IRS "Action Required" notice says letter requesting more information is coming in 2-3 weeks - what should I expect?

This happens quite often during processing. The 'Action Required' notice with reference to Tax Topic 152 typically means the IRS needs verification of something on your return. Common reasons include: - Identity verification (they want to confirm you are who you say you are) - Income verification (confirming reported income matches their records) - Dependent verification (if you claimed dependents) - Deduction or credit verification (especially for EITC or education credits) The letter will specify exactly what they need. Most likely it's a CP05 notice or Letter 4883C. Don't panic - this doesn't mean audit or rejection. Just wait for the letter and respond promptly with whatever documentation they request. Don't call the IRS before getting the letter - the phone representatives won't have the specific details about what verification is needed in your case.

Ok so I've dealt with this exact situation before. The regular WMR tool and even calling the IRS won't tell you the specifics. I was so frustrated trying to figure out what was going on with my transcript and kept getting different answers from different agents. Then I used taxr.ai and it was amazing - it read my transcript, told me exactly what verification they were requesting, and gave me a timeline of what to expect next. Seriously saved me weeks of stress. Check out https://taxr.ai - it's the best way to actually understand what's happening with your specific situation instead of getting generic advice that might not apply.

I was in this exact same spot last month! After trying for days to get through to someone at the IRS (busy signals, disconnects, hours on hold), I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me a callback from the IRS within a couple hours. The agent explained that they just needed to verify my identity and I was able to take care of it over the phone instead of waiting for the letter. My refund was released about 10 days later. Best decision I made instead of stressing for weeks waiting for some mystery letter.

This happened to me, and it turned out they just needed me to verify my identity. I got a CP05A letter. I called the number on the letter and verified over the phone - took about 20 minutes. Got my refund 3 weeks later. Just wait for the letter, it'll explain everything.

tax season is always a hot mess. last year they sent me this same message and then the letter came asking me to send proof of my kids social security cards and birth certificates because someone else had claimed them as dependents (it was my ex who is NOT supposed to claim them per our divorce decree). took almost 5 months to get my refund. the irs is so broken. whatever you do dont ignore the letter when it comes.

Just so you kno, Tax Topic 152 doesnt mean anything bad - it just means ur getting a refund and it's being processed. The Action Required part is the important thing. In my experience they usually want either ID verification or proof of income/dependents. Either way don't stress too much, it's pretty routine these days.

I had this happen two years ago. You're going to get one of these letters: 1. Letter 4883C - Identity verification needed 2. CP05 - Information verification needed 3. CP06 - Premium Tax Credit verification 4. Letter 12C - General verification letter for various credits/deductions Whatever you do, DON'T IGNORE IT! I ignored mine thinking it was a mistake and my refund was adjusted down by $2400!!! Had to file an amended return to fix it and that took 9 months. Respond immediately with whatever they ask for.

Anyone find it crazy that they make us wait 2-3 weeks for a letter when they could just email the information in 2 seconds? The IRS is stuck in 1992 I swear 🙄

Pro tip: If you have access to your transcript online, check it NOW. There should be a code that gives you a hint about what's going on. Look for a 570 code (refund hold) and then see if there's a 971 code (notice issued). Sometimes you can figure out what they want before the letter arrives.

SCAM ALERT: Be careful about any calls or emails you might get before the actual IRS letter arrives. Scammers watch social media for people posting about tax issues and then target them pretending to be from the IRS. The real IRS will NEVER call you first without sending a letter, and they NEVER email about refund issues.

for anyone reading this thread in the future, this action required notice is super common for people who claim certain tax credits (esp EITC and education credits). about 40% of returns with these credits get these verification requests. its not an audit, just a normal verification process.

ugh tax troubles make me SICK. my blood boils every time I have to deal with the IRS. good luck op 😤

I actually work at an accounting firm and see this ALL THE TIME. Most common letters people get after seeing this message: - CP05: Review of tax return (general verification of info on return) - Letter 4883C: Identity verification - Letter 12C: Verification of specific credits/deductions - CP06: Premium Tax Credit verification - CP08: Possible ACTC eligibility In about 90% of cases, it's just routine verification and not a big deal as long as you respond with what they ask for. It does delay your refund by 6-8 weeks typically.

check out the r/IRS subreddit for more info - there's like 50 posts a day about this exact situation. seems to be happening way more than usual this tax season.

If i wer you i would start gathering documents now even before the letter comes. Theyre probably going to ask for things like: W2s, 1099s, receipts for deductions, proof of dependents (school records, medical records, birth certificates), proof of education expenses if you claimed education credits. Having this stuff ready will save you time once the letter arrives.

I thought my refund was taking forever, but using taxr.ai totally cleared things up. I uploaded my transcript and it pointed out exactly what codes were showing a review of my education credits. The timeline it gave me was spot on - I knew exactly when to expect my letter and when my refund would process after I responded. Way more helpful than the generic IRS tools. https://taxr.ai saved me so much stress.

Everyone saying "just wait for the letter" is technically right but also SUPER frustrating when you're anxious about your refund. I was in the same boat last year - the waiting drove me nuts. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get thru to an IRS agent who told me exactly what they needed before I got the letter. Saved me like 2 weeks of stress. That waiting time is brutal when you need the money.

Hate to be that person but I had this message and never got a letter (seriously). Waited 3 weeks, nothing arrived. Finally called IRS and they said the letter was returned as undeliverable even though my address was correct. They resent it but by then it had already been 5 weeks of waiting. If you don't get a letter in 3 weeks, definitely call!

