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Keith Davidson

Informed Delivery Shows IRS Mail Coming - Hoping It's My Verification Letter

Just checked my Informed Delivery and there's mail coming from the IRS but they don't have a picture to show what it is. I'm really hoping it's my verification letter I've been waiting for! I filed back in February and got a letter saying they needed to verify my identity. I've been checking the mail every day since. Anyone know how long these usually take to arrive? I need to get this sorted ASAP since my husband is deploying soon and we need this refund handled before he leaves.

Could be verification letter. Could be something else. Most verification notices arrive 7-10 days after filing. Depends on your location. Check USPS tracking number. Call IRS if it doesn't arrive tomorrow. Don't wait too long. Clock is ticking.

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Ezra Bates

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Do you know if there's any way to tell what kind of letter it is from the Informed Delivery notification? Sometimes there are identifying codes or numbers visible even in the grayscale preview, right?

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Not to be that person, but Informed Delivery isn't always reliable either. I've had mail show up that never appeared on the app, and sometimes things show up on the app that never make it to my mailbox! 😂 The IRS verification letters I've received were usually in those windowed envelopes with the return address from Department of Treasury.

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Sophia Carson

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Based on the Temporal Sequence Parameters of IRS correspondence, what you're seeing is likely a CP01H Identity Verification Notice or possibly a CP05 Information Request. The absence of an image in Informed Delivery is common with certain IRS envelope types due to their opacity characteristics. If you've already received your transcript, I'd recommend using https://taxr.ai to analyze it. Their Document Recognition Algorithm can identify pending verification flags and give you a more precise timeline for resolution based on current IRS processing patterns.

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Elijah Knight

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Wait, how would taxr.ai help with a piece of mail that hasn't even arrived yet? Seems like you're just throwing that out there regardless of the situation.

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I've actually used taxr.ai for this exact situation! • It identified verification flags on my transcript • Showed me exactly what documents I needed to prepare • Explained the verification timeline • Gave me a checklist for the response Saved me from making mistakes that would have delayed my refund for months.

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Jay Lincoln

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Does taxr.ai work for 2023 returns filed in the 2024 season? I'm in a similar situation with a verification letter received on March 15th, and I'm trying to figure out if I'll get my refund before the April 15th filing deadline.

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I went through this EXACT situation last month. Informed Delivery showed something coming, no image, turned out to be my identity verification letter. I waited THREE HOURS on hold with the IRS trying to verify - literally had to take a half day off work. Finally gave up and tried Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) - they got me through to an agent in 17 minutes. The verification took less than 10 minutes once I actually talked to someone. The system is absolutely frustrating but that service was a game-changer for me.

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Hey there! If it's the verification letter ur waiting for, it's prob the 5071C or 5747C form. They don't usually show pics of these in Informed Delivery bc of security reasons. Once u get it, you'll need to either verify online at idverify.irs.gov OR call the special verification number (NOT the regular IRS #). Don't stress too much - the verification process itself is pretty quick once u have the letter. Just have ur prev yr tax info ready + the letter itself when u verify.

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Lily Young

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How does this compare to the 4883C letter? I received that one instead of the 5071C you mentioned, and I'm wondering if the verification process is different. Do you know if the processing time after verification is the same for all these letter types?

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I might be a bit concerned about this. The IRS has been sending out a lot of different notices lately, not just verification letters. Sometimes when they don't have an image, it could be a CP2000 notice or even an audit letter. I wouldn't panic, but I would maybe prepare by gathering your tax documents from the past three years, just in case. The verification letters usually have a 30-day response window, but other notices might have different timeframes. It's probably what you think it is, but better to be prepared.

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Wesley Hallow

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Wait, this is making me nervous. I'm in a similar situation - how can you tell the difference between a verification letter and an audit notice when it arrives? Are there visual differences in the envelope or the letterhead that would help identify it right away?

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Justin Chang

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I believe what you're experiencing might be fairly routine. In my case, I received a verification letter about three weeks after filing, and it was perhaps one of the easier IRS processes I've encountered. The letter typically contains specific instructions, and if it's the identity verification you're hoping for, you'll likely be able to complete everything online in about 15-20 minutes. You might need your prior year AGI and possibly a credit card or loan account number for verification purposes. Once verified, my refund was processed within approximately 2-3 weeks.

