed my 83-B election two weeks ago through my company's equity management platform and have been completely stressed about the lack of confirmation. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - especially learning from the former IRS employee that these forms aren't actually "processed" but just filed and stored. That explains so much about why the phone agents seemed confused when I called! I'm definitely going to implement the comprehensive documentation strategy everyone's mentioned. I already have the certified mail tracking showing delivery, but now I'm going to screenshot everything, save to multiple cloud services, and create that dedicated email folder system. One additional tip I wanted to share - my startup's legal counsel mentioned that some people also send a copy to their personal tax preparer/CPA with a note about the filing date and tracking info. That way there's another professional who has record of the filing in case you ever need to reconstruct the timeline years later during an audit. The anxiety around this process is real, but it sounds like having that certified mail delivery confirmation really is the gold standard for proof. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread should probably be pinned for other stressed startup employees going through this!

I'm new to this community but currently going through this exact same stressful situation! Filed my 83-B election about 10 days ago and have been obsessively checking the USPS tracking even though it shows delivered. This entire thread has been incredibly valuable - I had no idea that 83-B elections aren't actually "processed" by the IRS but just filed and stored. That explains why the phone agents I spoke with seemed so confused about what I was even asking for! I'm definitely implementing the multi-layered documentation approach everyone's described. Beyond the certified mail receipt, I'm going to screenshot everything, save to multiple cloud services, create that dedicated email folder, and set up the 6-month calendar reminders to verify everything is still accessible. The tip about sending a copy to your tax preparer/CPA is brilliant too - having another professional with records of the filing timeline could be invaluable during a future audit. One thing I'm curious about - for those who've been through this process, did you ever have any issues years later when you actually went to sell your equity? I'm wondering if anyone has real-world experience with how well this documentation held up when the tax implications actually mattered at sale time. The startup world is stressful enough without these anxiety-inducing tax elections with zero confirmation systems!

I'm also new to this community and currently dealing with this exact same 83-B election anxiety! Filed mine about two weeks ago and have been obsessively checking the USPS tracking even though it clearly shows delivered to the IRS. This entire thread has been incredibly reassuring - especially learning from the former IRS employee that these forms are just filed and stored rather than processed. That totally explains why the phone agents seemed so confused when I called asking for confirmation! @Keisha Robinson - thank you so much for sharing your full-cycle experience! That's exactly what I needed to hear. Knowing that someone actually went through the entire process from filing to sale and had their documentation accepted without issues gives me huge peace of mind. The fact that one of your cloud storage links broke over the years but you still had everything backed up elsewhere really validates the multi-layered approach everyone's recommending. I'm implementing all the documentation strategies mentioned here: screenshots of everything, multiple cloud backups, dedicated email folder, printed copies, and those 6-month calendar reminders to check accessibility. Also definitely sending a copy to my CPA as suggested. The startup equity world is stressful enough - at least now I know I'm doing everything right to protect myself down the road. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and advice!

I'm also new to this community and currently experiencing the exact same 83-B election anxiety! Just filed mine about a week and a half ago through my startup's equity platform and have been losing sleep over the lack of any confirmation system from the IRS. This thread has been absolutely incredible - I had no clue that 83-B elections are just filed and stored rather than actively processed. That completely explains why every IRS agent I spoke with seemed bewildered when I asked about confirmation! The former IRS employee's explanation was particularly enlightening. @Keisha Robinson - your complete cycle experience is exactly what I desperately needed to hear! Knowing that someone actually made it through the entire journey from filing to equity sale and had their documentation package accepted without any issues is incredibly reassuring. The detail about maintaining multiple backup formats and having redundancy when one cloud link failed really validates this comprehensive documentation approach. I'm implementing every strategy mentioned here: taking screenshots of all tracking and forms, saving to multiple cloud platforms, creating that dedicated email folder system, keeping printed hard copies, and setting up those 6-month calendar check-ins. Also definitely forwarding everything to my CPA for their records. The 30-day deadline combined with zero confirmation feedback is honestly infuriating from a user experience perspective, but this community has given me confidence that I'm protecting myself properly. Thank you everyone for sharing your hard-won wisdom - this thread should definitely be bookmarked by anyone dealing with startup equity elections!

I'm also brand new to this community and currently going through this exact same 83-B election nightmare! Just filed mine 3 days ago and I've been obsessively refreshing that USPS tracking page even though it shows delivered to the IRS processing center. This thread has been an absolute godsend - I had no idea that 83-B elections aren't actually "processed" in the traditional sense but just filed away. That totally explains why the IRS phone agents I talked to seemed completely clueless about what I was even asking for! @Keisha Robinson - your complete journey from filing to successful equity sale is exactly the reassurance I desperately needed! Knowing that someone actually went through the full cycle and had their documentation accepted without any issues when it really counted gives me huge peace of mind. The detail about one of your cloud storage links breaking over the years but still having multiple backups really emphasizes why this redundant approach is so important. I'm building my documentation system right now based on all the wisdom shared here: screenshots of all forms and tracking, multiple cloud storage locations, dedicated email folder, physical printed copies, and those brilliant 6-month calendar reminders to verify everything stays accessible. The combination of a strict 30-day deadline with absolutely zero confirmation feedback from the IRS is genuinely insane from a user experience standpoint, but this community has given me confidence that I'm covering all my bases properly. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - finding people who actually understand this specific anxiety has been incredibly valuable!

