topic Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops. in Community Chat

I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

CrazyKittyLvr2 — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 15:26:17 GMT

I e-filed my taxes on 2/14/2021 likes always. Got an confirmation from tax site I used it was accepted. I was due a small refund.

Yesterday I got letter from the IRS they need ID verification. Same SS#, name and address as decades before. The only change was I had to file single this year due to DH's death. I could still file as married last year because he died in May of 2019.

If they noted the change to single then they have access to 2020 taxes and can see I was widowed.

They want info either online or by phone info and I need 2021 and 2020 tax forms and all accompanying docs.

DD & I checked IRS website and there is a taxpayer ID verification letter and whatnot. Oh, and after they verifiy I am the same person it takes 9 weeks or longer to get refund.

Not doing it. If it is a scam I'm not biting, and if it is legit I'm not jumping through hoops to get my own money back.

Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

millieshops — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 15:36:02 GMT

@CrazyKittyLvr2 My understanding is that the only way irs communicates is via a letter, so this may be legit. I don’t know whether they have access to the s death records. Hopefully another recent widow will chime in to help.

Also, the longer we leave money on the table, the longer scammers can get it.

Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

mom2four0418 — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 15:39:02 GMT

@CrazyKittyLvr2 wrote:
I e-filed my taxes on 2/14/2021 likes always. Got an confirmation from tax site I used it was accepted. I was due a small refund.

Yesterday I got letter from the IRS they need ID verification. Same SS#, name and address as decades before. The only change was I had to file single this year due to DH's death. I could still file as married last year because he died in May of 2019.

If they noted the change to single then they have access to 2020 taxes and can see I was widowed.

They want info either online or by phone info and I need 2021 and 2020 tax forms and all accompanying docs.

DD & I checked IRS website and there is a taxpayer ID verification letter and whatnot. Oh, and after they verifiy I am the same person it takes 9 weeks or longer to get refund.

Not doing it. If it is a scam I'm not biting, and if it is legit I'm not jumping through hoops to get my own money back.

It is a legitimate letter. Have you gone online and done the verification? It only take a few minutes.

Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

Still Raining — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 15:42:52 GMT

It has been a few years, but I do remember doing things for the IRS, as well SSN and Medicare.

Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

KingstonsMom — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 15:44:03 GMT

@CrazyKittyLvr2

Just a thought from my own personal experience that 'could' explain this, although this may not be what's happening in your case.

A couple of years ago, we filed our taxes (married filing jointly) and received the same type of communication from IRS requesting past tax returns, proof of who I was (not DH, just me), etc.

It turned out that someone had filed taxes under my SSN#, not DH's, just mine.

After I "jumped though IRS's hoops" it was straightened out, that fake claim was denied and ours approved (about $3,500 return).

They gave me an individual PIN# to include with our future tax filings, to prove that I am me, each year.

Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

beckyb1012 — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 15:46:34 GMT

IRS's only way of communicating to any taxpayer is correspondence. When I filed my Affidavit with them this summer for the Identity Theft they sent a letter a couple of months later requesting 60 more days to confirm my identity. Around the end of that time frame another letter came with their acknowledgment of the theft. The next letter I received was just this week confirming I myself did receive the 2nd stimulus. ALWAYS pay attention to correspondence from the IRS.

Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

KingstonsMom — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 15:48:18 GMT

@mom2four0418 wrote:
@CrazyKittyLvr2 wrote:
I e-filed my taxes on 2/14/2021 likes always. Got an confirmation from tax site I used it was accepted. I was due a small refund.

Yesterday I got letter from the IRS they need ID verification. Same SS#, name and address as decades before. The only change was I had to file single this year due to DH's death. I could still file as married last year because he died in May of 2019.

If they noted the change to single then they have access to 2020 taxes and can see I was widowed.

They want info either online or by phone info and I need 2021 and 2020 tax forms and all accompanying docs.

DD & I checked IRS website and there is a taxpayer ID verification letter and whatnot. Oh, and after they verifiy I am the same person it takes 9 weeks or longer to get refund.

Not doing it. If it is a scam I'm not biting, and if it is legit I'm not jumping through hoops to get my own money back.

It is a legitimate letter. Have you gone online and done the verification? It only take a few minutes.

@mom2four0418

Oh, it's not that easy, see my post #5. I had to send notarized copies of my photo ID/drivers license, birth certificate, SSN card, before it was straightened out.

Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

mom2four0418 — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 15:51:35 GMT

@KingstonsMom wrote:
@mom2four0418 wrote:
@CrazyKittyLvr2 wrote:
I e-filed my taxes on 2/14/2021 likes always. Got an confirmation from tax site I used it was accepted. I was due a small refund.

Yesterday I got letter from the IRS they need ID verification. Same SS#, name and address as decades before. The only change was I had to file single this year due to DH's death. I could still file as married last year because he died in May of 2019.

If they noted the change to single then they have access to 2020 taxes and can see I was widowed.

They want info either online or by phone info and I need 2021 and 2020 tax forms and all accompanying docs.

DD & I checked IRS website and there is a taxpayer ID verification letter and whatnot. Oh, and after they verifiy I am the same person it takes 9 weeks or longer to get refund.

Not doing it. If it is a scam I'm not biting, and if it is legit I'm not jumping through hoops to get my own money back.

It is a legitimate letter. Have you gone online and done the verification? It only take a few minutes.
@mom2four0418

Oh, it's not that easy, see my post #5. I had to send notarized copies of my photo ID/drivers license, birth certificate, SSN card, before it was straightened out.

I'm sure that each case is different. We had a change of address and received the letter. We were able to verify identity online within a few minutes.

Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

Anonymous032819 — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 15:56:17 GMT

Sure, tick the IRS off. That sounds like a good idea.

