What is the 14 digit control number? Under IRS review and confused
I got a letter from the IRS saying they need my 14 digit control number and that I'm under review. What does this even mean? How do I find this number and what should I expect with this review process? Getting really anxious about this.
28 comments


GamerGirl99
The 14-digit control number is usually found on the notice or letter you received from the IRS. It's their way of tracking your specific case. Being under review means they need to verify some information on your return - could be income verification, dependents, or credits claimed. Without looking at your transcript it's hard to say exactly what triggered the review.
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Amina Diallo
•Thank you! I found it at the top right corner of the letter. Do you know how long these reviews usually take?
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GamerGirl99
•It really varies. Could be 30-120 days depending on what they're reviewing and their current backlog 😩
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Hiroshi Nakamura
Hey! I actually just went through this. The best thing I did was use taxr.ai - uploaded my transcript and it told me exactly why I was under review and gave me a timeline. Only cost $1 and saved me hours of stress trying to figure it out. Here's the link: https://taxr.ai
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Isabella Costa
•Does it really work? Been seeing people talk about it but seems too good to be true
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Hiroshi Nakamura
•100% legit. It showed me I had a missing W2 that triggered the review. Fixed it right away and got my refund 3 weeks later
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Isabella Costa
•Just tried it - holy cow you weren't kidding! Best dollar I've spent all year 💯
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Malik Jenkins
been dealing with this for 2 months now smh. the IRS is such a mess these days 🤡
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Freya Andersen
Make sure u keep that control number safe! Its like your golden ticket for talking to the IRS about ur case
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Amina Diallo
•Thanks for the tip! Just wrote it down in several places
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Eduardo Silva
ur probably getting audited fam... jk jk! But for real, reviews are pretty common this year. The IRS is being extra careful with all the tax credit changes
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Leila Haddad
•fr fr everybody and their mama getting reviewed this year 😭
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Emma Johnson
I'm in the same boat! Started using taxr.ai to track my review progress. Way better than calling IRS every day lol
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Ravi Patel
•Does it update in real time? How often do you check?
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Emma Johnson
•Yep! I check every Monday. It shows all transcript updates and explains what they mean in normal human language lmao
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Omar Zaki
Don't panic! I went through this exact same thing last year. The 14-digit control number should be at the top of your IRS letter - it's how they track your specific case. A review doesn't automatically mean something's wrong, they just need to verify some info on your return. Could be anything from income matching to dependent verification. The waiting is the worst part honestly, but most reviews resolve without you owing anything extra. Just respond to whatever they're asking for promptly and keep copies of everything you send them!
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Cedric Chung
I feel you on the anxiety! I just went through this same thing a few months ago. The control number is definitely on your letter - usually top right corner like others mentioned. One thing that helped me was getting my account transcript from IRS.gov so I could see exactly what they were looking at. In my case it was just a simple income verification issue that got resolved once I sent them the requested documents. The whole process took about 6 weeks from start to finish. Try not to stress too much - most of these reviews are routine and get cleared up without any issues!
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Olivia Clark
•This is really helpful! I'm definitely going to get my account transcript from IRS.gov - didn't even know that was a thing. 6 weeks doesn't sound too bad compared to some of the horror stories I've been reading online. Thanks for sharing your experience, it makes me feel a lot less worried about this whole situation!
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Philip Cowan
I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago and I totally get the anxiety! The 14-digit control number should be right on the letter they sent you - usually in the upper right corner or sometimes in the header. Keep that number handy because you'll need it for any phone calls or correspondence with them. As for the review, it's actually pretty common - they're just double-checking something on your return. In my case, it was because I had some freelance income that didn't match up perfectly with what they had on file. The whole thing took about 10 weeks to resolve, but once I sent them the documents they requested, it was smooth sailing. Try not to worry too much - most of these reviews end up being no big deal!
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Kylo Ren
•Thanks for sharing your experience! It's really reassuring to hear from someone who's been through the exact same thing. 10 weeks seems like a long time but knowing it worked out in the end definitely helps calm my nerves. I found my control number right where you said it would be. Did you have to send multiple documents or was it just one thing they needed to verify? I'm trying to prepare myself for what might be coming next.
