The first notice you receive will be a letter that explains the balance due and demands payment in full. It will include the amount of the tax, plus any penalties and interest accrued on your unpaid balance from the date the tax was due.
I received a notice in the mail from the IRS, what should I do? The IRS sends notices to advise of outstanding balances and changes to your personal tax account.
Note that the IRS doesn't: Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer. Generally, the IRS will first mail you a bill if you owe any taxes. Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
Tax refunds – Use the IRS Where's My Refund? search tool if you have not received your tax refund. Stimulus checks – If you were eligible but did not receive one of the Economic Impact Payments, you may need to file or amend a tax return for 2020 or 2021.
Your employer reports your wages and withholdings to the IRS, but that data paints an incomplete picture. Although the agency knows your income, only you know your credits, deductions and other key information needed to process your return and determine how much you owe the IRS or how much the IRS owes you.
Also, your proposed payment amount must full pay the assessed tax liability within 72 months or satisfy the tax liability in full by the Collection Statute Expiration Date (CSED), whichever is less. Refer to Time IRS Can Collect Tax for more information about the CSED.
You will need to create an IRS Online Account before using this option. View the amount you owe, your payment plan details, payment history, and any scheduled or pending payments. Make a same day payment from your bank account for your balance, payment plan, estimated tax, or other types of payments.
For individual tax returns, call 1-800-829-1040, 7 AM - 7 PM Monday through Friday local time. The wait time to speak with a representative may be long. This option works best for less complex questions. For questions about a business tax return, call 1-800-829-4933, 7 AM - 7 PM Monday through Friday local time.
The IRS doesn't initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information.
If you don't believe you owe the IRS, call the IRS at 800-829-1040 (or TTY/TDD 800-829-4059) for more information or assistance in resolving the debt.
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.
The IRS sends its first tax notice to collect on the balance due, normally 4 to 6 weeks after the return is electronically filed. The tax notice may be one of two forms: CP14 Balance Due Notice (see Exhibit A), for most cases.
If your refund exceeds your total balance due on all outstanding tax liabilities including accruals, you'll receive a refund of the excess unless you owe certain other past-due amounts, such as state income tax, child support, a student loan, or other federal nontax obligations which are offset against any refund.
If you owe taxes, a delay in filing may result in a "failure to file" penalty, also known as the “late filing” penalty, and interest charges. The longer you delay, the larger these charges grow.
Visit the IRS Web site, www.irs.gov, to use the “Where's My Refund?” interactive tool to determine if they are really getting a refund, rather than responding to the e-mail message. Forward the suspicious e-mail or url address to the IRS mailbox phishing@irs.gov, then delete the e-mail from their inbox.
Real IRS notices contain a notice number (CP) or letter number (LTR) on the page's top or bottom right corner. You can search for that notice type on the IRS website to get specific information to help guide your next steps.
You can have a refund check mailed to you, or you may be able to have your refund deposited directly into your bank account. Direct Deposit into a bank account is more secure because there is no check to get lost. And it takes the U.S. Treasury less time than issuing a paper check.
More In Help
Contact an IRS customer service representative to correct any agency errors by calling 800-829-1040 (see telephone assistance for hours of operation). Unfortunately, this may result in you receiving a paper check.
Since the ITA is available 24/7/365, it's a fast and convenient way to get your questions answered—and the answers are just as reliable as any you'd get from a live agent. The IRS doesn't have a live customer service chat or text chat option where you can talk to a live agent.
Common reasons for owing taxes include insufficient withholding, extra income, self-employment tax, life changes, and tax code changes.
The Fresh Start Program was designed to help taxpayers stuck in debt to reduce the amount they owe, so they can get back on track with their tax payments and begin to plan for their financial future.
The Failure to File penalty is 5% of the unpaid taxes for each month or part of a month that a tax return is late.
One-time forgiveness, otherwise known as penalty abatement, is an IRS program that waives any penalties facing taxpayers who have made an error in filing an income tax return or paying on time. This program isn't for you if you're notoriously late on filing taxes or have multiple unresolved penalties.
Balance of $10,000 or below
If you owe less than $10,000 to the IRS, your installment plan will generally be automatically approved as a "guaranteed" installment agreement. Under this type of plan, as long as you pledge to pay off your balance within three years, there is no specific minimum payment required.