Federal Refund Held Need To Verify Identity

[ShannonLove]

Hi. If someone can give me advice about my problem I will greatly appreciate it! I filed my 2019 taxes in February. A few days before the COVID 19 shutdown, the IRS sent me a letter saying that I need to verify my identity before they can disburse my refund. My state taxes were under review but processed about 3 weeks, ago. My question is, with the IRS being closed, I cannot reach anyone to prove my identity. Is there any way around this? I would really like to have my refund during this pandemic but I am unable to reach the IRS to prove my identity to get my refund. In addition, IRS technically shows that I have not filed a return because it's being held. Will this stop me from receiving stimulus payment? I cannot reach anyone to resolve this and I really need my refund right now due to being laid off. 

Thank You Very Much. 

[HelenC12]

You could enter your IP PIN and try to e-file again. Read the information below. 

If you know you need an IP PIN to file your taxes and you lost your CP01A letter (or never received it), you can:

• Retrieve your IP PIN online at the IRS's Get an IP PIN site.

TurboTax is unable to issue IP PINs and you won't find them on your tax paperwork.

No, this may not prevent you from getting a stimulus if you filed a 2018 income tax return.

Related Information:

• How do I get my 6-digit IP PIN?
• How do I add or remove my 6-digit IP PIN?

[ShannonLove]

Thanks Helen. I am going to give this a try. I filed 2018, but they held that as well for identity purposes. Thank you so much for your response!

UPDATE: Tried to get a pin. I have to create an account first. I have entered account numbers (auto loan, student loan) IRS says my account numbers are wrong. Anyone know when IRS will open back up to help people? Thanks. Shannon

[JCarter2]

I have the exact same problem! They are complete idiots for making things like a “car wash” an essential business, but won’t keep employees on the phone lines to help with this problem, the online IRS verification sucks because it won’t accept my credit card digits for verification! They need to resolve these issues ASAP! The letter I received says to verify within 30 days but I can’t verify because they want to be lazy and send workers home. 

[Sherr3621]

Hello, im literally going through the exact samething. Have you found any answers yet? Every phone number I call for the IRS i can not get a person on the phone due to what's going on right now! I can not goto the IRS office to verify my identity due to them being closed and i can not call the IRS due to there being no agents answering phones right now. I am also a single mother amd I just need my federal refund. Also, were you informed you are or are not going to receive a Stimulus Check? 

[Mattcampione]

Yeah, nope. Been through this every day for two weeks. None of the stupid phone numbers work because I guess the IRS paying out struggling people like me isn’t essential enough for them. No one answers the friggin phone. I am at Whitt’s end about to owe my landlord for two months rent because they need an IP PIN which is IMPOSSIBLE to get. Also, the incompetent website you always try to refer us to DOESNT WORK SO STOP PUSHING A FAILED METHOD AND ACTUALLY HELP US OUT

[Sherr3621]

I know i am so tired of this! Its ridiculous! I've tried everything possible and still have yet to get thru to anyone! I've literally been going thru this for the past couple months and im a single mother in the same situation as everyone else. I can't pay my bills and all i want is for me to get answers from someone besides being given the same phone numbers that I've called everyday and no one is answering them!!

[Jmcraew32]

Same here...seems unfair like Im being punished for having my identity stolen. I have moved so I didnt get my ip pin. I didnt meet requirements to file so no 2018 or 2019 return. I cant register without my ip pin for my stimulus. They will only send it to my old address which does not forward government mail...now they arent mailing anymore at ip pins at all. The get my ip pin can't verify my phone number even though its in my name. Irs is not taking phone calls or processing mail...so i can't file a paper return with my new address and can not send in a change request form. Its frustrating when the irs claims they can't know our agi without us filing. That is just not true. They know what we made, the unemployment office knows what we made and the social security office knows what we made because they already taxed us based on those wages. So since my identity was stolen, no check for me. In my opinion major fail from our government.

[Sherr3621]

You are 100 percent absolutely right!! It's so sad that the idiots out there that stole my identity and so many more.... they have it easier than we do! Why is it so hard for someone like you or me that have unfortunately had our identity stolen, (which by the way is not our fault nor is it anywhere in our control because if that was the case then we obviously would of done anuthing we could to stop the thieving assholes that are doing this ), but why is it someone like you or me to proove our identity but its apparently so easy for these thieves out here to say there someone else and get away with it???? Can anyone from the IRS or from anywhere answer that question???? I just dont understand how or why the people that are the victims are having such a hard time amd no matter what I have done or said or who I call or email I get either no response or the run around and all i am trying to do is proove to the IRS that I AM ME so I can recieve my tax check like the thieving crooks that were given money in MY NAME when my identity was stolen.