What Should I Do If I Received a Letter from the IRS?

For most people, receiving a letter from the IRS seems like a nightmare. Receiving a letter from the IRS does not mean for certain that you are in trouble; for example, if your refund check is enclosed in the letter, you will more than likely be happy and relieved. However, anytime the IRS contacts you, there is a good possibility that something may be wrong, particularly if you are not expecting any money back from your tax return.

Why Am I Receiving a Letter from the IRS?

The IRS sends out millions of letters to taxpayers each year for a variety of reasons, including: requesting additional information, notice of an account change, payment request, audit notification, etc. In most cases, a letter from the IRS will be focused on a specific issue that requires immediate action. Any letter that you receive from the IRS will include information on what to do next.

What Should I Do About the IRS Letter that I Received?

Some IRS letters represent serious issues and require complex processes to resolve, while others are simple enough to be dealt with in a quick and easy manner. You will need to open and read the letter to determine the type of situation you’re dealing with. The sooner you take this first step, the better.

If you had been anticipating a tax refund but receive a letter from the IRS that has no refund check enclosed, you should follow the accompanying directions carefully and without delay.

All letters that you receive from the IRS should be kept in a safe place. It is very important to have a record of all tax-related correspondence.

Who Can I Talk to About this Letter from the IRS?

Receiving a letter from the IRS does not require you to visit a local IRS office or call an IRS representative on the phone; most issues can be taken care of by mail. Of course, if you have any confusion over what is going on or what you are being asked for, you should call the number that has been provided, typically located in the upper right-hand corner of the letter.

You can also find more information about IRS Letters and what to do with each IRS letter here.

Select... $7,500 to $9,999 $10,000 to $14,999 $15,000 to $19,999 $20,000 to $24,999 $25,000 to $29,999 $30,000 to $39,999 $40,000 to $59,999 $60,000 to $79,999 $80,000 to $99,999 $100,000 + Select a state Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Iowa Idaho Illinois Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Missouri Mississippi Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Back Taxes Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions taxpayers have about back taxes and the different problems and situations that arise from owing or not filing taxes.

IRS Letters
Understand the common types of letters that the IRS sends out each year, what the letter that you received from IRS letter means and what actions you must take in response to it.

IRS Assessment Letters
Learn about what happens when you receive an IRS assessment notice, what to expect and what you should do.

What If I Can't Pay the IRS in Full?
The IRS understands that it isn’t possible for everyone to pay back their tax liability in full. For this reason, the IRS has created several alternative solutions for paying back taxes.

IRS Collections
The IRS tax collection process begins as soon as the amount of taxes owed is assessed. Know what to expect and how to resolve your situation.