The worst thing about these verification requests is that even after you respond, it takes the IRS like 30-60 days to process your response. Their own website says 2-3 weeks but that's a complete lie lol. Just setting expectations so you're not checking WMR every day for weeks after you respond.

I went through this exact same situation two months ago and completely understand the anxiety! The "Action Required" status with Tax Topic 152 is actually pretty routine - it just means they need to verify something before releasing your refund. Since you mentioned claiming education credits, that's most likely what triggered the review. The IRS has been doing a lot more verification on education credits lately. When I got my letter (it was a CP05), they wanted copies of my 1098-T form and receipts showing I actually paid the tuition expenses I claimed. A few tips that helped me: - Start gathering your education documents now (1098-T, receipts, enrollment verification) - Make copies of everything before you send it - Send documents exactly how they request (if they want fax, don't mail) - Keep tracking numbers if you mail anything The whole process took about 6 weeks after I responded, but at least I got my full refund. The waiting is definitely the hardest part, but try not to stress too much - this is way more common than you'd think!

I went through this exact same situation two months ago and completely understand the anxiety! The "Action Required" status with Tax Topic 152 is actually pretty routine - it just means they need to verify something before releasing your refund. Since you mentioned claiming education credits, that's most likely what triggered the review. The IRS has been doing a lot more verification on education credits lately. When I got my letter (it was a CP05), they wanted copies of my 1098-T form and receipts showing I actually paid the tuition expenses I claimed. A few tips that helped me: - Start gathering your education documents now (1098-T, receipts, enrollment verification) - Make copies of everything before you send it - Send documents exactly how they request (if they want fax, don't mail) - Keep tracking numbers if you mail anything The whole process took about 6 weeks after I responded, but at least I got my full refund. The waiting is definitely the hardest part, but try not to stress too much - this is way more common than you'd think!

I've been through this exact situation before! The "Action Required" message with Tax Topic 152 is super common, especially if you claimed education credits like you mentioned. I got the same notice last year and was totally panicked, but it turned out to be routine verification. In my case, they sent a CP05 letter asking for my 1098-T form and proof that I actually paid the tuition I claimed for the American Opportunity Credit. The whole process took about 8 weeks from when I responded, but I did get my full refund. My advice: Start gathering your education documents now (1098-T, receipts, bank statements showing tuition payments). When the letter comes, respond immediately with exactly what they ask for. Use certified mail so you have proof they received your response. The waiting is definitely stressful, but try not to worry too much - this is way more common than people realize, and as long as your claims were legitimate, you'll get your refund eventually. The IRS just wants to make sure everything checks out before releasing the money.

I went through this exact same situation last year and totally understand the stress you're feeling! The "Action Required" status with Tax Topic 152 is actually pretty routine - it just means they need to verify something before releasing your refund. Since you mentioned claiming education credits, that's most likely what triggered the review. The IRS has been doing a lot more verification on education credits lately. When I got my letter (it was a CP05), they wanted copies of my 1098-T form and receipts showing I actually paid the tuition expenses I claimed. A few tips that helped me: - Start gathering your education documents now (1098-T, receipts, enrollment verification) - Make copies of everything before you send it - Send documents exactly how they request (if they want fax, don't mail) - Keep tracking numbers if you mail anything The whole process took about 6 weeks after I responded, but at least I got my full refund. The waiting is definitely the hardest part, but try not to stress too much - this is way more common than you'd think!

I just went through this exact situation a few months ago! The "Action Required" status is definitely nerve-wracking when you first see it, but it's actually pretty routine. Since you mentioned claiming education credits, that's almost certainly what they want to verify - the IRS has really ramped up verification on education credits this year. When I got my CP05 letter, they wanted my 1098-T form and proof of actual tuition payments. I'd recommend starting to gather those documents now so you're ready when the letter arrives. Make sure you have your 1098-T, receipts or bank statements showing you paid tuition, and maybe enrollment verification from your school. The timeline they give (2-3 weeks for the letter) is usually pretty accurate, but once you respond it can take 6-8 weeks to process. I know the waiting is awful when you need that refund, but as long as your education expenses were legitimate, you'll get your full refund eventually. One thing that helped my peace of mind - when you do send documents, use certified mail with return receipt so you have proof they received everything. The IRS can be slow, but they're pretty good about processing verification requests as long as you give them what they ask for.

I totally get how stressful this is - the unknown is always the worst part! I went through something very similar last year and it turned out to be much less scary than I initially thought. Based on what you're describing and the codes others mentioned (570 and 971), this is most likely a routine verification request. Since you mentioned claiming education credits, that's probably what triggered it. The IRS has been doing a lot more verification on education-related credits lately. Here's what I'd suggest while you wait for the letter: - Gather your 1098-T forms and any receipts/bank statements showing tuition payments - If you claimed the American Opportunity Credit, have documentation that shows you were enrolled at least half-time - Keep copies of everything organized and ready to send When the letter comes (and it will - don't worry about it getting lost), respond exactly as they request. If they want documents faxed, fax them. If they want them mailed, use certified mail with return receipt. The whole process from response to refund release took about 7 weeks for me, but I did get my full refund with no adjustments. It's frustrating to wait, but this really is routine verification, not an audit or anything punitive. Hang in there - you'll get through this and get your refund!