Most IRS letters are called “notices,” and they always contain the IRS logo. You may receive multiple letters or notices for the same issue. The letter should clearly explain the reason for contacting you and what you may need to do in response. Letters always include your rights as a taxpayer.
To verify your identity and tax return information, please call the phone number on the IRS letter that you received.
The IRS audit letter will come in an envelope that is labeled “Official Business” and will include the IRS logo. The letter will usually begin with the words “We are auditing your” followed by the type of tax return, such as “income tax return”.
The IRS sends notices and letters for the following reasons: You have a balance due. You are due a larger or smaller refund. We have a question about your tax return.
Getting a letter from the IRS can make some taxpayers nervous – but there's no need to panic. The IRS sends notices and letters when it needs to ask a question about a taxpayer's tax return, let them know about a change to their account or request a payment.
October 2023 Update – The IRS has resumed sending CP501, CP503, and CP504 collection notices in limited circumstances. The IRS has resumed sending out some automated collection notices to taxpayers with outstanding balances due.
Most IRS letters and notices are about federal tax returns or tax accounts. Each notice deals with a specific issue and includes any steps the taxpayer needs to take. A notice may reference changes to a taxpayer's account, taxes owed, a payment request, or a specific issue on a tax return.
When you receive an IRS audit letter, it will clearly list your full name, taxpayer/SS ID number, form number, IRS employee ID number, and IRS contact information. This letter should clearly identify the primary reason for the audit and what documents you will be expected to provide.
Often, the IRS will send a certified letter because you're being audited. You might also receive a certified letter if the IRS has issues related to your tax return or you owe back taxes. If your tax return was missing information, the IRS might first send you a letter by regular mail, which might not be certified.
If you owe money to a federal agency and you did not pay it on time, you have a delinquent debt. You will receive a letter first from the agency to whom you owe the debt. If you do not pay the agency, the debt then goes to Treasury and we send you a letter about that debt.
Paper checks will arrive by mail in a white envelope from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. For those taxpayers who received their tax refund by mail, this paper check will look similar, but will be labeled as an "Economic Impact Payment" in the memo field.
“Generally, the IRS can include returns filed within the last three years in an audit. If we identify a substantial error, we may add additional years. We usually don't go back more than the last six years. The IRS tries to audit tax returns as soon as possible after they are filed”
A federal tax lien comes into being when the IRS assesses a tax against you and sends you a bill that you neglect or refuse to pay it. The IRS files a public document, the Notice of Federal Tax Lien, to alert creditors that the government has a legal right to your property.
Some IRS notices are sent via certified mail, such as the Notice of Intent to Levy, while others are mailed via regular post, like changes made to your tax return. Read all IRS letters and notices you receive, both certified and via regular mail. Do not ignore any of them.
IRS Masked Social Security Number
IRS masked and/or removed SSNs on numerous taxpayer-sensitive collection and enforcement-related notices and letters. In FY22, the number of masked notices/letters mailed to taxpayers was 88.6 million. This SSN reduction strategy required planning, coordinating, and monitoring.
The IRS badge depicts a stylized eagle, which holds the scales in its beak, and is accompanied by a vertically placed spike on the left. The badge is internationally known as “The IRS Eagle”.
Are all notices available online? Not all notices are available online, please continue to check your postal mail for IRS notices. You can sign up to receive email notifications when new notices are available on your profile in your online account.
One of the common good reasons for receiving a certified letter is when you are expecting an important document or package that requires your signature. For example, if you recently made a purchase online and opted for expedited shipping.
Being a millionaire. The more you earn, the higher the likelihood of an audit. “Although audit rates decreased more for higher-income taxpayers, IRS generally audited them at higher rates compared to lower-income taxpayers,” according to a 2022 report by the Government Accountability Office.
The IRS audit letter will arrive via certified mail and list your full name, taxpayer ID or social security number, the form number, and the Information they are reviewing. It will also provide the IRS agent's contact information for more information or questions on the process or specific case.
The Internal Revenue Service may allow expense reconstruction, enabling taxpayers to verify taxes with other information. But the commission will not prosecute you for losing receipts. The IRS may disallow deductions for items or services without receipts or only allow a minimum, even after invoking the Cohan rule.
If you are audited and found guilty of tax evasion or tax avoidance, you may face a fine of up to $100,000 and be guilty of a felony as provided under Section 7201 of the tax code.
Certified letters are generally a last resort for the IRS. That means that, once someone starts receiving IRS certified mail, the IRS will be expecting a response within a reasonable amount of time. Failure to respond could result in serious consequences.
Not All Letters from the IRS Are Bad
For instance, the IRS may seek additional information about a limited aspect of your tax return. However, the position you took may be completely justified and supported by the evidence. Thus, once you submit the information to the IRS, the problem is resolved.
The IRS will send the first round of refunds starting now through January 2024. If a taxpayer does not receive a refund, a special reminder notice may be sent with their updated balance beginning in early 2024. Taxpayers with questions on penalty relief can contact the IRS after March 31, 2024.