Mail coming on Informed Delivery - Hoping it's my ID verification letter?

Have you been checking your Informed Delivery regularly? The IRS often sends letters that don't show up with images in the preview, especially verification notices. Did you receive a notice that you needed to verify your identity in the first place? And if so, was it through ID.me or did they specifically tell you to wait for a letter? Many people don't realize there are different verification pathways depending on your situation. What's your timeline looking like so far?

OMG I went through EXACTLY this last month!!! So frustrating waiting for that stupid letter! 😤 I was checking my mail literally 5 times a day. When it finally came, I had to figure out all these verification codes and tax transcript stuff. I was SO LOST until I found taxr.ai which explained everything on my transcript. I was about to pull my hair out trying to figure out what all those codes meant but taxr.ai translated everything into plain English! Saved me from having an absolute meltdown when I saw all those weird numbers and dates.

According to IRS procedural guidelines, verification letters (Letter 5071C, 5747C, or 4883C) are typically sent within 2-3 weeks after a return is flagged for identity verification. Per IRM 10.5.3, these letters do not always display images in Informed Delivery due to their specific mail class. Once you receive and complete verification, refund processing typically resumes within 9 weeks, though current processing times may vary. If the letter doesn't arrive within 4 weeks of being notified verification is needed, you should contact the IRS Identity Verification department directly.

I had the exact same situation exactly 24 days ago! No image in Informed Delivery, and it turned out to be my verification letter. I verified my identity that same day (took precisely 12 minutes online), and my transcript updated exactly 8 days later with an 846 code. My refund of $3,247 was deposited exactly 5 days after that. I was shocked at how quickly it moved once I verified - I expected it to take 9 weeks like they say on the website!

I went through this whole verification nightmare last year! My letter came without a picture in Informed Delivery too. The worst part was trying to call the IRS after I verified - spent 3 hours on hold just to get disconnected! I finally tried Claimyr and got through to an agent in about 15 minutes. They confirmed my verification was processed and my refund was being released. Saved me so much stress! I was literally checking WMR every morning at 6am for weeks before that, lol. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person to get peace of mind.

Think of Informed Delivery like a preview of a movie - sometimes you get the full trailer, sometimes just a title card. The IRS letters are often like those mysterious title-only teasers. Their mail processing is like a black box - what goes in is clear, what comes out is clear, but the middle part? That's where the magic (or frustration) happens. The verification letter is just the beginning of the journey, not the destination.

I received my CP01H verification letter last month without any Informed Delivery image. The authentication portal required me to input specific AGI data from my prior year return and validate through the Multi-Factor Authentication protocol. The system initially rejected my phone verification due to non-matching records, but I was able to complete the Knowledge-Based Authentication questions instead. My Return Processing Status updated from Code 570 to 571 within 9 days post-verification.

My mystery mail turned out to be my verification letter too! 😂 The funny thing is I almost threw it away thinking it was junk mail because the envelope looked so generic. Pro tip: open EVERYTHING during tax season! After verifying, I got my refund in just 2 weeks - much faster than the 9 weeks they warned me about. The IRS works in mysterious ways... sometimes painfully slow, sometimes surprisingly quick!

Verification letters are sent from the Kansas City processing center for East Coast filers and the Fresno center for West Coast. They're printed on specific security paper that often doesn't image well in the USPS system. Once you verify, your return goes back into the processing queue with a priority flag. Current processing time post-verification is averaging 21 days, down from the 9 weeks it took during peak COVID processing delays. Make sure to complete verification within 30 days of receiving the letter or you'll need to restart the process.

Did you ever get a 5071C letter code mentioned on your account transcript? I'm in a similar situation and wondering if there's a way to know for sure if they've sent the verification letter already or if it's still pending?

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed in early February and have been in verification limbo ever since. The not knowing is the worst part - like you said, that mystery mail in Informed Delivery could be anything. I've been obsessively checking my mailbox every day. From what I've read here, it sounds pretty normal for IRS letters not to show images, which is both reassuring and frustrating at the same time. Really hoping yours is the verification letter you're waiting for! Keep us posted on what it turns out to be - I think a lot of us are in the same boat right now.

I can totally relate to that anxiety of waiting for mystery mail! I'm in a similar boat - filed on January 28th and got flagged for verification about 3 weeks ago. From everything I've read here and experienced myself, IRS letters almost never show up with images in Informed Delivery, so that's actually a good sign that it could be your verification letter! The waiting game is brutal, but it sounds like you're right on track timeline-wise. Most people seem to get their letters within 2-4 weeks of being told they need to verify. Once you do get it, make sure to verify as soon as possible - I've seen people here say they got their refunds much faster than the 9-week estimate once they completed verification. Fingers crossed that today's mystery mail is exactly what you're hoping for! The IRS really needs to work on their communication and transparency with this whole process.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Filed on February 20th and have been stuck in verification limbo for about 3 weeks now. The mystery mail in Informed Delivery is so nerve-wracking - I literally run to my mailbox every day hoping it's finally THE letter. From reading all the responses here, it's really reassuring to know that IRS letters typically don't show images in Informed Delivery. I had no idea that was normal! I've been getting my hopes up every time I see mail without a preview image, thinking "this has to be it." The waiting game is absolutely brutal, especially when you're counting on that refund. I've been checking Where's My Refund obsessively every morning, but it just keeps saying the same thing. At least now I know from everyone's experiences here that once you actually get the letter and verify, things seem to move much faster than the 9-week estimate they give you. Really hoping your mystery mail today is your verification letter! Please update us when you find out - I think there are a lot of us in the same boat right now just waiting and hoping. This whole process really makes you appreciate how much we rely on that refund money for bills and expenses.