IRS notice
IRS Letter 5071C: What It Means and How to Verify Your Identity
A return was filed under your SSN or ITIN and the IRS wants you to confirm it was you before it continues processing.
Reply by the date on the notice
The IRS page sets no fixed number of days, so act by the date on your letter; your return, and any refund on it, waits until you verify.
Letter 5071C (part of what the IRS now calls the CP5071 series) means the IRS received a Form 1040-series return under your Social Security number or ITIN and wants you to verify your identity and that return. If you filed it, verifying lets the IRS continue processing; if you didn't, verifying is how you tell the IRS someone may have used your information. Follow the instructions on your letter, online at irs.gov/verifyreturn if your letter offers that, or by calling the number printed on it.
What this notice is telling you
- A Form 1040-series return was filed for the tax year shown, using your SSN or ITIN, and the IRS flagged it before finishing processing.
- The IRS is asking you to confirm two things: that you are who you say you are, and that the return is yours.
- It does not mean the return is wrong or that you owe anything; it is an identity check, not an audit or a bill.
- If you did not file a return for that year, the letter may be the first sign that someone filed one in your name.
- The IRS treats 5071C, CP5071 and CP5071F as one series; your notice says which version you have and which verification routes it offers.
What to do
Check which year the letter covers
Find the tax year printed on the letter and decide whether you, or a preparer on your behalf, filed a Form 1040-series return for that year.
Gather the return and its paperwork
Have the letter, the return for that year, a prior-year return if you filed one, and the supporting documents behind it such as Forms W-2 and 1099 and any Schedule C or F. If you no longer have the return, your tax software or preparer should have a copy.
Verify the way your letter allows
If the letter offers online verification, start at irs.gov/verifyreturn. Otherwise call the number on the letter. That line handles identity and return verification only, so don't expect refund status or other account help on the same call.
Tell the IRS if the return isn't yours
If you didn't file, still go through verification and say so. The IRS says that if you verify, you generally don't need to file Form 14039, the Identity Theft Affidavit, unless it asks you to.
Give processing time before checking your refund
After you verify, the IRS suggests waiting two to three weeks before checking your refund status, and says processing can take up to nine weeks.
If you filed the return
The letter asks for verification so the IRS can continue processing; it is not a finding that the return is wrong. The IRS asks you to have the return for the year on the letter ready, so use the exact return that was submitted, not a draft or a summary from your software. If a preparer filed for you, ask them for the final copy that went to the IRS.
Once you verify, the IRS goes back to processing the return. Verification alone doesn't mean the refund is issued as claimed: any other problem the IRS finds with the return is handled separately and can bring its own letter.
If you did not file a return for that year
Treat the letter as a warning that your SSN or ITIN may have been used to file a return. Go through the same verification process and tell the IRS you did not file. If you have a real return still to file for that year, keep track of it; the identity issue has to be sorted out for your own return to process normally.
Going forward, an Identity Protection PIN helps keep a return from being accepted under your number without it. Anyone with an SSN or ITIN who can verify their identity can request one, most quickly through an IRS online account, and a new PIN is issued each calendar year.
How 5071C differs from similar letters
| Letter | How you verify | Who can call |
|---|---|---|
| 5071C / CP5071 series | Online at irs.gov/verifyreturn if your notice offers it, or the phone number on the notice | Follow the notice's instructions |
| 4883C | Taxpayer Protection Program hotline on the letter; in-person appointment if phone verification fails | You, or a representative with Form 2848 on file |
Want a CPA to deal with it?
Bring the notice to a free consultation, in person on James Island or by video. We read it with you, tell you what it means for your account and, if you want us to, take over the response once you sign Form 2848.
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Sources
By Haigler CPA Group. Updated . Notices are revised from time to time, so go by the wording and dates on your own notice. The information on this site is general in nature and is not tax, legal, or accounting advice for your situation. Tax law changes and the right answer depends on facts we would need to review with you. Please speak with a qualified professional before acting on anything you read here.
Questions about Letter 5071C
Is a 5071C letter a sign my return has a mistake?
Not by itself. The letter asks you to confirm your identity and that you filed the return. It does not say the numbers are wrong. If the IRS later questions something on the return, that comes as a separate notice.
Can I check my refund status when I call the number on the letter?
Generally no. The IRS says the contact information on the notice is for identity and return verification only, so refund status may not be available on that line.
Do I need to file an identity theft affidavit as well?
Usually not. The IRS says that if you verify your return, you don't need to complete Form 14039 unless the IRS tells you to.
How long after verifying will my refund arrive?
The IRS suggests waiting two to three weeks before checking your refund and says processing can take up to nine weeks after you verify. Other issues on the return can add time.
Other notices
- Letter 4883C: Call to verify your identityThe IRS holds a return filed under your SSN or ITIN until you call its Taxpayer Protection Program hotline and verify your identity.
- CP05: The IRS is reviewing your return before releasing your refundThe IRS needs more time to verify income, withholding, credits or business income on your return; if you filed it, no reply is needed.
- Letter 12C: The IRS needs more information to process your returnYour return can't finish processing until you send a missing form or schedule or confirm income, withholding, credit or SSN details.
- IRS notice lookupEvery IRS notice carries a code. Find yours below to see what it generally means, which date matters, and what to do before that date passes.
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