IRS Letters and Notices

IRS Letters and Notices

Worried that your notice might be a scam? Unfortunately, scam artists and some marketers use fake letters to trick people into sending them money or signing up for their services. Check out our guide to fake IRS letters to figure out if the letter you received is real or fake. Or check out the guides below to learn more about the different types of notices the IRS sends.

Did you receive an IRS letter or notice? Don’t panic too much about the letter, most of these letters come off in a harsh tone but can be resolved through a few steps. Below are some normal IRS letters that the IRS sends. Each notification contains a description of what the letter is for and what are the appropriate actions to take in order to respond and resolve the problem the letter is addressing. Although the IRS is systematic, sometimes notices can be skipped if you have had problems in the past and for other reasons.

SELECT YOUR IRS LETTER OR NOTICE FOR HOW TO RESPOND

• IRS CP11: Changes to Tax Return
• IRS CP22A: Data Processing Adjustment Notices
• IRS CP22E: Examination Adjustment Notice
• IRS CP23 – Estimated Tax Discrepancy
• IRS CP40 — Account Assigned to Private Collections
• IRS CP59 – Notice of No Prior Tax Return
• IRS CP71C – Annual Notice of Balance Due to the IRS
• IRS CP75 –Exam Initial Contact Letter
• IRS CP77- Intent to Levy Assets and Right to Hearing
• IRS CP88 – Delinquent Return Refund Hold
• IRS CP90 – Notice of Levy and Notice of Your Right to a Hearing
• IRS CP91/ CP298 – Final Notice Of Intent To Levy Up To 15% Of Social Security Benefits
• IRS CP140 – Tax Debt Assigned to Third-Party Collector
• IRS CP161 – Request for Payment or Notice of Unpaid Balance
• IRS CP162 Late, Incomplete Or Failure To E-File S-Corp and (REMIC) Returns
• IRS CP220 – Changes to Tax Return
• IRS CP297 – Notice of Levy and Notice of Your Right to a Hearing
• IRS CP297A – Notice of Levy and Notice of Your Right to a Hearing
• IRS CP14 – Balance Due
• IRS CP501 – Reminder Notice, Balance Due
• IRS CP503 – Second Request Notice, Balance Due
• IRS CP504– Final Notice, Balance Due
• IRS CP508C – Certification of Tax Debt to the State Department
• IRS LT11 – Intent to Seize Your Property or Rights to Property
• IRS LT38 – Reminder of Notice Resumption
• IRS 15103 – Return Delinquency Notice
• IRS LT 1058 – Final Notice of Intent to Levy and Notice of Your Right to Hearing
• IRS CP523 – Notice of Default on Installment Agreement
• IRS CP2000 – Notice of Proposed Changes to Your Tax Return
• Letter 725-B – IRS Appointment Request
• IRS CP3219A and Form 5564
• IRS Audit Notice

IRS CP11: Changes to Tax Return

The IRS CP11 is a notice issued when the IRS has adjusted the taxpayers tax return as a result of a miscalculation on the filers part. As a result of the adjustment, a balance is owed by the taxpayer.

The CP11 provides an explanation of the changes that were made to the taxpayers return with a specific description of the areas in the return where the miscalculations were found.

IRS CP22A

The IRS CP22A is a notice issued when the IRS has updated the taxpayers return as a result of a correction the filer has made to their return or amended return.

As a result of the taxpayer’s correction(s) and or amended return the IRS has updated the return. The update to the return by the IRS results in an amount due by the taxpayer.

IRS CP22E

The IRS CP22E is a notice from the IRS acknowledging the IRS has audited your tax return. As a result of the audit, a balance is owed by you which is indicated on the notice. The notice deadline is indicated on the form.

If you disagree with the results of the audit and the changes made to your tax return you should call the IRS with the letter and have your account information readily available to you.

IRS CP23

The IRS CP23 is a notice from the IRS which most likely indicates they have rectified the amount of estimated tax payments you indicated were made on your tax return and the amount they have posted to your account. It can also reflect other changes made to your return while it was processed.
The CP23 will indicate a balance due as a result of the IRS amending your return.

As a result of the IRS reconciling the taxpayers actual estimated payments with those their records reflect and or any other changes they have made, you will have a balance due.

IRS CP40

The IRS sends notice CP40 after it assigns your account to a third-party collection agency. Generally, this only happens if the IRS has been unable to collect the tax debt on its own. Check out our guide to CP40 to see what this notice means and to get tips on how to respond.