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Grace Thomas

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I got my verification letter exactly 18 days after filing this year. It took me precisely 24 minutes to complete the verification online and then my refund was deposited 9 days later. The letter arrived 2 days after showing up on Informed Delivery. If you're military-connected, mention that when you call - they have special procedures for military families and can sometimes expedite before deployment.

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Steven Adams

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I'm in a similar boat - filed in early February and have been anxiously waiting! One thing that might help while you wait: you can check your IRS account transcript online at irs.gov to see if there are any updates or codes that indicate what type of processing is happening. Sometimes the transcript updates before the letter even arrives. Also, since your husband is deploying soon, definitely mention that when you call or verify - the IRS does have provisions for military families that can help expedite things. Keep us posted on what arrives!

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That's a great tip about checking the transcript online! I didn't know you could see updates there before the letter arrives. For someone new to all this IRS stuff, is there a specific code or section on the transcript that would indicate it's definitely a verification letter coming versus something else? And thanks for mentioning the military provisions - that could really make a difference for getting this resolved quickly before the deployment.

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Aisha Khan

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Fingers crossed it's your verification letter! I went through this same nail-biting wait last year. Pro tip: if it is the verification letter, don't wait to handle it - especially with your husband's deployment coming up. The online verification at idverify.irs.gov is usually much faster than calling, but have your prior year tax return handy either way. Also, once you verify, you can set up direct deposit if you haven't already to speed up the refund. The military connection Steven mentioned is real - when I had to call about my sister's taxes (she was deployed), mentioning the military situation did seem to get more helpful responses from the agents. Hope it arrives soon and gets resolved quickly for you both!

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This is really helpful advice! I'm also waiting on what I think might be a verification letter, and the deployment timeline adds so much stress to an already anxious situation. Quick question - when you mention setting up direct deposit after verification, can you do that even if you originally filed for a paper check? I wasn't sure if you could change the refund method after filing. Also, did your sister have any issues with the verification process while deployed overseas, or were the IRS agents pretty understanding about the military situation?

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Mei Wong

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I completely understand the anxiety of waiting for that mail! I went through something similar last year when I was expecting a verification letter. The good news is that if it shows up in Informed Delivery without an image, that's actually pretty typical for IRS correspondence - they often use security envelopes that don't scan well. Since you mentioned your husband's deployment timeline, I'd suggest having all your documents ready to go as soon as it arrives - your previous year's tax return, ID, and any supporting documents. The verification process itself is usually straightforward once you have the letter in hand. If it does turn out to be the 5071C verification letter, you can often complete it online at idverify.irs.gov within 15-20 minutes. Given the military situation, definitely mention that when you verify - the IRS does have procedures to help expedite processing for military families facing deployment. Keeping my fingers crossed it arrives tomorrow and gets you one step closer to resolving this before your husband deploys!

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Brooklyn Knight

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Thank you so much for the detailed advice! It's really reassuring to hear from someone who's been through this process before. I had no idea about the idverify.irs.gov option - that sounds much better than trying to call and wait on hold for hours. I'll definitely make sure to have all our documents organized and ready to go. The military expedite option could be a real lifesaver given our timeline. Did you find that the online verification worked smoothly, or did you end up having to call anyway? I'm just trying to prepare for all possibilities since we really need this resolved ASAP. Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience!

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I hope it's your verification letter too! I just went through this exact scenario a few weeks ago - the suspense of waiting for that Informed Delivery mail to actually arrive is nerve-wracking. When mine finally came, it was indeed the 5071C verification letter, and thankfully the online verification at idverify.irs.gov worked perfectly. The whole process took about 12 minutes once I had my prior year AGI and a few account numbers ready. Since you mentioned the deployment timeline, I'd definitely recommend calling the IRS verification line if the online option doesn't work for any reason - when I had to call for a friend in a similar military situation, mentioning the deployment seemed to get us prioritized. Also, once you complete verification, you can usually track the progress through your IRS online account. The refund processing after verification typically takes 2-4 weeks, but military situations sometimes get expedited. Fingers crossed it arrives tomorrow and you can get this knocked out quickly! Keep us updated on what it turns out to be.

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