IRS Says I'll Receive a Letter with 120-Day Response Timeline - Happens Every Year

I've seen this pattern before with several clients. When you receive the same type of letter for consecutive years, it typically indicates a mismatch in your reported information versus what the IRS has on file. Last year, I had three clients with similar situations where their W-2 information didn't match IRS records exactly. Have you checked that all your employer identification numbers are accurately listed on your forms? Sometimes even a single digit discrepancy can trigger these verification cycles.

Based on your description, you're likely receiving a CP05 Notice (Information Verification Request) or possibly a 5071C Letter (Identity Verification Request). These are standard compliance protocols that can be triggered by multiple factors including income threshold changes, filing status modifications, or algorithmic selection for verification. I recommend using https://taxr.ai to analyze your transcript once you receive the letter. The platform can identify specific transaction codes that indicate why you're being flagged repeatedly. For example, code 570 with a specific reference number might indicate a pattern recognition trigger in their compliance verification system. My clients who've used taxr.ai typically understand exactly what's happening rather than waiting in uncertainty for 120 days.

The 120-day timeframe you mentioned is standard for CP05 notices, which are part of the Income Verification Program. These are not audits but verification checks. Key point: if you're newly married as of 1/15/2024, your name change may not have been properly updated with SSA before filing. The IRS cross-references SSA data and flags discrepancies automatically. When they say "call back after 120 days," it means they're placing your return in the manual review queue, which is significantly backlogged currently.

Have you tried getting through to an actual IRS account specialist? When I was in your situation last year with recurring verification letters, I wasted days trying to reach someone who could actually explain why this kept happening. After numerous failed attempts with the general line, I used Claimyr (https://www.claimyr.com) to connect with an actual IRS representative who had access to my full file history. They explained I had a "verification flag" on my account from a previous issue that needed to be manually removed. Have you considered trying that approach? It might save you from going through this again next year.

I'm not convinced this is necessarily a cause for concern. According to Internal Revenue Manual 21.5.6.4.35, these verification procedures are part of normal tax administration. The IRS is required by IRC Section 6001 to verify information before issuing refunds in certain circumstances. The 120-day timeframe is actually a protection for taxpayers - it prevents indefinite holds. If you've received these notices for three consecutive years but ultimately received your refunds each time, the system is working as designed, albeit frustratingly slow. I wouldn't recommend paying for services unless you've confirmed an actual problem exists.

The system works as intended. Verification is normal. Multiple years of flags suggests a pattern. Check your W-2 information. Verify employer EIN numbers. Confirm SSA has updated marital status. These are common triggers. The 120-day timeframe is standard. Nothing unusual here.

I received a similar notice on March 12, 2024, and was told to wait 120 days (until July 10, 2024). I couldn't afford to wait that long with mortgage payments due, so I took action on March 15, 2024. Called my local Taxpayer Advocate on March 20, 2024, and they resolved the issue by April 2, 2024. Received my refund on April 8, 2024. Don't just wait the 120 days - be proactive if you need your refund sooner!

My husband and I went through this exact same situation after we got married last year! We got the letter saying to wait 120 days, and I was so anxious I called every week to check on it. What finally worked for us was visiting our local IRS office in person - I brought all our documents, marriage certificate, and previous years' returns. The agent there was actually super nice and found that our issue was related to my name change not being properly recorded with Social Security before we filed. Maybe try making an appointment at your local office?

Has anyone considered that this might be related to the IRS's Questionable Refund Program (QRP) or Return Integrity Verification Operations (RIVO)? These programs flag returns that match certain criteria year after year. Did you perhaps claim similar credits each year? Have you moved frequently? Do you work in an industry with high reported fraud rates? The 120-day timeframe is interesting because it suggests manual review rather than automated verification, which typically resolves in 60 days. What exactly did the agent say the letter was regarding?

