The IRS Is Now Contacting You Online — and Silence Means Delay

In previous years, taxpayers expected important IRS correspondence to arrive by mail, in a physical envelope. But that era is fading fast. The IRS is increasingly delivering time-sensitive notices digitally inside the secure IRS Online Account portal — and failing to read or respond to those messages can put your refund on indefinite hold.

If you are waiting for a refund and haven’t logged into your IRS Online Account recently, it may be the reason your refund is stalled.

The IRS Is Moving Away from Physical Mail — Quietly

To speed communication, cut administrative costs, and prevent identity theft, the IRS has begun shifting key notices to your digital IRS account, including:

• CP05 (income verification)
• CP2000 (income discrepancy)
• 4464C reviews
• ID verification requests
• audit initiation notices
• requests for supporting documentation
• refund freeze explanations

Instead of sending a letter first, the IRS may post a secure online alert weeks before mailing a physical document — if a physical letter is sent at all.

In some cases, only the digital version exists.

The Problem: Taxpayers Don’t Check Their Online Account

Many taxpayers:

• rarely log in
• forget their login credentials
• are unaware of new messages
• believe mail is the only communication method
• assume refund delays are purely processing issues

Meanwhile, inside the IRS portal sits a notice requiring a response.

And until you answer it, your refund does not move.

Your Refund Can Be Frozen for Inaction

When the IRS sends a digital notice requiring response and receives no reply, transcript codes often show:

• TC 570 — Refund Hold
  and eventually
• TC 971 — Notice Issued

But the taxpayer may never actually see the notice.

If the request is ignored long enough, the IRS can:

• reduce the refund
• cancel the refund claim
• convert the refund into a credit for future tax years
• or even mark it abandoned

This is not a refusal by the IRS — it is a non-response issue.

Types of Digital Notices That Stop Refunds

CP05 – Income Verification

The IRS suspects income or withholding discrepancies.

CP2000 – Underreported Income

The IRS believes additional income exists (1099, brokerage, crypto, gig work, etc.).

5071C / 5747C – Identity Verification

Refund frozen pending ID verification.

Document Upload Requests

IRS asks for supporting evidence such as:

• W-2 copies
• Form 1095-A
• proof of dependents
• bank statements
• employer verification

Audit or Pre-Audit Notices

Certain examinations begin digitally.

How To Check for Digital Notices

Log in at the IRS Online Account and review:

• Notices
• Letters
• Digital inbox
• Account activity
• Message center

Do not rely on:

• email notifications
• text messages
• traditional mail

The online portal is now the primary communication channel.

The IRS Assumes You Already Read the Notice

Even if you never saw it.

Even if you lost access to your account.

Even if you expected postal mail.

The IRS presumes:

• taxpayer received online communication
• taxpayer had access to the notice
• taxpayer chose not to respond

That presumption legally allows them to hold or recalculate your refund.

How to Avoid Refund-Stopping Silence

1. Log into your IRS Online Account every week during refund season

Not just WMR — use the full account portal.

2. Enable digital notifications if available

Some accounts offer message alerts.

3. If locked out — recover your credentials immediately

Do not wait. Reset ID.me or IRS login.

4. Respond quickly to any requests

Speed matters — delays prolong the hold.

5. Keep supporting documents ready

Especially if credit-based refunds are involved.

Refund delays increasingly aren’t caused by system backlogs — they’re caused by taxpayers missing digital notices. The IRS is moving fast toward an online-first communication model, and failing to check your IRS account can result in:

• frozen refunds
• abandoned claims
• recalculated amounts
• or multi-month delays

If you are waiting for refund movement, log into your IRS Online Account today — not just WMR — and check for messages requiring action.