IRS Letter 5071C and the CP5071 series ask you to verify both your identity and the specific 1040-series return filed under your Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. Follow the route specified in the actual notice, including the official online service when offered. This is different from Letter 4883C, which requires a telephone identity interview with an IRS agent; that telephone protocol is covered in IRS Letter 4883C: Prepare for Identity Verification if your notice specifies a phone call instead.
Follow the actual notice instructions: if it provides an online verification link or directs you to the IRS Verify Your Return page (official IRS guidance), use that service. Creating or signing into your IRS account is only the first step. After signing in, you must answer questions about the specific return the IRS flagged. If you just created an account, you may need to sign in again before answering return questions. The verification is not complete until you answer those return questions.
What you need before starting
Have your notice, the actual original or amended return for the year the IRS flagged, your prior year return if you filed one, and supporting records such as Forms W-2, 1099, and Schedule C worksheets. The wage and income documents alone are not the return itself; the IRS needs you to confirm line items from the 1040 you filed. If you have not filed a return for that year, report that through the verification process rather than abandoning the notice.
Do not file Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, simply because you received Letter 5071C or CP5071 unless the IRS instructs you to do so. These notices request identity and return verification; they are not an automatic finding of identity theft (official IRS guidance).
If the taxpayer is under 18, contact the IRS directly using the telephone number printed on the notice.
| Condition | Document set | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Filed return for that year | Notice + return + prior return + W-2/1099 | Verify identity online, then answer return questions |
| Have not filed for that year | Notice and information requested by the official service | Report that you did not file through the notice-specific process |
| Under 18 | Notice + any return records | Contact IRS as directed by the official service |
| Online verification fails | Notice + all return records | Follow notice fallback instructions; do not assume appointment first |
Online verification steps
Sign in using the IRS link on your notice or the official Verify Your Return page. You will authenticate your identity, then the service will present specific questions about the return filed under your SSN or ITIN. Answer those questions using the actual return you have in front of you. If the system cannot verify your identity during account creation, follow the fallback instructions printed on your notice. Use the fallback contact instructions in the actual notice; do not mail identity records merely because an online attempt failed.
If you successfully verify but the system shows a return you did not file, report that through the verification interface. Follow any instructions provided by the official service or the IRS. For an amended return, have the actual amended 1040-series return described by the IRS service instructions; if you need a copy, ask your preparer or software provider.
Never send your Social Security Number, return PDF, or identity documents to a third-party service, chatbot, or language model. The only legitimate verification route is the IRS-provided online service or the fallback method printed on the notice.
After verification and timing expectations
After using the verification service, the IRS says to wait two to three weeks before checking refund status (Verify Your Return guidance). Processing may take up to nine weeks, and other issues may cause further delays. Letter 5071C and CP5071 notices are not a promise that you will receive a refund or proof of eligibility for a credit; they are a request to confirm the return.
If you verified successfully but your refund does not appear after nine weeks, check your tax account transcript for transaction codes that explain holds or adjustments. IRS Code 570: What the Hold Means and What to Check explains that hold indicator, and IRS Code 768: Earned Income Credit on a Transcript explains Earned Income Credit postings and reversals if that credit was claimed on the verified return. If you see an examination indicator, IRS Code 420: Examination Indicator and Next Checks describes how to identify actual correspondence and the next response task.
Pre-verification checklist
- [ ] Read the entire notice to confirm it requests online verification, not telephone verification
- [ ] Locate the actual original or amended 1040-series return for the year stated on the notice
- [ ] Gather W-2, 1099, Schedule C worksheets, and other records used to prepare that return
- [ ] Have prior year return available if you filed one
- [ ] If you did not file, prepare to report non-filing through the verification service
- [ ] Confirm you are 18 or older; if under 18, prepare to call the IRS instead
- [ ] Do not file Form 14039 merely because of this notice; follow any specific IRS instruction
- [ ] Note the fallback instructions printed on the notice in case online verification fails
What if I filed but the verification shows a different return?
Answer the service’s return questions accurately. If you cannot verify the return or the information does not match your records, follow the notice’s official contact instructions.
Can my tax professional complete this verification for me?
Plan for the taxpayer to complete the online identity and return questions. A professional can help organize records; for contact through an authorized third party, follow the actual notice and the IRS rules for Form 2848. A CAF number alone does not grant authority or replace the taxpayer’s verification.
How long do I have to respond to Letter 5071C?
Follow the timing instructions in your actual notice and complete verification promptly. Do not assume a universal 30-day deadline or infer refund denial merely from the passage of that period. If you cannot complete the process, use the notice’s official contact route.
For tax firms
A tax firm can review how client identity verification notices are logged, what records are immediately available when a 5071C arrives, and which staff members prepare document checklists before the taxpayer completes the online process.
Discuss your firm’s authorization, transcript and CRM workflow in a 26T1 demo.