Not!

I guess you don't want your money back that badly then, huh?

Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

CrazyKittyLvr2 — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 16:05:29 GMT

@Anonymous032819 If I owed them they would be ticked off and I wouldn't do that. I'd be busting my butt to pay them.

They have my money and I don't give a rat's fanny at this point.

Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

Janey2 — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 16:10:29 GMT

I would not just ignore this letter. If you question it talk to a cpa in your area. They will guide you in the right direction.

Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

FranandZoe — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 16:57:00 GMT

You don't want to jump thru hoops but you want them to jump thru hoops by looking up your records.

Do what you have to do. Do the right thing. If you don't clear things up this year you'll have to in the future anyway. And don't you want your refund?! Not to mention any future stimulus payments?

Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

KingstonsMom — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 16:15:28 GMT

@CrazyKittyLvr2

Then I guess you were just 'venting', huh?

Without clearing this up now, you'll probably be facing this scrutiny in upcoming tax years, but that's your choice.

Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

Icegoddess — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 16:24:36 GMT

It looks to me like they are actually doing something to try and stop some of the scam fraud with other people claiming our refunds. They don't make it so easy that a scammer can easily fake the info asked for. Scammers go for the easy money. So, while you're "punishing" the IRS by not bowing to their demands, some scammer will probably end up with your refund and the IRS will probably think YOUR tax retrun was the scam.

Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

Annabellethecat66 — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 16:29:54 GMT

I’m sure there are many ways to verify you were dealing with the IRS.

My business partner and I were audited by the IRS right after my husband died. That was also right after that huge hurricane hit Florida in 2004.

Im lucky I guess because between my daughter, the accountants and my business partner, it was settled but it took 1 year and even though I was legal partners in OUR company, which I took over after he died.....

Well are you ready for this? They were questioning the $500,000 cash my partner and I put in together for our company to buy a house my husband was working on when he died.

After a little more than 1 year of us going back and forth we were told by the NEW IRS agent that took over from this one we’d been dealing with is that her superiors fired her, and....all I had to do was to say that I’d “given “ her $500,000 for 1/2 of the house.

By then I was like “Just tell me what hoops to jump thru and I/We will do it.”

I did what they said needed to be done finally and I was happy to be rid of them.

The amount of money spent on lawyers, etc and the fact that I hadn’t even had time to grieve about my husband of 38 year’ death made me go 1/2 crazy.

My late husband was audited before but he was better dealing with them than I was.

Why were so often audited? We think it’s because dealing with so much cash puts up a red flag.

I kept saying how stupid the whole thing was in the first place. Who in the world would give anyone $500,000 just because. But that’s what it took when the new agent took over.

There was a perfect paper trail always showing where the money came from and where it went.

I have excellent accountants and my daughter and her masters degree in business came in handy but my advice to anyone when dealing with the IRS is find out what THEY want and give it to them.

I’ve had a few dealings here and there over the years.

Oh! And by the way, the first agent had me going back more than the 7 years people say you only need. Thank God my husband kept perfect records.

I expect to be audited again next year. My daughter already warned me. I’ve had to give my middle daughter very large sums of money to get her into a new house after her divorce. That alone won’t necessarily set off the red flag....but the fact that I didn’t invest it by purchasing something large with the money will get that flag waving.

I’m ready for them, that’s easy to show. Although, it’s not fun getting audited.

The main thing is to give them what they want and don’t take it personally. They are just doing their job making sure things are the way you say they are.

After all this bla bla from me, I took the time to put this here to make everyone understand they need to do what the IRS is asking and ..again...it is not personal.

Get ready to jump thru the hoops and have those papers ready and then you are done.👌😀

Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

Bri369 — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 16:31:16 GMT

Just take care of what they need you to do now and get it over with. You'll eventually have to take care of this anyway. You're just making it harder on yourself...

Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

LizzieInSRQ — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 16:56:34 GMT

@CrazyKittyLvr2 I think theI RS is protecting you because they may think because of the changes, you may be being impersonated. You are the one who can prove you are you, so they are asking for that info.

Also rhetorical question as its none of my biz but...Did you file your husband's taxes? When my brother died, I had to file his. He got a small refund.

These hurdles are continued reminders of has happened and I am so sorry you have to go the pain. Hugs.

Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

CrazyKittyLvr2 — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 18:06:40 GMT

@LizzieInSRQ Yes, taxes were paid on what he made until he died.

Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

Porcelain — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 19:04:17 GMT

@CrazyKittyLvr2 wrote:
I e-filed my taxes on 2/14/2021 likes always. Got an confirmation from tax site I used it was accepted. I was due a small refund.

Yesterday I got letter from the IRS they need ID verification. Same SS#, name and address as decades before. The only change was I had to file single this year due to DH's death. I could still file as married last year because he died in May of 2019.

If they noted the change to single then they have access to 2020 taxes and can see I was widowed.

They want info either online or by phone info and I need 2021 and 2020 tax forms and all accompanying docs.

DD & I checked IRS website and there is a taxpayer ID verification letter and whatnot. Oh, and after they verifiy I am the same person it takes 9 weeks or longer to get refund.

Not doing it. If it is a scam I'm not biting, and if it is legit I'm not jumping through hoops to get my own money back.

Eh. In my experience if the IRS tells you to do something it's worth your while to do it. They forget nothing. Just call the customer service line and ask them to explain it to you.

Re: I'm Not Jumping Through Hoops.

Anonymous032819 — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 00:37:09 GMT

@Bri369 wrote:
Just take care of what they need you to do now and get it over with. You'll eventually have to take care of this anyway. You're just making it harder on yourself...

If she wants to be stubborn and act like a petulant two year old and make things harder for herself, then that's her right.

I guess that the refund means nothing to her.