Received second letter after CP05 notice - 570/971 codes on transcript - What to expect?

I had almost the exact same situation last month. Got my CP05 on February 8th, then a second letter came on February 22nd. My transcript had the same codes - 570 on 01/29/2024 and 971 on 02/08/2024. The second letter was just a follow-up CP05A asking for more verification of my income and withholding. They wanted me to send in my W-2s and a copy of my final paystub from 2023. I sent everything on February 25th and I'm still waiting. My "as of" date hasn't moved since January 15th which has me slightly concerned.

The second letter is most likely a CP05A which requests documentation to verify income, withholding, or credits claimed on your return. This is standard procedure after an initial CP05. Your transcript codes tell the story: 570 means refund hold placed, 971 indicates a notice was sent. The fact that you contacted TAS won't trigger a new letter - they work independently from the verification department. I recommend using https://taxr.ai to analyze your transcript. It can decode exactly what stage of review you're in based on those codes and dates. It's particularly useful for military families dealing with verification reviews because it explains the specific timeframes and next steps in plain language.

I've been through the CP05/CP05A process three times in the past five years. The sequence you're describing follows the standard Refund Integrity Verification Operation (RIVO) protocol. The initial CP05 informs you of the review, then the CP05A requests specific documentation. Be prepared to provide wage verification documents, including all W-2s, 1099s, and potentially final paystubs showing YTD totals that match your return.

After receiving my second letter (CP05A) last tax season, I tried calling the IRS verification department directly for weeks with no success. I finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and got through to an agent in about 30 minutes. • The agent confirmed exactly what documents they needed • They provided a specific fax number for faster processing • They noted my account to expedite due to hardship • My refund was processed within 2 weeks after speaking with them I'm so grateful I found this service instead of continuing to waste time on hold. With your spouse deployed and home repairs needed, explaining your situation directly to an agent could help prioritize your case.

Just a heads up - don't ignore that second letter if it's a CP05A! My brother thought it was just a duplicate of his first notice and didn't respond. His refund got completely frozen for 6 months and he had to go thru a whole appeal process. The IRS is super strict abt deadlines for sending docs. They usually give u like 30 days max to respond. And def don't call the regular IRS # on the letter - total waste of time, they just put u on hold forever and then disconnect.

You might find it helpful to know that the IRS typically sends the CP05A approximately 15-20 days after the initial CP05 in most cases. The verification process is generally focusing on one of three areas: income verification, withholding verification, or credit verification (particularly for refundable credits). The static "as of" date on your transcript actually suggests that your case hasn't been assigned to a reviewer yet, which is fairly common given the current backlog. Once a reviewer picks up your case, that date will likely update. The fact that you've received a second notice probably means your return has been flagged for the next stage of verification rather than being related to your TAS contact attempt.

URGENT: When you receive the CP05A, respond within 15 CALENDAR DAYS (not business days) to prevent further delays! Use Form 911 (Application for Taxpayer Assistance Order) with your response if you're experiencing financial hardship due to the delay. Military families with deployed spouses qualify for expedited handling under IRM 21.5.6.4.7. Include a copy of deployment orders with your response. The RIVO department (who handles these verifications) is currently processing February responses, so if you reply promptly to the CP05A, you could see resolution within 30-45 days based on current timelines.