What does IRS Notice CP05A mean? Got this today and freaking out

Tax professional here - CP05A is actually not an audit notice, but rather a notice indicating that the IRS is reviewing your return for accuracy. They're specifically verifying income and withholding amounts you reported. During this review, they'll hold your refund until the verification is complete. This usually takes 45-60 days but can sometimes go longer depending on the complexity of your return and current IRS workload.

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been there done that lol got mine last year took about 2 months to resolve but i got my refund + interest

The IRS is such a joke fr... why they gotta make everything so complicated 🤡

hang in there bestie, at least ur getting that interest money 💅

i literaly just got this 2day also... guess were in the same boat 😭

Got the same notice last month and just wanted to add that you can call the IRS number on the notice to get a status update if you're really anxious about it. The wait times are brutal but sometimes they can give you more specific info about what they're reviewing. Also make sure to keep checking your online account transcript - it'll update before you get any mail from them.

Just went through this exact same thing a few months back! CP05A notices are super common - basically the IRS is just double-checking that your W2s and 1099s match what you reported. Nothing to panic about at all! Mine took about 8 weeks to clear and I got my full refund plus some interest. The hardest part is just waiting it out. Don't stress too much about it, you're definitely not alone in getting these notices!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago and totally understand the panic! CP05A notices look scary but they're really just routine verification checks. The IRS received your return and now they're cross-referencing your reported income with what employers and other payers submitted to them. It's actually a good sign that they're being thorough! My advice is to not call unless it's been over 60 days - the phone lines are swamped and they'll just tell you to wait anyway. Keep checking your online account transcript every week or so for updates. The waiting is the worst part but you'll get through it!

I got a CP05A notice about 3 months ago and can totally relate to that initial panic! Just want to echo what others have said - it's really not as scary as it looks. The IRS is basically just playing a matching game with your tax documents. During my wait, I found it helpful to set a reminder to check my transcript once a week rather than obsessing over it daily. The whole process took about 10 weeks for me but I did get my refund plus a small amount of interest (like $23 but hey, free money!). The key is just being patient and not letting the anxiety get to you. You've got this! 💪