Receiving a Notice from the IRS

Every year, the IRS sends millions of letters and notices to taxpayers for various reasons. There are many different types of notices issued by the IRS — depending on the notice you receive, you may have a range of options for responding.

The IRS sends notices & letters for the following reasons:

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• You have a balance due​

• You are due a larger or smaller refund​

• They have a question about your tax return​

• They need to verify your identity​

• They need additional information​

• They changed your return​

• They need to notify you of delays in processing your return

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How do I handle an IRS tax notice? 

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If you receive an IRS notice in the mail, you should first determine the nature of the inquiry and the stated deadline for a response. It is often possible to get additional time to respond to a notice, and you might even be able to resolve the issue by simply calling the telephone number provided on the notice.

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Read

Each notice or letter contains a lot of valuable information, so it’s very important that you read it carefully. If we changed your tax return, compare the information we provided in the notice or letter with the information in your original return. 

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Respond
If your notice or letter requires a response by a specific date, there are two main reasons you’ll want to comply to minimize additional interest and penalty charges to preserve your appeal rights if you don’t agree​.

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Pay

Pay as much as you can, even if you can’t pay the full amount you owe.

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Keep a copy of your notice or letter
It’s important to keep a copy of all notices or letters with your tax records. You may need these documents at a later date.

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also see

Understanding Your IRS Notice

Your Tax Preparer