IRS CP71C

Notice CP71C is the IRS’s annual reminder of your tax due plus penalties and interest. It also notes that you have seriously delinquent tax debt, and once the IRS certifies your debt to the State Department, you won’t be able to obtain, renew, or use your passport. To learn what to expect and how to respond to this notice, check out our CP71C guide. 

IRS CP75

You may have received a notice from the IRS called “CP75.” This notice is a request for supporting documentation to verify that you are eligible for credits or income that you claimed on your tax return. The CP75 notice will list the specific documents that the IRS needs in order to process your claim. You can mail or fax your supporting documents to the address or number listed on the notice. Once the IRS receives your documentation, they will process your claim. Read our detailed guide on addressing an IRS CP75 notice.

IRS CP77

IRS Notice CP77 is a notice of intent to levy your assets and notice of your right to a Collection Due Process hearing. Once you receive this notice, you generally have 30 days to respond or pay before the IRS begins levying your assets.

IRS CP88

The IRS CP88 is a notice from the IRS indicating that they are not going to be issuing the taxpayer a refund claimed due because their records indicate you have one or more years of unfiled returns with them.

IRS CP90

The IRS CP90 is a serious notice which makes it imperative you respond to it immediately. This notice is sent after the IRS has sent you multiple other notices seeking payment for your back taxes. The CP90 notifies you of the IRS intent to levy certain assets. These assets can include but are not limited to your social security benefits, wages and bank account.

IRS CP91 / CP298

The IRS CP91 and CP298 notice is a serious notice which makes it imperative you take action immediately.  This notice is sent after the IRS has sent you multiple other notices to pay this assessment.  The CP91/298 notifies you of the IRS intent to levy up to 15% of your social security benefits to pay the tax owed.

IRS CP140

IRS Notice CP140 means that the IRS has assigned your account to a private collection agency. Learn how to contact the collector, what to expect, and how to get your account sent back to the IRS (if desired).

IRS CP161

The IRS CP161 is a notice sent to businesses informing you of a balance due. This notice is often misinterpreted as a math error notice. This is not the case. It shows the tax that was reported on your return, the payment that you made, accrued penalties, accrued interest and the amount due.

IRS CP162

IRS cp162 is a form that is used to inform taxpayers of penalties that have been assessed against them. The form includes the taxpayer’s name, address, and social security number, as well as the amount of the penalty and the reason for it. Penalties can be assessed for partnership, S-corp, and Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (REMIC) returns that were late, incomplete, or not filed electronically. CP162 forms are typically sent by certified mail, and taxpayers have 30 days to appeal the penalty. If you have received an IRS cp162 form, it is important to take action as soon as possible to avoid further penalties. For more information on the CP 162 read the details.

IRS CP220

If you receive a CP220 notice, the IRS has made changes to your tax return. The notice explains how the changes affected your tax liability or refund. If you agree, you don’t need to respond. If you disagree, you must reach out to the IRS ASAP.

IRS CP297

The IRS CP297 is sent to a business and it’s a final notice to inform you that the IRS intends to levy or seize your property.  It’s most commonly sent regarding unpaid business taxes.  You have received this notice after multiple other notices have been sent and not responded to.  This is a final notice giving you 30 days to pay the balance due or the IRS can levy or seize your business assets, bank account, income and other assets.

IRS CP297a

The IRS CP297A is a letter sent notifying of the IRS intent to levy certain assets.  The CP297A is more consequential than the CP297 because it says a levy has been issued on federal contractor payments due you, employee travel costs, federal reimbursements and retirement funds.

IRS CP14

The CP14 informs you that you owe the IRS money as a result of an underpayment or non-payment of your taxes.  The amount due will be indicated on the return.  This notice is frequently associated with missed estimated tax penalties and generally is the first notice from the IRS.

IRS CP501

The IRS CP501 sometimes referred to as the first notice, is sent to inform you that you have a balance due.  In most cases, you receive this because you didn’t respond to the CP14 notice.  If you owe the IRS amount due in this notice you have begun to incur penalties and interest on that balance.  It’s not an urgent notice, however, if ignored will lead to other notices and possible levies or tax liens filed against you.