I'm also new to this community and currently dealing with this exact 83-B election anxiety! Just submitted mine about 10 days ago and have been constantly checking the USPS tracking even though it clearly shows delivered. This entire thread has been incredibly reassuring - I had no idea that 83-B elections are simply filed and stored rather than actively processed by the IRS. That completely explains why the phone representatives seemed so confused when I called asking for confirmation! The comprehensive documentation strategy everyone's outlined here makes perfect sense. I'm implementing it all: screenshots of the tracking and forms, multiple cloud storage backups, dedicated email folder, printed copies for my tax files, and those smart 6-month calendar reminders to verify accessibility. What really stands out to me is how this thread demonstrates the power of community knowledge. The former IRS employee's insider explanation, combined with real success stories from people who've completed the full cycle, provides so much more clarity than any official IRS guidance I could find. The 30-day deadline with zero confirmation system is genuinely frustrating from a taxpayer perspective, but thanks to everyone sharing their experiences here, I feel much more confident that I'm properly protecting myself for potential future audits or equity sales. This kind of peer-to-peer knowledge sharing is invaluable for navigating these complex tax situations!

I'm also new to this community and just went through filing my 83-B election two weeks ago! Like everyone else here, I've been obsessively checking that USPS tracking even though it shows delivered. This thread has been absolutely invaluable - I had no idea that 83-B elections are just filed and stored rather than processed. That explains so much about why the IRS phone agents seemed completely lost when I called! @Keisha Robinson - your complete success story from filing to equity sale is exactly what all of us anxious filers needed to hear! Knowing that the comprehensive documentation approach actually worked when it mattered most years later gives me huge confidence. I'm setting up my documentation system today based on all the wisdom shared here: screenshots to multiple cloud services, dedicated email folder, printed copies, and those 6-month accessibility reminders. The redundancy aspect you mentioned about the broken cloud link really drives home why this multi-layered approach is so critical. The 30-day deadline with zero confirmation feedback is honestly terrible UX design from the IRS, but this community has transformed my panic into a clear action plan. Thank you everyone for sharing your real experiences - this is exactly the kind of peer knowledge that makes navigating startup equity so much less stressful!

I'm also new to this community and currently going through this exact same 83-B election stress! Just filed mine about a week ago and have been refreshing that USPS tracking page way too many times even though it clearly shows delivered to the IRS. This entire thread has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. Like so many others here, I had no idea that 83-B elections are just filed and stored rather than actually processed by the IRS. That completely explains why the phone agents I called seemed so confused about what I was even asking for! @Keisha Robinson - your real-world experience going through the complete cycle from filing to actual equity sale is exactly what I desperately needed to hear! Knowing that someone actually used this documentation approach successfully when it mattered most years later gives me huge peace of mind. The detail about one of your cloud storage links breaking over time but having multiple backups really drives home why the redundant storage strategy is so important. I'm implementing the comprehensive documentation system that everyone's outlined here: taking screenshots of all forms and tracking info, saving to multiple cloud services (Google Drive, Dropbox, and iCloud), creating that dedicated email folder, keeping printed hard copies in my tax files, and setting up those 6-month calendar reminders to verify everything stays accessible. The combination of a strict 30-day deadline with absolutely zero confirmation feedback from the IRS is genuinely terrible system design, but this community has transformed my panic into a clear action plan. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - finding people who actually understand this specific startup equity anxiety has been invaluable!

I'm also new to this community and currently going through this exact same 83-B election anxiety! Just filed mine about 5 days ago and have been checking that USPS tracking obsessively even though it shows delivered. This thread has been absolutely incredible to discover - I had no idea that 83-B elections are simply filed and stored rather than actively processed by the IRS. That completely explains why the phone representatives I spoke with seemed so bewildered when I asked about confirmation! @Keisha Robinson - your complete cycle experience from filing all the way through to successful equity sale is exactly the reassurance I was desperately looking for! Knowing that someone actually went through the entire process and had their comprehensive documentation package accepted without any issues when it really mattered gives me huge confidence. The detail about maintaining multiple backup formats and one of your cloud links breaking over the years really validates why this redundant approach is so essential. I'm implementing every documentation strategy mentioned here: screenshots of all tracking and forms saved to multiple cloud platforms (Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud), creating that dedicated email folder system, keeping printed hard copies in my tax files, forwarding everything to my CPA, and setting up those smart 6-month calendar reminders to verify accessibility. The 30-day hard deadline combined with zero confirmation feedback is genuinely frustrating from a system design perspective, but this community has transformed my panic into a clear action plan with proven strategies. Thank you everyone for sharing your real experiences - finding people who actually understand this specific startup equity stress has been invaluable!