Identity verification is required to confirm that you are truly who you claim to be, protecting you from identity theft and fraud. It ensures that scammers cannot use your personal information, such as your Social Security number or financial details, to access your accounts, benefits, or sensitive data.
Identity verification is the process where you prove you are you — and not someone pretending to be you. After you create your Login.gov account or sign in, you may need to verify your identity to access services at some agencies.
Once you successfully verify your identity, your tax return will be processed, which typically takes about six weeks.
The IRS asks you to verify your identity primarily to stop fraud, often because someone filed a tax return using your Social Security Number (SSN) without your permission, or due to data discrepancies, a new address, or a previous data breach involving your info. Verification ensures you are the legitimate taxpayer before they process your return, issue refunds, or grant access to your online account, protecting you from identity theft.
Social Security's identity verification procedures prevent bad actors from stealing current and future benefits.
What is a 5071C letter? The IRS sends a 5071C letter when it receives a tax return with your name and tax identification number, but believes the return to be fraudulent. A Letter 5071C will ask you to complete an online identity verification process to confirm your identity.
Be ready to verify your identity when calling the IRS
The IRS receives copies of your W-2s and 1099s, and their systems automatically compare this data to the amounts you report on your tax return. A discrepancy, such as a 1099 that isn't reported on your return, could trigger further review. So, if you receive a 1099 that isn't yours, or isn't correct, don't ignore it.
Request an expedited refund by calling the IRS at 800-829-1040 (TTY/TDD 800-829-4059). Request a manual refund expedited to you.
What happens after I successfully verify? We'll process your tax return. It may take up to 9 weeks to receive your refund or credit any overpayment to your account.
Identity verification can range from instant to several business days, depending on the method; automated processes often take 5-15 minutes, while manual reviews or complex cases (like IRS or immigration) can take hours, days, or even weeks, with some governmental steps requiring 2-3 weeks post-verification for processing.
Your refund
It may take up to 9 weeks to process your return after you verify it.
To help protect your account and data, you must verify it's you when you complete sensitive actions. This is Google's approach to provide multi-layered security. Google uses this to help protect your account against damage that a hacker might cause.
One-time forgiveness, officially known as First-Time Penalty Abatement (FTA), is an IRS program that allows qualified taxpayers to have certain penalties removed from their tax accounts.
You know the IRS might be investigating you through official mail (first contact), phone calls (often with automated messages to IRS.gov), or in-person visits, but signs of a criminal probe include contact with IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) agents, subpoenas to you or your bank, questions to your accountant/bank, unusual account activity (freezing/refusing transactions), or agents suddenly going silent after an audit. Key indicators are official IRS letters, contact from CI special agents, third-party inquiries, and formal summonses for records, signaling serious scrutiny beyond a simple audit.
The IRS asks you to verify your identity primarily to stop fraud, often because someone filed a tax return using your Social Security Number (SSN) without your permission, or due to data discrepancies, a new address, or a previous data breach involving your info. Verification ensures you are the legitimate taxpayer before they process your return, issue refunds, or grant access to your online account, protecting you from identity theft.
Letters 5071C, Potential Identity Theft During Original Processing with Online Option, is mailed to taxpayers to notify them that the IRS received an income tax return using your name, Social Security number (SSN) or individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN).
The IRS does sometimes send letters requesting identity verification. If your return triggered certain fraud filters, they might pause processing until they confirm you are the actual, real person who filed. This doesn't mean you did anything wrong. In fact, it's a protective measure.
The IRS works with ID.me to verify identities and help taxpayers and tax professionals securely access IRS online tools. This article shows you how to sign in, create an account, verify your identity, and fix common issues. You'll also find links to helpful IRS resources.