IRS CP503

The IRS CP503 is generally a third notice sent via certified mail after two previous notices have been sent and not responded to. It informs you of a tax balance due. The top right-hand portion of the notice will document the tax year you owe for and the tax balance due. You generally have 10 days to respond to this notice

IRS CP504

The CP504 sometimes referred to as Final Notice, is a serious notice that you don’t want to ignore. It’s a final notice of the IRS intent to levy taxpayers who have an unpaid balance with the IRS. The CP504B is basically the same notice sent to business instead of individual taxpayer. It will detail the penalties and interest your account has accrued since the last notice received. If you don’t pay the amount due, you generally have 30 days before the IRS can levy your income and bank accounts, social security benefits, seize your state income tax refund, personal assets (car and home not excluded), and if a business file a federal contractors levy.

Lastly, the IRS can also file a notice of federal tax lien which notifies your creditors or potential creditors that the IRS has rights to your existing assets and any you may acquire after the lien is filed. The federal tax lien can have an adverse impact on your ability to get credit to the extent it’s public for creditors to see. 

To learn more about this notice, check out our CP504 guide.

CP508C

The IRS sends this notice when it certifies your tax debt as seriously delinquent to the State Department. As of 2023, this means that you owe $59,000 or more in tax debt, but the number increases annually based on inflation. The State Department can deny your passport application, reject your renewal request, or revoke your existing passport. Check out the CP508C page to learn more.

LT 1058

The IRS has likely made numerous attempts to collect by the time the taxpayer receives this notice. If no action is taken within 30 days, the IRS has the right to levy or seize assets. Read the details for the LT 1058.

LT 11

The IRS hasn’t received any payment for overdue taxes and they intend to seize assets if no action is taken. The IRS may also place a lien on your property. Read our guide on LT11.

IRS Letter LT38

The IRS started sending out LT38 at the beginning of 2024. This notice tells taxpayers to get ready because the IRS is resuming sending out collection notices, after a break during and after the COVID pandemic. This notice also outlines details about 2020 and 2021 penalty waivers.

IRS 15103

Form 15103 is a questionnaire sent out by the IRS, generally with a CP59 Notice, requesting your reason for not filing your tax return/s. If the IRS has no record of your return or has reason to believe that you have not filed, they will send you a notice along with Form 15103 to determine your reason for not filing.

In some circumstances, such as if you filed a return within the past two months, you will not need to submit Form 15103. However, if you haven’t filed a return, filed later than two months ago, or believe that you are exempt from needing to file, you will need to complete and return Form 15103 to notify the IRS. To learn more about this form and how to complete it, check out our Form 15103 guide.

IRS CP523

The IRS sends the CP523 notice when you have defaulted on your existing installment agreement, and they plan to terminate it. When you receive the CP523, there is still time to take action and get back into compliance. To understand more of what this means and actions you may want to take, read our guide on CP523 notice.

IRS CP2000

The IRS will send CP2000 when it has made proposed changes to your tax return. This happens when the information reported on your tax return doesn’t match with the information the agency received from other entities. This is not a bill, it is shown as a proposed amount due based on the difference. Read our guide on how to respond to an IRS CP2000 notice.

IRS Letter 725-B

The IRS sends you this letter if an agent wants to meet with you. Except in extreme situations, the IRS no longer pays unannounced visits to taxpayers. Instead, if an IRS employee wants to me with you, they will send you the 725-B letter.

IRS CP3219A and Form 5564

You’ll receive CP3219A and Form 5564 if the IRS reviews your tax return or returns and makes changes that result in a deficiency. There are also a few other letter numbers and types of notices that the IRS uses when sending out a Notice of Deficiency.

IRS Audit Notice

If the IRS decides to audit your tax return, the agency will send you an audit notice. Also called an examination letter, this notice will outline the type and scope of the audit. It will tell you which information you need to provide to the IRS, and it will establish a timeline for the audit. Check out our audit notice guide for more details.

Tax Relief Process

Need Help With An IRS Letter or Notice?

Our qualified team of professionals and in-house IRS Tax lawyers will help you get the answers you need. Call 1-877-500-4930 for a FREE consultation.

Get Answers! 100% Free Tax Consultation

When you’re just starting out, you need professional ANSWERS you can count on, but you don’t want to pay to get this information. This is why we offer a 100% free consultation with a tax professional to review your IRS Tax Letter or notice. Our honest, licensed professionals will evaluate your situation and provide you with the answers you need, so you can have the peace of mind and security of understanding your options. Chat with us live right now or call us if you prefer. We are NOT sales people, we’re true tax professionals.