ID Verification Confusion - Online vs Phone vs In-Person?

I went through this EXACT same mess last year. I got that verification letter and followed the instructions to verify online, then called back because I wasn't sure if it was enough. The agent told me I didn't need to call back, but then my refund sat for another 3 weeks with no movement. I ended up calling AGAIN, and that agent said sometimes the verification doesn't properly connect to your account. I had to go through additional steps on that call to confirm they had received my verification. My advice? Always call back to confirm they received your verification - don't trust the system to work automatically like they claim it will.

I received my verification letter on February 23rd this year. I completed the online verification that same day using ID.me as instructed. I did NOT call back afterward, and my refund was approved on March 14th with direct deposit on March 19th. The online verification alone was sufficient in my case, but I know the IRS isn't always consistent in how they handle these things. If you've already completed the online verification and it's been more than 9 business days, it might be worth calling to check on status.

I've been through this verification process multiple times over the years. Here's what I've learned: the IRS systems don't always talk to each other effectively. The online verification should be sufficient, but in practice, many people find their verification gets stuck in limbo. When I needed to follow up last year, I spent 4 hours on hold before giving up. This year I used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get through to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes. They confirmed my verification was received but not processed and fixed it on the spot. My refund was issued 5 days later. Without that call, I'm certain I would have been waiting months.

I went through identity verification in March. Here's what worked for me: • Received letter with verification instructions • Completed online verification through ID.me (took about 15 minutes) • Waited exactly one week • Checked Where's My Refund - no update • Called IRS and waited 90+ minutes • Agent confirmed they received my verification but needed to "complete the process" on their end • Refund approved 3 days after that call Bottom line: The online verification alone wasn't enough in my case. The call was necessary to finalize it, even though the first agent told me it wasn't needed.

The discrepancy in instructions might be related to the specific verification trigger in your account. There are multiple verification pathways in the IRS system - some require only the Letter 5071C online verification, while others (like potential identity theft flags) require both online verification AND verbal confirmation. Without knowing the specific Transaction Code (TC) that triggered your verification requirement, it's difficult to say which process applies to your situation. If you have access to your tax transcript, look for TC 570 with a specific action code to determine your exact verification requirements.

I finally got my refund last week after the verification nightmare. Here's what's funny (not really) - I called three different times and got three completely different answers about what I needed to do! 😂 The third agent actually looked at my account notes and said "I see you've been told conflicting things, let me set this straight." She confirmed my online verification was received but not fully processed, clicked a few buttons, and my refund was approved two days later. The system is as broken as my will to ever file early again.

I think the safest approach might be to complete the online verification first, wait about a week, and then call to confirm it was properly received and processed. While some people don't need the follow-up call, many of us in this community have found that the call often speeds things up or resolves issues that would otherwise leave your refund in limbo. It's not ideal to spend time on the phone with the IRS, but it's probably worth it to avoid months of waiting and wondering.

Just to clarify - did your verification letter specifically mention ID.me for the online verification? And did it have a specific deadline for completing the verification? These details can actually indicate which verification pathway you're on and whether a follow-up call would be needed.