IRS Correspondence – Don’t Get Panic

IRS correspondence – no one wants to see it in his/her mailbox. But still every year hundreds of taxpayers receive correspondence from IRS. There could be several reasons for it. Even if you were confident that your filing was free from any errors, you might get correspondence from IRS. First reaction of almost every receiver of the correspondence is quite identical. They get panic because of the myths about the IRS correspondence and its consequences. However, not every correspondence carries a message of audit. Therefore, once you find correspondence in your mail box, no need to get panic. First go through it thoroughly and check what it is about.

Every year IRS sends “correspondence audits” to millions of taxpayers but every correspondence is not for hardcore audit. IRS sends these correspondence to notify taxpayers about any change in their account, to request the payment of taxes or if they need any additional information. The kind of correspondence usually covers a specific area. The notice and letter you receive from the IRS will contain the information about the money you owe to the IRS or the IRS relief you availed. You will also find specific instructions in the mail that will make you aware about the action you should and take to rectify the issue with the IRS.

In most of the cases, you can take care of the correspondence without visiting the IRS office or calling them. You just need to follow the instructions in the correspondence to solve the issue. If you are finding it hard to understand the instruction, you can always call the IRS office. Sometimes, you find that the information in the letter is wrong and you are not liable to any money or provide any information to the IRS. To address these issues, IRS has mentioned a contact number and address on the letter you have received. You can call at that number or write a letter with explanation why you do not agree with the correspondence. Make sure, you are attaching the supporting documents with your letter otherwise your letter will not be entertained by the IRS. Moreover, don’t expect reply from the IRS in week or so. It will take anytime between one to two months to get response from the tax authority.

At times you receive second letter requesting more information from your side. You should not loose any of the notices sent by the IRS. If you find that the situation is not in your reach to handle, you should hire a tax attorney without any second thoughts. Your attorney will prepare your case to represent it in front of the IRS. If you know nothing about the tax law, you should not even think to face the IRS by yourself. A tax attorney is the best person who can take your out of the tax mess and answer all the questions asked by the IRS in its correspondence.