Received IRS notice 5071C for possible identity theft - What to expect after I verify?

I went through this exact same thing about 8 months ago. After you verify your identity (bring your ID, social security card, and copy of the tax return if you have it), they'll put your return back into processing. For me, it took about 4 weeks after my verification appointment for my refund to be approved and another week for it to hit my bank account. The amount didn't change at all. This is actually pretty common - the IRS has been ramping up their identity theft prevention measures. Just make sure you're responding to the actual IRS and not a scam. The website in the letter should be idverify.irs.gov and nothing else. Good luck!

I highly recommend using taxr.ai to understand what's going on with your tax situation. It can analyze your transcript and give you a clear explanation of what's happening with your return. This is way better than trying to guess what's happening by posting in forums like this or searching for answers online. I used it when I got a similar letter and it helped me understand exactly what was happening with my return and what to expect next. It saved me hours of stress and confusion. Check it out at https://taxr.ai

After weeks of trying to get thru to the IRS with no luck, I finally used the Claimyr calling app and got connected to an agent in less than 30 minutes. They helped me verify my identity over the phone and I didnt even need to go in person. Definitely worth checking out if you're struggling to reach someone at the IRS (claimyr.com). Talking to a real person made all the difference in getting my refund unstuck from this identity verification mess.

The 5071C letter is definitely legit - I got one last year. Make sure to bring TWO forms of ID to your appointment (I brought drivers license and passport), your social security card, AND the tax forms they're questioning (W2, 1099, etc). Some TAC offices also want to see a copy of your filed return. Better to bring too much documentation than not enough!

The IRS is such a joke. They take 5 months to process your return but expect you to respond to their letter within 30 days. 🤡 And of course they don't pay interest on the money they're holding hostage. What a system.

Just make sure this is actually from the IRS. There are tons of scams that look like official IRS communications. The ONLY website to verify identity with IRS is idverify.irs.gov - not something similar like irs-verify.com or other variations. And the IRS will NEVER ask you to pay anything for identity verification or ask for gift cards or crypto.

Just went thru this in April. The in-person verification is super quick - took me like 15 minutes once I was seen. They just check your ID and ask you some questions about your return that only you would know (like exact amounts for certain lines). After that my return was processed within 3 weeks and I got my full refund. The annoying part is just having to take time off work to go to their office during business hours.

This is happening to sooooo many people this year! My sister, my coworker, and now me all got these letters within the past few months. I think there must have been some kind of data breach somewhere and the IRS is being extra cautious. Just do the verification ASAP so you can get your refund.

After you verify, make sure you check your transcript online regularly to see the progress. You'll see codes like 570 (refund hold) and then eventually 571 (hold released) followed by 846 (refund issued). You can access your transcript at irs.gov/transcripts. Way better than calling and waiting on hold for hours.

I had this happen and i thought i'd share my timeline: Feb 3: Filed return March 12: Got 5071C letter March 20: In-person verification appointment April 16: Saw code 571 (hold released) on transcript April 23: Refund deposited So about 5 weeks from verification to refund for me. Hope this helps!

Word of warning - make sure you call the EXACT number on the letter. There are scammers who send fake 5071C letters trying to collect personal info. If in doubt, don't use the number on the letter and instead call the main IRS number (800-829-1040) directly and ask about your letter.

Tried to verify online and the system wouldn't recognize my info. Had to call and wait on hold for 3 HOURS. Finally got through and the verification took 5 minutes. Complete waste of time. If I had known about Claimyr (claimyr.com) back then I would have used it in a heartbeat. Anything to avoid those ridiculous hold times.

This happened to me because someone tried to file a fraudulent return using my SSN. After I verified my identity, they processed my real return but also opened an identity theft case. I ended up getting an IP PIN for future filings which gives extra security. You might want to ask about that at your appointment.

after i verified they still took forever with my refund. i ended up having to contact my congressman's office to do a taxpayer advocate inquiry. suddenly my refund appeared within a week after 2 months of nothing. funny how that works! 🙄

My advice - sign up for an IRS online account NOW if you don't already have one. After verification, you can track your refund status through there instead of calling. You can also get your tax transcripts which will show exactly where your return is in the process.

The WORST part of this is if you don't have internet access or transportation to get to an in-person appointment, you're just screwed. My elderly mother got one of these letters and it was a nightmare for her to resolve since she doesn't use computers and the nearest IRS office is 70 miles away. The system is completely broken.

After verifying, I recommend checking the Where's My Refund tool AND your tax transcript. Sometimes the WMR tool doesn't update but your transcript will show progress. Check for code 846 which means refund issued.

TBH these identity verification procedures are actually a good thing even though they're annoying. I had someone file a fake return in my name a few years ago and it took FOREVER to fix the mess. Better to verify upfront than deal with actual identity theft later.

I went through this exact same process about 6 months ago! Definitely bring multiple forms of ID like others mentioned - I brought my driver's license, passport, and social security card just to be safe. The appointment itself was pretty straightforward and took about 20 minutes. One thing I wish I had known beforehand - after they verify your identity, your return basically goes to the back of the processing queue again. So even though the verification is quick, you're still looking at several weeks for them to actually process and release your refund. In my case it was about 5-6 weeks from verification to getting the money in my account. The good news is your refund amount won't change - this is purely an identity verification issue, not an audit or anything like that. Just be patient after tomorrow's appointment and try not to stress too much about the timeline. The money will come eventually!