Some Important Dos and Don’ts when Answering Notice from IRS
Every year the IRS sends notices and letters to taxpayers for various reasons. If you have received one, the Tampa international tax accountant has compiled some dos and don’ts for you to follow.
- Do not ignore it
A majority of IRS notices and letters have been about tax accounts or federal tax returns. Every notice requires dealing with specific issues and inclusive of specific instructions on what should be done.
- Do not panic
Rest assured that the IRS along with the private collection authorized agencies would send letters through the mail. Mostly, all taxpayers require reading the letter cautiously and taking appropriate action.
- Do not reply unless instructed
Usually, the taxpayer does not have to reply to a notice unless there is a specific instruction from the IRS. Moreover, the taxpayer that owes should reply with a payment. The tax department has information about various payment options.
- Take timely actions
Rest assured that a notice might refer to changes to be made to your account, owed taxes, and a request for payment or any particular issue on your tax return. Timely action would reduce additional interest along with penalty charges.
- Review the information properly
If the notice or letter has been about a corrected or changed tax return, consider reviewing the information along with comparing it with the original tax return filed. The tax department would note the corrections made on their copy of your tax return along with keeping it for their specific records.
- Responding to a disputed notice
Are you in disagreement with the IRS? You should send a mail or letter explaining the reason for disputing the letter or notice. Consider mailing the explanation to the address appearing on the contact included in the notice. Consider including documents and information about the dispute for scrutiny by the IRS. People should enable a minimum of thirty days for the IRS to reply.
- Do not call the IRS
Do you require contacting the IRS through phone? Consider using the number appearing in the notice located on the upper right-hand corner. It would be important for you to have a copy of your tax return along with a letter when you call the agency.
- Avoid scams
The IRS would never contact you using text messages or social media. Usually, the initial contact made by the IRS would be through the mail. Are you unsure of owing money to the IRS? Consider viewing your tax account information on their official website.