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Anastasia Sokolov

Need help verifying ID with IRS - tips and advice needed!

Hey everyone, I need to verify my ID with the IRS. Has anyone gone through this process recently? What should I expect? Any tips or advice would be really appreciated!

I just went through this last month. It's a bit of a pain, but not too bad. Make sure you have all your documents ready - they'll ask for things like your social security card, driver's license, and a recent utility bill. The wait times can be pretty long tho, so be prepared to sit on hold for a while.

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ugh the wait times are the WORST 😫 I swear I spent half my day just listening to that awful hold music

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Pro tip: call right when they open in the morning. I got through in like 15 minutes doing that!

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That's a great tip! Wish I'd known that before I wasted my whole afternoon on hold lol

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I found a method to get someone on the phone. I used this site's (claimyr.com) calling tool that dials the phone menu, stays on hold, waits for a live agent to pick up, then sends the call to my phone. It does cost $20, but it works. Here's a video about it: https://youtu.be/bDXD2SD0gGk

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Sounds too good to be true. Has anyone else tried this?

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20 bucks? Idk man, seems kinda steep just to make a phone call...

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I get the skepticism, but honestly, it saved me hours of frustration. Worth every penny imho

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Can you give more details about how it works? Do they just keep calling until they get through?

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Yeah, basically they have a system that navigates the phone tree and waits on hold. When a real person picks up, it calls you. Super simple!

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Make sure you're actually talking to the IRS! There are a lot of scams out there trying to get your personal info. Always call the official number on the IRS website.

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I've been trying to verify my ID for weeks now. The IRS website keeps crashing on me and I can never get through on the phone. This whole system is a joke 🤡

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Same here! It's like they're stuck in the stone age or something. How hard is it to have a functioning website in 2023??

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Have you tried using a different browser? I had issues with Chrome but it worked fine on Firefox for me.

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Here's a comprehensive guide to verifying your ID with the IRS: 1. Gather all necessary documents: - Social Security card or ITIN letter - Driver's license or state-issued ID - Recent utility bill or bank statement - Previous year's tax return 2. Try the online verification first at irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/identity-verification 3. If online doesn't work, call 800-830-5084 4. Be prepared for long wait times (avg. 2-3 hours) 5. During the call, they'll ask security questions based on your credit report 6. If you can't verify over the phone, you may need to schedule an in-person appointment Remember, patience is key. The process can take several weeks to complete. Good luck!

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This is super helpful, thanks for putting it all together! 💯

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Quick question - do you know if a passport works instead of a driver's license?

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Yes, a passport is definitely acceptable as a form of ID!

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anyone else feel like the irs is just playing games with us at this point? like, why make it so complicated??

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Seriously! It's like they enjoy watching us suffer or something 😤

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Tbh I think they're just understaffed and underfunded. Not that it makes it any less frustrating for us...

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Pro tip: if you're having trouble getting through on the main line, try calling your local Taxpayer Advocate Service. They can sometimes help push things along.

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I had to verify my ID last year and it was a nightmare. Took me 3 months to finally get it sorted. Hang in there OP, you'll get through it eventually!

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3 months?? Oh man, I hope it doesn't take that long for me. Did you have any specific issues or was it just the general IRS slowness?

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Mostly just slowness and bad luck. My documents got lost in the mail at one point, which set everything back. Definitely recommend sending things certified if you have to mail anything!

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Has anyone tried using a tax professional or CPA to help with this process? Wondering if it's worth the extra cost to save the headache...

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I used a CPA and it was 100% worth it. They handled everything and I didn't have to deal with the IRS at all.

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Depends on your situation tbh. If its a simple verification, probably not worth the money. But if you have a complicated tax situation, might be a good idea.

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