We all know the feeling of seeing an envelope from the IRS in our incoming mail. Thoughts like, Maybe I can live without money, surface — among other, less funny thoughts.
The IRS seems to be aware of how confusing the notices they send out really are, so they have numerous articles available on their site that you can search through. For this article, I thought it was helpful when they listed the reasons for sending out notices (from the IRS website):
- You have a balance due.
- Your refund has changed.
- We have a question about your return.
- We need to verify your identity.
- We changed or corrected your return.
- We’re delayed in processing your return.
If you receive a notice, do yourself a favor and don’t panic, because it doesn’t help you in any way. Instead, call your accountant and hope that they can take care of it — just make sure there are no deadlines that might pass if you delegate this.
When someone gets a letter from the IRS it can be daunting. Many years ago, in my previous life — before I was financially savvy and organized — I would panic and ignore those letters. Wrong answer.
As for all the fraudsters who used the digital revolution to perfect forgeries, and who make us question everything we see and hear from the IRS, there is a number you can call to verify the authenticity of any letters you receive from the IRS: 1-800-829-1040.
The IRS is always very helpful and will guide you in the right direction.
Ignoring the IRS is not smart. It usually ends up costing more in penalties and interest than the actual payment that is due. And sometimes it can be a mistake that they made. So keep calm…and call JHA if you need help deciphering any letters from the IRS. Contact us!
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