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KingKongZilla
I totally understand the anxiety you're feeling - I was in the exact same situation about 6 months ago! The 14-digit control number should be printed on your IRS letter, usually in the top right corner or sometimes near the top left. It's basically their internal tracking number for your specific case. Being "under review" sounds scary but it's actually pretty routine - they're just verifying some information on your tax return. Could be income matching, dependent claims, credits you took, or even just random selection. The key is to respond promptly to whatever documents they request and keep detailed records of everything you send. My review took about 8 weeks total and ended up being no big deal - they just wanted to verify some 1099 income I had reported. Try to stay calm and don't let the waiting game stress you out too much!
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Ava Thompson
•This is so helpful to read! I'm dealing with my first IRS review and honestly was spiraling a bit thinking the worst. It's really reassuring to hear that it ended up being routine for you. I found my control number right where you said - top right corner of the letter. Did you have to call them at all during those 8 weeks or did you just wait it out after sending the documents? I'm trying to figure out if I should be proactively checking in or just being patient.
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Jacob Lee
I just went through this last month and wanted to share what I learned! The 14-digit control number is printed on your IRS notice - mine was in the top right corner. Don't panic about being "under review" - it's way more common than you think, especially this tax season. They're probably just cross-checking something on your return against their records. Could be W-2 matching, bank interest, or even just verifying your filing status. The whole process took me about 7 weeks from start to finish. My advice: respond quickly to any document requests they send, keep copies of everything, and try not to stress about it. Most reviews resolve without owing additional taxes. You got this! 💪
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Jamal Anderson
•Thank you so much for sharing your recent experience! It's really comforting to hear from someone who just went through this. 7 weeks doesn't sound too terrible, and I'm relieved to hear that most reviews end up being resolved without owing extra taxes. I was definitely starting to panic thinking I did something majorly wrong on my return. Your advice about responding quickly and keeping copies is noted - I'm going to be super organized about this whole process. Really appreciate the encouragement! 🙏
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Hunter Edmunds
I went through this exact same thing about 4 months ago and totally understand the anxiety! The 14-digit control number should be on your IRS letter - check the top right corner or header area. Being under review just means they need to verify something on your return, which is super common. In my case, they were checking some investment income I reported. The whole process took about 9 weeks but honestly wasn't as bad as I expected. Just make sure to respond to any requests they send promptly and keep detailed records. Most of these reviews end up being routine verification and you don't owe anything extra. Try not to stress too much - you're definitely not alone in this!
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Logan Scott
•Thanks for sharing your experience! It's really reassuring to hear from someone who recently went through this. 9 weeks seems manageable knowing it worked out okay in the end. I found my control number exactly where you said it would be. The investment income verification makes sense - I had some freelance work this year that might be what triggered mine. Really appreciate you taking the time to share this, it definitely helps with the anxiety!
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Mila Walker
Hey there! I totally get the anxiety - I was in your exact shoes about 6 months ago and was freaking out too. The 14-digit control number should be right on the IRS letter they sent you, usually in the top right corner. It's basically their tracking number for your specific case. Being "under review" sounds scary but it's actually pretty normal - they're just double-checking something on your return. Could be income verification, credits you claimed, or even random selection. In my case, they were verifying some gig work income I had reported. The whole thing took about 2 months but ended up being no big deal - just had to send them a couple documents and wait it out. My advice: don't panic, respond quickly to anything they ask for, and keep copies of everything you send. Most of these reviews resolve without any issues. You've got this! 🙏
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GalacticGladiator
•Thank you so much for this reassuring message! I'm definitely feeling a lot better after reading everyone's experiences here. Found my control number right where you said - top right corner. It's such a relief to hear that most of these reviews are routine and end up being resolved without major issues. The 2-month timeline you mentioned actually sounds pretty reasonable compared to what I was imagining. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your story and encourage me - this community is amazing! 💙
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