I received a tax notice from the IRS. What should I do?

The IRS may send you a tax letter or tax notice to request payment for tax, notify you of a change to your tax account, or request additional tax information.

You should review the tax information on your entire tax return and compare it with the information in the IRS tax notice. If the IRS tax notice tells you that a tax correction was made to your tax account and you agree with the tax correction a reply is not needed unless a tax payment is due to the IRS.

If you do not agree with the tax correction the IRS made it is important that you respond to the IRS tax letter or IRS tax notice as requested by the IRS.

You should write to the IRS and tell them why you disagree with the IRS tax notice so any necessary action can be taken. If you are due a tax refund as a result of a tax adjustment, it will be sent to you by the IRS unless you owe other amounts the law requires the IRS to collect (for example, related tax accounts, child support, student loans, etc.). IRS tax notices and tax refund checks are sent from different IRS locations. Any tax refund issued as a result of a change or correction should be received within 6 weeks from the date of the IRS tax notice.

You may be able to avoid any tax penalties. See "What are the tax penalties and interest? Can they be avoided?".

Related tax information about IRS tax notices

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Tax Audits, Tax Collections and trouble with the IRS

IRS publications about IRS tax notices:
Refer to Tax Topic 651, Notices - What to do, for additional information. For further information on the appeals process, refer to Tax Topic 151, Your Appeal Rights. Also see IRS Publication 1,Your Rights as a Taxpayer, IRS Publication 5,

Appeal Rights, IRS Publication 556,

Examination of Returns, Appeal Rights.., and IRS Publication 17,

Your Federal Income Tax. Please read this IMPORTANT Editor's Note regarding navigating IRS Publications with Adobe Acrobat Reader.
IRS publications can also be ordered by calling 1-800-829-3676.

IRS Links:
IRS Appeals
IRS Problem Resolution Office
IRS Taxpayer Advocate

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