I had the EXACT same issue for 3 years straight after changing jobs. Turns out my previous employer had been reporting my income under a slightly different name format than what was on my Social Security card (they had my middle initial included). I finally fixed it by bringing my SS card to HR and having them update their records. Haven't had a single verification letter since 2022! The IRS systems are extremely sensitive to these tiny discrepancies, especially with the increased fraud detection algorithms they've implemented in the last few years.

This recurring pattern for three consecutive years definitely suggests there's a systemic issue that needs to be addressed rather than just waiting it out each time. Based on what others have shared here, I'd recommend taking a multi-pronged approach: First, verify with Social Security Administration that your name change from your marriage is properly recorded in their system - this seems to be a common culprit based on several responses here. Second, contact your employer's HR department to confirm they have your exact legal name and SSN on file (no middle initials if not on your SS card, etc.). Third, instead of just waiting the 120 days again this year, consider contacting the Taxpayer Advocate Service if you need your refund for essential expenses. As Muhammad mentioned, they can often expedite resolution if there's financial hardship. Finally, once this year's issue is resolved, I'd suggest requesting a copy of your tax transcript to see if there are any recurring transaction codes that might explain why you're being flagged annually. Understanding the root cause could prevent this from happening for a fourth year in 2025. The fact that you're getting the exact same timeframe and process suggests it's likely the same underlying data mismatch triggering the verification each year.

This is incredibly frustrating, but you're definitely not alone in this situation. Three consecutive years of the same verification process suggests there's a persistent data mismatch that hasn't been properly resolved. Since you mentioned your filing status changed to Married Filing Jointly as of January 15, 2024, I'd strongly recommend checking two things immediately: 1) Verify that Social Security Administration has your updated name on file if you changed it after marriage, and 2) Confirm with your employer that they have your exact legal name and SSN recorded correctly in their payroll system. The fact that you're getting the same 120-day timeline each year indicates you're likely hitting the same automated flag in their system. Rather than just waiting it out again, consider being proactive this time - contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service if you need your refund for essential expenses, or try visiting your local IRS office in person with all your documentation. Once this year's issue is resolved, definitely request your tax transcript to identify any recurring transaction codes that might explain the annual flagging. Understanding the root cause could finally break this cycle for 2025.

I've been working as a tax preparer for over 8 years and I see this pattern frequently with newly married couples. The issue is almost certainly related to your name change not being properly synced between Social Security Administration and IRS systems. Here's what likely happened: When you got married on January 15, 2024, if you changed your name, there's often a delay between when SSA updates their records and when that information flows to the IRS. The IRS automated systems flag returns where the name on the tax return doesn't exactly match what SSA has on file. My recommendation is to call SSA first at 1-800-772-1213 to verify they have your correct married name on file. If there's a discrepancy, get that fixed immediately. Then call the IRS back and specifically ask them to note in your file that you've updated your information with SSA. For future years, I always tell my married clients to wait at least 2-4 weeks after updating their name with SSA before filing their tax return. This simple step prevents the verification cycle from starting in the first place. The good news is that once this underlying mismatch is resolved, you shouldn't see these letters again. But you need to address the root cause rather than just waiting out the 120 days each year.

I've been following this thread with great interest because I'm experiencing something very similar - this is my second year getting these verification letters and I was starting to worry there was something seriously wrong with my returns. Based on all the helpful responses here, it sounds like the most common culprits are: • Name/SSN mismatches between employer records and SSA • Name changes from marriage not properly synced between SSA and IRS • Employer EIN discrepancies on W-2 forms • Certain income thresholds or expense amounts that trigger automatic reviews What I find most valuable about this discussion is that multiple people have shared the same experience - getting these letters for 2-3 consecutive years before finally identifying and fixing the root cause. It's reassuring to know this isn't necessarily an audit or indication of wrongdoing, just a frustrating bureaucratic issue that needs to be systematically addressed. I'm definitely going to follow Emma's advice about calling SSA first to verify my information, then checking with my employer's HR department. The suggestion about requesting tax transcripts to identify recurring transaction codes also seems really smart for understanding exactly why this keeps happening. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions - this thread is going to save a lot of people from just passively waiting 120 days every year!