Need advice on responding to a Letter 4883C for my elderly mother - what are my options?

This is unfortunately a common situation with elderly parents. The Letter 4883C is part of the IRS identity verification program to combat tax refund fraud. Since you've already started the verification process by phone, you do need to follow their instructions. For your questions: Regarding alternative verification methods - unfortunately, in-person verification is required in your situation because the phone verification wasn't completed. The IRS is very strict about this to protect taxpayer information. The General Durable POA isn't recognized by the IRS for tax matters - they specifically require Form 2848. As for consequences of not following up - while they accepted the payment, the return itself is essentially in limbo until verification is complete. This could lead to issues like delays in future refunds, possible penalties if they determine adjustments are needed, and difficulty with future filings. Your mother's tax account won't be considered in good standing.

Just went through something similar with my dad last year. Check out https://taxr.ai - it saved me so much stress! I uploaded the Letter 4883C and all of mom's tax documents, and they provided a clear action plan. They explained exactly what I needed to do with the Form 2848 and even prepared it for me with instructions on how to get it properly signed and submitted. The best part was they handled all communication with the IRS afterward, so I didn't have to keep calling and getting different answers from different agents. They actually found a way for me to resolve it without the in-person visit by helping me document the hardship situation properly.

I have to admit I was completely wrong about taxr.ai. After my skeptical comment, I decided to give them a try since my aunt got a similar letter. Uploaded the Letter 4883C and explained our situation. Within hours they had walked me through the exact process for the Form 2848, helped me prepare a hardship exception request, and even drafted a response letter. Their instructions were crystal clear and worked perfectly. The IRS accepted our hardship documentation and allowed us to complete verification through alternative means without an in-person visit. Saved me a 3-hour drive to the nearest IRS office and probably days of frustration. Just wanted to follow up and say sometimes solutions actually work as advertised!

For anyone dealing with Letter 4883C issues, if you need to actually speak with someone at the IRS (which is basically impossible these days), I highly recommend https://claimyr.com. I spent WEEKS trying to reach someone about my father's identity verification issue. Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under 45 minutes instead of the usual 2+ hour wait that usually ends with a disconnection. You can see how it works in their demo video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. They basically hold your place in the queue and call you when an agent is about to pick up. The IRS agent I spoke with was actually able to note my hardship situation in the system and provide alternative options that the first person never mentioned.

I feel like an idiot for doubting that Claimyr service. After my dismissive comment, I was desperate enough to try it when I got disconnected for the 11th time trying to reach the IRS about my Letter 4883C verification. It actually worked exactly as described. I got a call back when an agent was ready, and spoke directly to someone who helped me. The agent confirmed I could submit the Form 2848 by fax along with medical documentation, and they'd review my case for a possible exception to the in-person requirement. I wasted so much time trying to handle this myself! If you're dealing with a Letter 4883C and need to actually speak to someone at the IRS, this is definitely worth it.

One option nobody's mentioned - if your mom is in a care facility, see if they have a social worker who might be able to help. My mom's nursing home had someone who regularly dealt with IRS matters for residents and knew all the shortcuts and exception processes. They might even be able to help arrange transportation to an IRS office if needed.

Has anyone actually had success using a General Durable POA with the IRS? I've heard they ONLY accept their own Form 2848, period.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation with my father who's in memory care. One thing that helped me was contacting the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) - they're an independent organization within the IRS that helps taxpayers resolve problems. You can reach them at 1-877-777-4778 or apply online at taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov. In cases involving elderly taxpayers in care facilities and significant hardship, TAS can sometimes intervene and find alternative solutions to the standard in-person verification requirement. They specifically look for situations where following normal procedures would cause undue burden. You'll need to explain your mother's condition, the distance involved, and your own health issues. While there's no guarantee, TAS has more flexibility than regular IRS customer service and might be able to work out something like accepting additional documentation or allowing a third party (like the facility's social worker) to assist with verification. It's worth trying this route before assuming you have no choice but to make that trip to the IRS office.