1996 Tax Help Archives  

Notices - What to Do

This is archived information that pertains only to the 1996 Tax Year. If you
are looking for information for the current tax year, go to the Tax Prep Help Area.

The IRS may send a letter or notice to you to request payment for taxes, notify you of a change to your account, or request additional information. Please review the information on your entire tax return and compare it with the information on the notice. If the notice tells you that a correction was made to your account and you agree with the correction, a reply is not needed unless a payment is due. If you do not agree with the correction we made, it is important that you respond to the letter or notice as requested. Please write to us and tell us why you disagree so any necessary action can be taken. Include any documents and information you wish us to consider and send the bottom portion of the notice to the IRS address shown in the upper left-hand corner of the notice.

If you are due a refund as a result of our adjustment, it will be sent to you unless you owe other amounts the law requires us to collect (for example, related tax accounts, child support, student loans, etc.). Notices and refund checks are sent from different IRS locations. Any refund issued as a result of our change or correction, should be received within 6 weeks from the date of the notice.

Sometimes we will send a second letter or notice requesting additional information or providing additional information to you. Be sure to keep copies of all correspondence for your records.

If you have not been given credit for a payment you have made, you need to send us proof of the payment.

If payment was made by check, send a copy of the front and back of the check. DO NOT SEND YOUR ACTUAL CHECK, ONLY A COPY OF IT. If payment was made by money order, you must get a copy of the front and back of the "canceled" money order from the place where the money order was purchased.

If you contacted us about a lost or stolen refund check, the notice we sent you will tell you what action to take. If you receive a Notice CP 2000, refer to Topic 652.

If you estimate your taxes, please review your tax computation. You may need to make changes to your tax payments based on the changes we made to your tax account.

All notices should tell you where to send your reply, which, in most cases, will be to the IRS service center where you filed your return.

Most correspondence can be handled without your having to call or visit an IRS office, if you follow the instructions in the letter or notice. However, if you have questions, call the telephone number in the upper right hand corner of the notice. An employee at that number is most familiar with your account. We can best help you if you have a copy of your tax return and the notice with you when you call.

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