CP05: We're reviewing your return before sending your refund

Why you might get this

• The IRS picked your return for a closer look to confirm the income you reported.
• They want to verify the income tax that was withheld from your paychecks or other payments.
• They're checking the tax credits or business income you claimed.
• Your return was selected for review \u2014 this doesn't mean you made a mistake or did anything wrong.

The deadline

This notice asks you to wait, not to act right away. If you filed the return, the IRS asks you to give them time to finish their review before you contact them, and to reach out only if you still haven't gotten your refund or heard back by the waiting period printed on your notice. If you did not file this return, act sooner, because it may mean someone used your personal information.

This notice doesn't carry a fixed response deadline, but it still deserves attention — see what to do below.

What to do

1. If you filed this return, you usually don't need to do anything \u2014 just wait for the IRS to finish its review.
2. Check your refund status online or in the IRS2Go app while you wait.
3. If you still haven't received your refund or heard from the IRS by the waiting period on your notice, then contact them.
4. If you did NOT file this return, download and complete Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit.
5. Sign the completed Form 14039 and mail it to the address at the top of your notice.
6. Consider requesting an IRS Identity Protection PIN to guard your taxpayer ID on future returns.

What happens if you ignore it

If you filed the return, there's usually nothing you must do, and the IRS will continue its review. But if the return isn't yours and you ignore it, someone else's fraudulent filing could go unchallenged and your real refund could be delayed. Reporting suspected identity theft promptly protects your account.

You may qualify for free help from the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) or a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic. You can also authorize someone to represent you before the IRS if you'd like help handling the review.

What a CP05 notice means

Getting a CP05 notice can feel worrying, but it simply means the IRS needs more time to check your return before releasing your refund. They're verifying details like your income, the tax withheld from your pay, and any credits or business income you reported.

Being selected for review does not mean you made an error or that the IRS thinks you were dishonest. Many returns are chosen just to confirm everything lines up.

If you filed the return, the best move is usually to wait. You don't need to call or send anything right away. Keep an eye on your refund status online or in the IRS2Go app, and only reach out if you still haven't gotten your refund or heard back by the waiting period printed on your notice.

If you did not file this return, treat it as a possible identity theft warning. Complete Form 14039, the Identity Theft Affidavit, sign it, and mail it to the address on your notice.

Waiting on a review can be stressful when you don't know what's happening behind the scenes. Solace can keep an eye on your IRS account so you'll know the moment your refund or return status changes.