Received IRS Letter CP05 - Do I Really Have to Wait 6-8 Weeks for My Refund?

I got the same notice in March. They sent it about 3 weeks after I filed. In my case they were verifying my income and withholding amounts. The letter said 60 days but I actually got my refund in about 5 weeks without having to contact them or provide additional info. Just keep checking your transcript or the Where's My Refund tool - you'll see the update when they finish processing. They're just being cautious with larger refunds this year because of identity theft concerns.

Honestly the best way to understand what's actually happening with your return and these CP05 letters is to use taxr.ai - I was in the same situation with a $5,200 refund on hold and trying to decipher my transcript was driving me insane. The taxr tool analyzed everything and explained exactly why my refund was delayed and what the actual timeframe would be based on my specific situation. It's insanely good! I use it every week to check my updates now. https://taxr.ai

So I was in the same situation with a CP05 letter (mine was for a smaller refund around $3k). After 4 weeks of waiting, I found a way to reach a real person at the IRS using claimyr.com. Got a legit IRS agent on the phone in 15 mins who confirmed they were just backlogged and pushed my refund through. Money was in my account 2 days later! Sometimes you just need to talk to an actual human to get things moving.

I got the CP05 last year. Had to wait the FULL 8 weeks plus another 2 weeks before I got my refund. No communication from them at all during the wait. No explanation afterward about what they were reviewing. Just randomly got my deposit one day. The IRS is a disaster - seriously underfunded and understaffed. If you have the patience, just wait it out.

Had this exact issue earlier this year. CP05 in February, was told 60 days. I checked my transcript and saw code 570 (refund hold) with a later date than my return. Had to provide additional verification of my W2 info before they released it. Eventually got code 571 (hold released) and then 846 (refund issued). Total wait was about 7 weeks. If I were you, I'd be proactive and call them. You might need to verify something and they haven't told you yet. The earlier you deal with it, the faster you'll get your money.

Lmao welcome to the waiting club. I got my CP05 in late feb and STILL waiting. Almost 4 months now! Every time I call they say "still in review" with no timeline. My refund is similar to yours (~$5k) so maybe thats the issue? Seems like bigger refunds trigger automatic reviews this year.

I think theyre just playing games to hold onto our money longer. Interest rates are high right now and they get to keep all that interest by delaying refunds. I had a CP05 earlier this year and found out its basically just a random selection for "review" even when theres nothing wrong with your return. Its total BS.

Here's what the codes in your transcript probably mean if you see them: • 150: Return filed and entered into system • 570: Refund hold/freeze applied • 571: Refund hold/freeze released • 420: Examination/audit indicator • 421: Examination closed • 846: Refund issued A CP05 usually comes with code 570 and means they're verifying income, withholding, or credits claimed on your return. If they need more info, they'll send a follow-up letter. Otherwise, they'll complete the review and release the refund automatically. In my experience (tax preparer), about 75% of CP05 reviews are completed without needing additional documentation. Average wait is 5-7 weeks, despite what the letter says.

If you're still waiting after 30 days, I'd suggest talking to a Taxpayer Advocate. They can sometimes help move things along if you're experiencing a financial hardship because of the delay. You can request a TA by filling out Form 911.

got my cp05 on may 1st, refund arrived june 10th... so about 5.5 weeks for me. Hang in there!

Check the last digit of your SSN. IRS processes in batches based on this number (sounds crazy but true). Mine ends in 3 and everyone I know with that digit seems to get processed around the same time. Just a weird pattern I've noticed.

This happened to me and it turned out I had made a simple math error on my return. The IRS fixed it automatically but the review process still took 7 weeks. Check line 24 and 33 of your 1040 and make sure everything adds up correctly. Sometimes even a small calculation error triggers these reviews.

I found out my CP05 was triggered because my employer reported my wages incorrectly to the IRS. The numbers didn't match what was on my W-2, even though I entered everything correctly. Had to get my employer to submit a corrected W-2 to the IRS. Total nightmare. Might be worth checking with your employer if everything was reported properly.

Random but do any of you have stimulus payments or child tax credits? My CP05 was because the IRS couldn't match what I reported receiving vs what their systems showed they sent me. Had to upload proof of deposits to verify everything. Once I did that, refund processed within 2 weeks.

Omg literally just dealt with this. I was so stressed bc I needed that money. Filed in March, got CP05 in April saying 60 day wait. After weeks of trying to call with no luck I used this service claimyr.com that got me through to an agent. Turns out they were just backed up on reviews, nothing wrong with my return. Agent expedited it and I got my money a week later. Calling was definitely worth it in my case!

So frustrating how many of us are going through this. I couldn't figure out what was happening with my CP05 letter until I used taxr.ai to analyze my transcript. Turns out they were doing an income verification but there was a mismatch with what my employer reported. The tool explained everything so clearly and even showed me exactly what I needed to do to fix it. Don't waste hours trying to decipher IRS codes yourself! https://taxr.ai

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Got my CP05 about 3 weeks ago for a $4,200 refund. The waiting is killing me because I need that money for some unexpected medical bills. From reading everyone's experiences here, it sounds like most people are getting their refunds in 5-7 weeks rather than the full 8+ weeks the letter mentions. I've been checking my transcript weekly and just saw code 570 appear, so I guess that confirms they have it under review. Really hoping it doesn't drag on for months like some of you have experienced. The inconsistency in processing times is so frustrating - seems completely random who gets processed quickly vs who waits forever.