I received letter 4883c which instructions to call [phone number removed] to verify my identity. I must call within 30 days or my return will not be processed. But every time I trying calling, I listen to a long recorded message before it says that they have reached capacity and cannot answer my call, please call back later today or another day. But I've called at least 5 times now and it never goes through. Any ideas on what I should do? Thanks.
Persistence is the key ... try early in the day and put the phone on speaker so you can do something else while you wait. Or get an appointment at your local IRS office.
https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-4883c-letter
What if I can’t get through before the 30 day deadline? What will happen? I heard all the IRS offices are closed due to covid, is that true?
Offices are open by appt ... that is why you need to call.
I rec'd the same letter and have tried daily, multiple times to get through without success. I am NOT due a refund, they didn't have any issue cashing the check I included with the return. If there is a danger of ID theft, then I appreciate their efforts, however, not being able to get through for 3 weeks is rubbish. I guess both my husband and I will have to take time off of work (not ideal in the current climate) and go into a local office, if anyone there will answer the phone and set up an appointment. So frustrating.
I've run into the same issues - day after day after day of having to "try the next business day" but I try early, I try late, and nothing. How is this even reasonable? I even then went to the page to schedule an appointment near me and they gave me a phone number to call there to schedule an appointment and, no surprise, same message "try the next business day" again!! So frustrating. How are others making appointments? Can you just "drop by" ?
Frustrated in Seattle,
-David-
I'm in the same situation I actually called my local IRS office and got some one on the phone just to tell me they can't verify anybody's ID at the office with out permission from the IRS so I needed to call them to get approval to have my ID verified in an office How does that even make since the IRS isn't taking calls obviously $@%!
Some people have been successful by calling the IRS early in the morning when they first open, or at different times during the day. Continue calling to reach a representative. For IRS contact information please visit the Help Article below. @burts12
How do I contact the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)? - Intuit
Sometimes the IRS chooses returns randomly to request verification of identity and sometimes there is something on the return that triggers the request. No matter why the IRS has required you to verify your identity, you need to follow their instructions in order to receive your refund. If you do not verify your identity you will not get your refund.
https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/identity-verification-for-irs-letter-recipients
TurboTax cannot verify your identity. You need to:
Verify online at IRS Identity Verification Service website
or
By phone at the toll-free number listed on your letter
or
If you cannot verify online or by phone, make an appointment at a local IRS office.
1. The online system does not work.
2. They never have anyone available to answer the phone.
3. I am in another country, so I cannot make an appointment at a local office.
4. Like someone from the IRS would actually meet me at a local office anyway? That's funny.
Well you seem to have an issue to solve ... try calling at the moment they open if you can.
Not sure they can help ... but try the taxpayer advocate office for help :
See this IRS website for Taxpayer Advocate in your area and a toll free number - http://www.irs.gov/Advocate/Local-Taxpayer-Advocate
Also see the other answer I left you.
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/4960395
This is ridiculous how they put the burden on us. I thought the government were servents to the people? I have called numerous times and they tell me to try back another day. I've called morning midday end of day and Mon,Tue,Wed,Thue, Fri. I've even called the advocate line and they give the same message. I think I'm done filing taxes 2022 and going forward.
I believe this becaise of the fact they want to force everybody into using IDMe so as to get a facial scan and a copy of your ID, which I refuse to do.
Finally success with this! I called them 4 times on different days, all in the morning around 8am Central, was told each time to call later or the next day. Then I called around 10:30 Central today and it suddenly worked and gave me a 15min wait.
So... someone will pick up eventually!
Dec 2022. Same problem. I've called on 4 separate days and after a recording it says call back later or on another day and hangs up on me.
The IRS doesn't owe me anything, as far as I know I don't owe the IRS anything. But they're saying they can't process my return until they verify my identity.
Would be nice if they could put my call in a que and call me back, like private sector call centers.
Congress passed another $80 billion for IRS auditing in August 2022 ($10B/year for next 10 years). I'm surprised that $10 billion dollars/year is not keeping up with their call centers.
Ok ... you do realize that those 87K new IRS employees still have to be qualified, hired and trained which takes months not days. Training at the IRS is not just a 3 hour lesson on how to work the grill like at McDonald's. We will not see the the new hires having an affect until later next year since they also need to find space for these folks to work. The IRS has been closing offices for a decade as they lost personnel due to attrition and retirement and did not hire more due to the hiring freeze and budget cuts.
As far as your identity situation ... you have the option to verify in person at a local office. Review the notice you got for your options.
Verify online at IRS Identity Verification Service website
or
By phone at the toll-free number listed on your letter
or
If you cannot verify online or by phone, make an appointment at a local IRS office.
@Critter-3 I would like if the phone system would put me on hold or do call-back instead of hanging up on me after waiting through their 2 minute recorded message about how I can verify my ID online when, in fact, I can't because that also gives an error, "We are not able to provide assistance to you via the identity verification tool." I have an ID.ME account.
The saga continues. After many more calls, I finally got through to a real person. Only to be told their computers were down so they couldn't assist me with verifying my identity. Which probably explains why I got through, they were essentially answering the phone, telling people they couldn't help, and hanging up. Very short phone conversations. Since then, I haven't been able to get through again.
I have been trying to make an appointment at the closest IRS office, as this was the last option. Unfortunatley, that has to be done by phone, and I'm having the same issue. After a long recording it tells me they're experiencing high call volume and it hangs up.
Option 3 is the taxpayer advocate office and/or your federal congress person.
Finally got through and they confirmed my identity.
The trick is to be persistent.
Also, there is a service for $300 where you can cut in line. I was about to use that option, but in the end with persistence I got someone. Well, I got the "long wait" response with a call-back option. So they do have the system setup to do that, but if the que gets too long then they just hang up.
You can't verify a 4883c letter online. You have to call them. Which is VERY near impossible since they won't EVER answer the phone. It would be SOOO much easier for us, for them to fix their online tool to accept the 4883c letter, at least until they get enough folks to answer their phones. Otherwise suspend sending the letters out!! Now, what are the odds the IRS will EVER see ALL these complaints AND actually fix the problem???!!!! NOT!