Not updating your address with the IRS can lead to significant delays in receiving tax refunds, lost correspondence, and missed, critical tax notices. The IRS will use your last known address for all, legally considered, notifications, which may result in unreceived demand notices, mounting penalties, and interest on tax debts.
If your address has changed, you need to notify the IRS to ensure you receive any IRS refunds or correspondence.
The biggest tax mistakes people make include filing late, math errors, incorrect personal info (like Social Security numbers), forgetting deductions/credits (like EITC), misreporting income, not signing forms, and making errors with bank details for direct deposit, all leading to delays, penalties, or missed savings, with using tax software or professionals helping avoid these common pitfalls.
If you don't change your address and the IRS sends you notices to your previous address, you are considered notified and the clock starts to run on any taxes, penalties or interest you may owe. Make sure you notify IRS of your change of address.
If you miss an IRS notice, you will not be given a grace period. Missed notices can often result in expensive late fees or penalties. You should file as soon as your primary address has changed to avoid any late charges.
However, the IRS will update taxpayer addresses maintained in IRS records by referring to data accumulated and maintained in the U.S. Postal Service's National Change of Address database.
Since these play such an important role for state and federal governments, failing to update a license or registration is actually a crime in most states. Generally, the crime is a misdemeanor (punishable by less than a year in jail) and/or fines.
Using your current address will ensure that the IRS can communicate with you via mailed correspondence.
Generally, it takes 4 to 6 weeks to process a change of address. Changing both home and business addresses? Use Form 8822-B to change your business address. If you or your spouse changed your name because of marriage, divorce, etc., complete line 5.
When Do You Need to File the 8822-B Form? According to IRS instructions, you must file within 60 days of the change. Missing this deadline doesn't automatically trigger a penalty—but it increases the risk of lost notices, missed deadlines, and confusion with your nonprofit's EIN.
For changes of address relating to an employment tax return, we issue confirmation notices (Notices 148A and 148B) for the change to both the new and former address. It can generally take four to six weeks after receipt for a change of address request to fully process.
You may also call us to inform us that your address is changing. Tell us you're changing your address by providing us your: Full name. Old and new addresses.
If you don't update your address, the IRS will send all correspondence to your last known address, which could lead to missed important notices. Form 8822 requires basic information like the type of tax return you file, your old mailing address, and your new mailing address.
If you make a mistake on your tax return, you usually correct it by filing Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, to adjust income, deductions, or credits, but the IRS often corrects simple math errors or missing forms automatically; if you owe more tax, you'll incur interest and penalties, so fixing errors promptly with an amendment can reduce costs, but you must file it within the specified time frame, usually three years from the original filing date.
The IRS uses the address from the last federal tax return that you filed.
Failing to change your address can lead to missed bills, lost mail, and even legal or financial consequences. From government agencies to utility companies, there are numerous places you'll need to notify about your move.
Under §1306(b) of the INA, failure to report a change of address can result in: A misdemeanor charge. A fine up to $200. Up to 30 days in jail.
Notices – The IRS will start sending you notices a month or two after you miss a tax deadline. Penalties and interest – If you don't respond to notices for missed tax payments, you'll continue to accrue penalties and interest.
You know the IRS might be investigating you through official mail (first contact), phone calls (often with automated messages to IRS.gov), or in-person visits, but signs of a criminal probe include contact with IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) agents, subpoenas to you or your bank, questions to your accountant/bank, unusual account activity (freezing/refusing transactions), or agents suddenly going silent after an audit. Key indicators are official IRS letters, contact from CI special agents, third-party inquiries, and formal summonses for records, signaling serious scrutiny beyond a simple audit.