For January 2025, the IRS is primarily focused on the start of the filing season, releasing guidance on new tax laws, and sending compliance-related notifications. Key actions include issuing guidance on state paid family leave (Rev. Rul. 2025-4), alerting taxpayers to Jan. 31 deadlines for wage statements, and sending letters to address "ghost preparer" scams.
Increased “Ghost Preparer” Education – During the 2025 filing season, the IRS will send letters to taxpayers whose tax returns appear to have been completed by a paid tax preparer who did not sign or include their preparer tax identification number (PTIN) on the tax return.
Effective 2025 through 2028, individuals age 65 and older may claim an additional $6,000 deduction. This is in addition to the standard deduction for seniors available under existing law. Applies per eligible individual (or $12,000 for a married couple if both spouses qualify).
Look for the official IRS logo and letterhead, including the correct address and phone number. Dates should be recent, accurate, and accurately formatted (month spelled out), and they should include official IRS security or file numbers you can refer to for more information. A fake letter won't have this information.
If you receive an IRS notice or letter
We may send you a notice or letter if: You have a balance due. Your refund has changed. We have a question about your return.
An IRS audit letter typically contains the taxpayer's name, tax ID number, contact information, and a request for additional documentation to support claims on the tax return. It may also include the name of the IRS officer handling the case and invite the taxpayer to a meeting.
A notice may reference changes to a taxpayer's account, taxes owed, a payment request or a specific issue on a tax return. Taking prompt action could minimize additional interest and penalty charges. Review the information.
Audit risk in 2025 is driven by both individual behavior and IRS algorithms. Common triggers include high income, unusually large deductions, unreported freelance income, filing errors, and business classification issues.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will send a notice or a letter for any number of reasons. It may be about a specific issue on your federal tax return or account, or may tell you about changes to your account, ask you for more information, or request a payment.
During the 2025 filing season, the IRS issued more than 93.5 million individual tax refunds—and 93% of those (almost 87 million) were already delivered via direct deposit. This change primarily affects the remaining 7% of taxpayers who still receive paper checks.
No, the IRS is not currently sending out new $1400 stimulus checks in 2026, but they did wrap up sending out final automatic payments for unclaimed 2021 Recovery Rebate Credits in late 2024/early 2025, with the deadline to claim these missed payments passing on April 15, 2025; new checks would require new Congressional action, and any texts about current stimulus payments are scams, say FOX 5 DC, CNBC, and IRS.gov.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) or the Big Beautiful Bill (P.L. 119-21), is a U.S. federal statute passed by the 119th United States Congress containing tax and spending policies that form the core of President Donald Trump's second-term agenda. The bill was signed into law by Trump on July 4, 2025.
Most IRS letters and notices are about federal tax returns or tax accounts. Each notice deals with a specific issue and includes specific instructions on what to do. Don't panic. The IRS and its authorized private collection agencies do send letters by mail.
Many new tax laws for 2025 were part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included significant changes, including expanded tax brackets, deductions, and new credits, to help taxpayers maximize refunds. Form 1099-DA for crypto transactions and Form 1098-VLI for car loan interest are new for the 2025 tax year.
The IRS mails letters or notices to taxpayers for a variety of reasons including:
A notice may reference changes to a taxpayer's account, taxes owed, a payment request or a specific issue on a tax return. Taking prompt action could minimize additional interest and penalty charges.
Victims of fake IRS letters may be enticed into providing sensitive personal and financial information, exposing them to identity theft. Scammers may also try to trick taxpayers into making fraudulent payments directly to their bank account instead of the IRS, causing individuals to lose substantial amounts of money.
The IRS $600 rule refers to a change in reporting requirements for third-party payment apps (like Venmo, PayPal) for taxable income from goods and services, where platforms must send a Form 1099-K if you receive over $600 in a year, intended to capture gig economy/side hustle income, though delays and phased implementation have adjusted the timeline, with current rules for 2024 using a higher threshold ($5,000) before fully phasing to $600 for future years, but remember all taxable income, regardless of form, must always be reported.
For the 2025 tax year, if you are under 65 and qualify as head of household, you need to file a tax return if your gross income is at least $23,625. If you are 65 or older, the threshold increases to $25,625.
Remember, you will be contacted initially by mail. The IRS will provide all contact information and instructions in the letter you receive. If we conduct your audit by mail, our letter will request additional information about certain items shown on the tax return such as income, expenses, and itemized deductions.
Consequently, the specified date for furnishing of report of audit under the provisions of the Act for the Previous Year 2024-25 (Assessment Year 2025-26) shall stand extended to 10th November, 2025 in terms of clause (ii) of Explanation to section 44AB of the Income-tax Act,1961.
Review common IRS letters and notices: Understanding Your IRS Notice or Letter. Contact IRS customer service directly to authenticate it. Verify any collection notice from a private collection agency has the same Taxpayer Authentication Number as the Notice CP40 the taxpayer received from the IRS.
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.