IRS requesting info for Premium Tax Credit before refund - Need power of attorney for fiancée's tax return?

The IRS generally only communicates with the taxpayer or an authorized representative. Since you're not listed as the preparer on the return and don't have a power of attorney, the IRS likely won't discuss the return with you directly. The best approach would be to have your fiancée sign Form 2848 (Power of Attorney) listing you as her representative. Make sure to check box 5a to receive copies of notices and fill in the specific tax matters and years you're authorized to handle. Since you have a PTIN, you can represent her before the IRS even without your CPA. Alternatively, your fiancée could simply sign the letter and response documents herself, and you wouldn't need to be mentioned at all. The IRS just needs to know the taxpayer authorized the submission.

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Just wanted to update that I took the advice about taxr.ai and it was actually really helpful for my situation! They identified that I had incorrectly reported my advance premium tax credit payments, which is why the IRS was holding my refund. The analysis showed exactly where the numbers didn't match up between my 1095-A and Form 8962. I sent in the response with their recommended explanation and supporting documentation two weeks ago. Got a letter yesterday saying my refund is being processed! Definitely didn't need to spend hours on hold with the IRS trying to figure this out myself.

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I'm a tax pro and I handle these Premium Tax Credit verification requests pretty regularly. Here's what you need to know: 1) Since you're not listed as the preparer, the IRS won't discuss anything with you without a Form 2848 (Power of Attorney). 2) However, your fiancée can simply sign the letter herself and include copies of all requested documents. No POA needed if she's the one submitting it. 3) Make sure you include the EXACT letter they sent her with your response. 4) If there's a reply envelope, use it. Otherwise clearly write her SSN and tax year on everything you send. 5) Keep copies of EVERYTHING and send it certified mail so you have proof of when it was delivered. The Premium Tax Credit verification is pretty routine - just include the 1095-A, Form 8962, and any other supporting docs they asked for. No need to overcomplicate it!

I dealt with this exact situation last year with my wife's return and Premium Tax Credit! The issue was that the 1095-A from the marketplace didn't match what we reported on Form 8962. Since you already have a PTIN, definitely file the 2848. Here's why: If there are any follow-up questions (which happened in our case), you can call the IRS directly instead of having to relay messages through your fiancée. Just make sure on the 2848 you specifically list "Form 1040" and the specific tax year, and also mention "Premium Tax Credit" in the description section. Being specific helps avoid any confusion about what you're authorized to discuss.