Notice Type
A CP05A notice is a follow-up to an earlier CP05 refund hold, and unlike the CP05, it specifically requests documentation to support items on your return, such as income, withholding, or a credit you claimed. Your refund stays on hold until you provide the requested documents, and this type of notice often fits within our standard $45 notice review as a starting point, since it usually begins with understanding exactly what's being requested and confirming what you have available to provide.
Before You Respond
A CP05A means the IRS needs specific documentation before it will finish processing your return and release any refund, so responding is what moves things forward. Check the response date printed on your actual notice — CP05A notices generally state a deadline for submitting the requested documents, and that date is what determines your timeline, not a general rule of thumb. If the requested documentation isn't provided by that date, the IRS may adjust the return based on the information it already has, which can reduce or eliminate the refund. Responding with what's requested by the date on your notice keeps the review moving toward a resolution.
Know Before You Act
Before gathering documents or responding, it helps to understand exactly what the notice is asking for and why, since CP05A requests are usually specific to one or two items on the return. The IRS may just need documentation that supports what's already accurate. But there can also be a document that was never issued, a credit that doesn't quite qualify as claimed, or information that's genuinely missing from the return. Knowing which of these applies to your situation is what determines whether you're simply supplying proof or need to reconsider what was claimed.
Start with a secure notice upload and a free IRS notice summary. If you want organized next steps, optional $45 Review & Guidance is a one-time purchase with no subscription. It may include an Action Plan, records to gather, response options, and case questions. When the information and supporting documents provided support a written IRS response, you can use the action steps provided to prepare it yourself or unlock the option for Think Twice Tax to draft a personalized response letter for you.