Each year the IRS mails millions of notices and letters to taxpayers. If you receive a notice from the IRS, here is what you should do:
Don’t Ignore It. You can respond to most IRS notices quickly and easily. It is important that you reply right away.
Focus on the Issue. IRS notices usually deal with a specific issue about your tax return or tax account. Understanding the reason for your notice is important before you can comply.
Send it to your CPA. After reading the IRS letter to get an idea of which tax matter it’s regarding, send a copy of your IRS notice to your Dallas CPA. Your CPA or other tax preparer will evaluate the letter to determine the appropriate action, if any, to take.
Follow Instructions. Read the notice carefully. It will tell you if you need to take any action to resolve the matter. You should follow the instructions.
Correction Notice. If it says that the IRS corrected your tax return, you should review the information provided and compare it to your tax return.
If you agree, you don’t need to reply unless a payment is due.
If you don’t agree, it’s important that you respond to the IRS. Write a letter that explains why you don’t agree. Make sure to include information and any documents you want the IRS to consider. Include the bottom tear-off portion of the notice with your letter. Mail your reply to the IRS at the address shown in the lower left part of the notice. Allow at least 30 days for a response from the IRS.
Premium Tax Credit. The IRS may send you a letter asking you to clarify or verify your premium tax credit information. The letter may ask for a copy of your Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace Statement. You should follow the instructions on the letter that you receive. This will help the IRS verify information and issue the appropriate refund.
No Need to Visit IRS. You can handle most notices without calling or visiting the IRS. If you do have questions, call the phone number in the upper right corner of the notice. You should have a copy of your tax return and the notice with you when you call.
Keep the Notice. Keep a copy of the notice you get from the IRS with your tax records.
Watch Out for Scams. Don’t fall for phone and phishing email scams that use the IRS as a lure. The IRS first contacts people about unpaid taxes by mail – not by phone. The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text or social media.
As we reported recently, some scammers have even started sending letters in the mail threatening action. The best thing to do to protect yourself is before giving any personal information, you should contact your Dallas CPA or the IRS to verify the letter is legitimate.
Bottom line, when you get an IRS notice, you should not ignore it. Many times a response to the IRS is not needed, or it is quite simple to resolve the matter. If you’re unsure of what the letter means or you don’t know how to respond, you should give the letter to your Dallas accountant for review.
