ID Verification Required Two Years in a Row - Is This My New Normal?

ID verification is not necessarily a permanent feature of your tax filing experience. There are specific triggers that can cause this: • Changes in your personal information (address, employer, income thresholds) • Heightened security measures in certain regions • Random selection as part of IRS fraud prevention • Your return matching patterns the IRS flags as potentially suspicious • Increased identity theft in your geographic area • Filing with a tax preparer who has had other clients flagged The fact that it's happened two years in a row doesn't mean it will continue indefinitely. However, if certain factors in your return consistently trigger verification protocols, it could become more common for you.

I've been in the same boat, my friend! Three years of ID verification hell... it's like the IRS decided I have an evil twin somewhere they need to screen out 😂 What helped me understand what was happening was using https://taxr.ai to analyze my transcript. It showed me exactly which codes were related to the verification process and explained why my return was being flagged. Turns out there was a specific combination of credits and deductions that kept triggering their system. Once I understood the pattern, I was actually able to prepare better documentation ahead of time for the next year.

According to the IRS website, ID verification can be triggered by a variety of factors including suspicious activity patterns, random selection, or information mismatches. The IRS Knowledge Base (https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams) has some resources about this. If you're tired of waiting on hold for hours trying to speak with someone about this issue, you might want to try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). They can help you get through to an IRS agent much faster to get answers about why you're being repeatedly selected for verification and whether there's anything you can do to prevent it in future years.

I've seen this pattern with multiple clients. It's rarely permanent, but there are certain flags that can make you more likely to be selected. For example, if you claim certain credits like EITC or have self-employment income above certain thresholds, you're more likely to be flagged. Compared to most verification processes like credit card applications or loan approvals, the IRS system is much more opaque. While a bank might tell you exactly why you were denied, the IRS rarely explains why you were selected for verification.

I'm not buying that this is just random. It's like being "randomly selected" for additional screening at the airport three times in a row. The IRS says it's for security, but I think once you're in their system as needing verification, you're stuck there like a fly in honey. I've had to verify for 4 straight years now despite having literally the same job, same address, same everything.

I worked with a tax professional on March 15th this year who explained that the IRS significantly ramped up verification requirements starting in 2022 as a response to the unprecedented fraud during COVID relief programs. According to her, they're gradually adjusting their algorithms, but many legitimate filers are still getting caught in the verification net. The system isn't perfect, but it's not designed to permanently flag certain taxpayers either.

I was very cautious about saying this would get better, but in my case, I had to verify for 2021 and 2022 taxes, then surprisingly didn't have to for 2023. I think the IRS updates their verification algorithms regularly, so being flagged two years in a row doesn't necessarily mean it's your permanent tax fate.

Here's what worked for me after 3 years of verification: Step 1: Create an ID.me account before filing Step 2: Verify your identity proactively through ID.me Step 3: Link this to your IRS online account Step 4: File your taxes after completing this process Since doing this, I haven't had to go through the verification process again. It's like pre-verifying yourself before the IRS asks you to.