Only one spouse received identity verification letter - is this normal?

This happens more often than you'd think. Last year, I filed jointly with my wife and only she received the verification letter. The state only verifies one taxpayer on a joint return in many cases - usually the primary filer. I remember feeling just as confused as you are now! The verification is typically just a security measure, not an indication of problems with your return. From my experience, as long as your spouse completes the verification, your joint return will continue processing normally.

Here's what's likely happening with your state verification: Step 1: Your state has a risk-based verification system that flags certain returns Step 2: For joint returns, they often only verify the primary taxpayer (first person listed) Step 3: The verification PIN is sent to this primary taxpayer Step 4: Once verified, the entire return (including both spouses) is released for processing Step 5: Your refund would then be issued based on the normal processing timeline Did you list your spouse first on the tax return? That would explain why they received the verification and not you. Is this your first time filing jointly in this state?

Based on various state tax department websites I've reviewed, sending a verification letter to only one spouse on a joint return is standard procedure in most states. The primary taxpayer (usually listed first on the return) receives the verification request, and once completed, it validates the entire return. If you're concerned about this delay affecting your refund timeline, you might consider using Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) to get through to your state tax department directly. I've seen several people in this community mention using it to reach an actual person at their state tax office within 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They can confirm whether your situation is normal or if additional verification is needed.

Went thru this exact thing last month. Only my husband got the letter w/ the PIN, not me. Called the state tax dept (took FOREVER to get thru btw) and they confirmed it's totally normal. They said they only send to the primary taxpayer on joint returns. After he verified, our refund processed in abt 2 weeks. NBD in the end, just annoying and confusing at first!

Your state isn't sending both verification letters to save money. Plain and simple. I was surprised too when this happened to us! The state tax department told me directly they only need to verify one taxpayer on a joint return. Just have your spouse complete the verification with the PIN they received. If there were issues with your portion of the return, they would have sent you a separate notice.

I work with tax returns professionally, and this is comparable to how banks handle joint accounts - they often only verify one account holder's identity during certain security processes. In the tax world, most states have moved to a system where they only verify the primary taxpayer (first listed) on joint returns. I've seen this with clients in California, New York, Illinois, and several other states. It's more efficient for their processing systems and still provides the security they need. In comparison, federal verification from the IRS is more likely to require both spouses to verify separately when there are questions.

I had this happen. Only received one letter. My spouse got it. I panicked. Called state tax office. Waited two hours. They confirmed it's normal. Only primary taxpayer gets verified. Other spouse doesn't need to. Completed the verification. Got our refund three weeks later. No issues at all. Don't worry about it.

You might want to double-check that the letter is actually from your state tax authority and not a scam. While it's probably legitimate and normal for only one spouse to receive verification (usually the primary taxpayer), there are unfortunately many tax scams this time of year. I would suggest possibly calling your state tax department directly using the number from their official website (not from the letter) to confirm the verification request is genuine before proceeding. If it is legitimate, then your spouse should complete the verification promptly, as there are typically deadlines that could delay your refund if missed.

This is completely normal and nothing to worry about! I went through the exact same situation last year when filing jointly with my husband. Only he received the identity verification letter even though we filed together. I was initially panicked thinking something was wrong with my information or that there was an error in our return. After doing some research and speaking with our tax preparer, I learned that most state tax departments only send verification letters to the primary taxpayer (whoever is listed first on the return) for joint filings. This is their standard procedure - they're not questioning your portion of the return at all. The verification process for the primary taxpayer covers the entire joint return. Once your spouse completes the verification with the PIN they received, your entire joint return will continue processing normally. In our case, we received our refund about 2-3 weeks after my husband completed the verification process. The key is to respond promptly to avoid any delays in processing your refund. Don't stress about this - it's just how their system works for married filing jointly returns!

I understand your concern completely! This exact situation happened to me and my wife two years ago, and I had the same worried reaction you're having now. Only my wife received the identity verification letter even though we filed jointly, and I was convinced something was terribly wrong with our return. After calling our state tax department (which took forever to get through), they explained that this is their standard operating procedure. They only send verification letters to the primary taxpayer listed on joint returns - typically whoever's Social Security Number appears first on the form. The verification process validates the entire joint return, not just one spouse's portion. What helped ease my anxiety was understanding that if there were actually problems with your specific information or income reporting, they would send you a separate correspondence addressing those issues directly. The identity verification is just a security measure to confirm you are who you say you are before processing your refund. Have your spouse complete the verification as soon as possible since these letters usually have deadlines. In our case, once my wife verified her identity with the PIN, our joint refund was processed within about 10 business days. The whole experience taught me that these verification letters are much more routine than they initially appear!

I completely understand your anxiety about this situation! The same thing happened to my partner and me when we filed jointly last year - only they received the identity verification letter and I was absolutely panicking thinking there was an issue with my W-2s or something I had done wrong. After reading through everyone's responses here and going through the process myself, I can confirm this is totally normal. The state tax systems are designed to verify just the primary taxpayer (whoever is listed first on your joint return) as a way to validate the entire filing. It's actually more efficient for them and doesn't mean there are any red flags with your portion of the return. The important thing is to have your spouse respond to that verification letter promptly - there's usually a deadline mentioned in the letter, and missing it could delay your refund processing. Once they complete the identity verification with the PIN provided, your entire joint return should continue processing normally. In our case, we got our refund about 12 days after my partner completed the verification process. Try not to stress too much about it - I know it's easier said than done when you're worried about your taxes, but this really is just standard procedure for joint filers!

As someone who just joined this community and is dealing with tax issues for the first time, I want to thank everyone who has shared their experiences here! Reading through all these responses has been incredibly educational and reassuring. I'm currently in a similar situation where my spouse and I filed jointly but only one of us received correspondence from the state tax office. Initially I was worried this meant there was an error or problem with our filing, but after reading everyone's explanations about the primary taxpayer verification process, I feel much more confident about how to proceed. It's really helpful to see the different timelines people have experienced - from 8 days to 3 weeks after verification completion. This gives me realistic expectations for our own situation. The advice about responding promptly to avoid delays is also something I'll definitely keep in mind. One question for those who have been through this: Is there typically any confirmation or acknowledgment sent after completing the identity verification, or do you just wait for the refund processing to continue? I want to make sure we don't miss any additional steps in the process. Thanks again to everyone for creating such a supportive and informative discussion!

I'm new to this community and going through this exact situation right now! My husband and I filed our joint return about 3 weeks ago, and just like you described, only he received an identity verification letter with a PIN. I was immediately worried that I had made some mistake on my portion of our taxes or that there was an issue with my W-2 information. Reading through all these responses has been such a relief! It's clear that this is completely normal procedure for joint filers - the state only needs to verify the primary taxpayer (whoever is listed first) to validate the entire return. Multiple people here have shared similar experiences with successful outcomes. What really helped calm my nerves was understanding that if there were actual problems with my specific tax information, I would have received a separate notice addressing those issues directly. The identity verification is just a security check, not an indication that anything is wrong with your filing. My husband is planning to complete the verification this week, and based on the timelines shared here (anywhere from 8 days to 3 weeks after verification), I'm expecting our refund to process normally. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so helpful for newcomers like us to understand these processes!