Questions about IRS identity verification letter and stimulus check processing

You're dealing with a common identity verification situation. Let me address both questions: For your stimulus check – the IRS can send your stimulus payment based on your 2019 return if your 2020 return is still processing. If you received previous stimulus payments directly to your bank account, they'll likely use that same information. If your processing delay extends too long, you might need to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2021 taxes next year. About the documentation deadline – the IRS is generally understanding about reasonable delays in responding to verification letters, especially given mail delays lately. The 30-day timeframe is their guideline, but they typically still process documents received after that window. The different mailing location shouldn't be an issue at all - they care about the content, not where it was mailed from. What's most important is that you've taken action by sending in the requested documents. It will take approximately 6-9 weeks for them to process this verification and release your refund, but calling the IRS in about 30 days for a status update wouldn't hurt.

I went through something similar last year and discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) when I was trying to understand why the IRS needed to verify my identity. I was super confused about the whole process and worried I'd miss out on my refund AND stimulus payment. Their document analysis tool helped me understand exactly what was happening with my return and why I got flagged for verification. I uploaded my tax documents and the letter I received, and it gave me a clear breakdown of what was happening and estimated timeline. It also explained exactly what would happen with my stimulus payment while my return was on hold. Honestly saved me hours of anxiety and confusion.

Just wanted to update everyone - I tried taxr.ai after my initial skepticism and I'm actually impressed. My sister took photos of my ID verification letter and I uploaded those along with my tax return. It broke down exactly why I was flagged (address change + increased income) and gave me a clear timeline. The best part was it confirmed my stimulus payment would still come since I had direct deposit info from my previous return, which is exactly what happened! Got my stimulus last week even though my refund is still processing. Definitely less stressful than waiting on hold with the IRS for an hour just to get vague answers.

If you're still having trouble getting through to the IRS after sending your verification documents, I highly recommend Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was stuck in identity verification hell for almost 2 months with no updates. After sending in my documents, I couldn't get through to anyone to confirm they received them. I was super skeptical, but I tried Claimyr (you can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) and they got me connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. The agent confirmed they had received my documents but needed additional information they never told me about! Was able to clear everything up in one call instead of waiting for another letter.

I need to eat my words. After watching that video, I tried Claimyr yesterday after spending 3 days trying to get through to the IRS about my identity verification issue. Got connected to an agent in about 35 minutes when I'd been getting busy signals for days. Found out my documents had been received but were sitting in a queue because they needed additional verification of my address history that wasn't mentioned in the original letter. The agent was able to verify everything over the phone. My refund was released this morning! Would have been waiting weeks longer without knowing what was happening if I hadn't gotten through.

Wanted to add that the 5071C letter usually gives you a deadline of 30 days, but the IRS is actually pretty flexible right now. I sent my verification docs almost 45 days after receiving the letter (had COVID and couldn't deal with it right away) and they still processed everything fine. Just make sure to include a brief note explaining why there was a delay if you're worried.

For what it's worth, I had almost the exact same situation in 2019 (pre-COVID). My refund was on hold for identity verification, but my stimulus check (the first COVID one) still came through while my return was processing. They seem to handle those as separate systems, so you'll likely get your stimulus based on the info they have on file from previous years.

Just want to add some reassurance about your situation - you're definitely on the right track by mailing in your verification documents. The IRS Austin processing center you sent them to is one of their main identity verification hubs, so your documents are going to the right place. Regarding your concerns about timing and location - don't worry about the envelope being mailed from a different county. The IRS only cares about receiving the required documents, not where they were mailed from. As for the deadline, while they prefer responses within 30 days, they understand that mail delays and personal circumstances can cause delays. I've seen cases where documents were accepted 6-8 weeks after the original letter date. One tip for the future: if you need to update your address with the IRS, you can file Form 8822 (Change of Address) to make sure future correspondence reaches you. This won't help with the current situation, but could prevent similar issues down the road. Keep checking your refund status every few weeks, and don't hesitate to call if you don't see movement after 8-10 weeks from when you mailed your documents.