Spokane IRS Notices and Letters
![An IRS auditor at her desk calculating a taxpayer's taxes.]()
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) almost exclusively uses the U.S. mail system to contact taxpayers and inform them about important updates to their status. Many notices and letters are completely harmless, sent as a matter of course to inform you about events like payments made to your accounts or the availability of certain tax documents.
Sometimes, however, a notice is an extremely important document telling you that you may have extra taxes assessed, that you have a past-due balance, and that the IRS may intend to take action to collect on any debts.
While the IRS tries to make each letter and notice it sends as easy to understand as possible, they can nevertheless be confusing — not to mention stressful to receive. Keep every letter you receive, and look for instructions on what you could or should do next.
You can also reach out to Instant Tax Solutions to explore your options to respond to the information in the letter, including any potential actions the IRS may take.
Any time you get a letter and aren’t sure what to do, you can reach out to us for a free review and consultation. We can help you get to the bottom of your situation with the IRS and seek out the ideal outcome for your financial future.
Learn more and get answers to your pressing questions when you call (888) 886-5526 or contact us online to schedule a free appointment today.
Get Help Responding to Spokane IRS Tax Letters & Notices
When you receive a letter, an experienced tax professional at Instant Tax Solutions can review it for you and help you understand the information being presented in full. Not only that, but we can help you investigate your situation with the IRS further to determine exactly what you supposedly owe or any other highly important details.
Our number one priority is to help our clients dispute any erroneous assessments, remove all possible penalties, and seek to resolve the situation with a minimal impact on your finances — now and in the future. Through our tax relief services, we have helped tens of thousands of individuals and businesses avoid the worst penalties while helping them settle their tax debt for as little as possible.
So whenever you feel you need to get responding to IRS notices and letters help, look to us as your go-to advocates. Reach out to our professionals for a free letter and accounts review and to start planning for the best actions you can take right now.
IRS Letters & Notices Guide
There are many different types of IRS tax letters and notices you may receive. The agency lists the following as some of the most common reasons you may be contacted by mail:
- There is a tax balance due
- They have determined that you are eligible for a larger or smaller refund than your 1040 indicated or that they had originally assessed
- They have questions about your return or need other information relevant to your records
- They need to verify your identity, often in connection with communications they have received or actions supposedly taken on your behalf
- Your tax return has been amended according to their own assessment or audit
- Your tax return processing has been delayed, meaning you may receive the expected paperwork or refund later than anticipated
In addition to these reasons, we have found that there are other IRS tax letters and notices that they are likely to send, including:
- A payment has been made to your account
- A new tax document is available
- Notifications about important programs, such as the Advanced Child Tax Credit or Earned Income Credit
- You overpaid on your taxes or other assessments and may be due a refund or a credit to your standing balance
- Notice of deficiency, meaning you still have an unpaid balance and have not effectively responded to prior notices of a past-due balance
- Examination (audit) report, which may or may not require further action on your part
- Notification of the right to appeal or dispute an action or assessment made by the IRS
- Communications in connection with reported or suspected identity theft
- Notice of eligibility for tax deferment
- Confirmation of a request for an extension
IRS Tax Letters and Notices That Give You the Option to Appeal Something
Some of the most important letters you will receive relate to actions the IRS intends to take (or an assessment that it has made) that you have the right to appeal. Importantly, you have just 30 days from the date of the letter to appeal in most instances.
Always read the letter you receive in full to understand what actions you may face and what process you can use to start your appeal. You can reach out to us at any time for immediate assistance.
Some of the IRS letters you may receive notifying you of a right to an appeal include the following.
Letters
- Letter 11 – Final Notice of Intent to Levy and Notice of Your Right to a Hearing
- Letter 73 – Notice of Levy and of Your Right to a Hearing
- Letter 525 – General 30-Day Letter
- Letter 531 – Notice of Deficiency
- Letter 692 – Request for Consideration of Additional Findings
- Letter 915 – Examination Report Transmittal
- Letter 950 – 30-Day Letter-Straight Deficiency
- Letter 1058 – Final Notice Reply Within 30 Days
- Letter 1085 – 30-Day Letter Proposed IRC 6020(b) Assessment
- Letter 1153 – Proposed Trust Funds Recovery Penalty Notification
- Letter 3172 – Notice of Federal Tax Lien Filing and Your Rights to a Hearing under IRC 6320
- Letter 3391 – 30-Day Non-filer Letter
- Letter 3660/3660-C – IRC 6015 Non-Requesting Spouse Preliminary Determination (30-day)
- Letter 3661/3661C – IRC 6015 Requesting Spouse Preliminary Determination (30-day)
- Letter 3663/3663C – IRC 66(c) Requesting Spouse Preliminary Determination
- Letter 5410 – IRC 66(c) Non-Requesting Spouse Preliminary Determination
Notices
- CP90 – Final Notice – Notice of Intent to Levy and Notice of Your Right to a Collection Due Process Hearing
- CP92 – Notice of Levy upon Your State Tax Refund – Notice of Your Right to a Hearing
- CP242 – Notice of Levy upon Your State Tax Refund – Notice of Your Right to a Hearing
- CP297 – Final Notice, Notice of Intent to Levy, and Notice of Your Right to a Collection Due Process Hearing
- CP523 – Default on Your Installment Agreement (IA) Notice – Intent to Terminate your IA
- CP2000 – Request for Verification of Unreported Income, Payments, and/or Credits
What to Do When You Receive a Letter or Notice From the IRS
There are a number of steps you should take once you receive a letter from the IRS.
1. Read the Letter in Full ASAP
Never delay opening a letter. It may contain time-sensitive information, such as a 30-day notice giving you the option to appeal an adjustment or prevent a collection action like a bank levy.
The letter should provide details about what you owe and any relevant history involving your current tax burden — but it doesn’t always. What it will always contain are options for learning more and instructions for making a timely reply when it is requested.
2. Only Respond When Requested, But Verify the Letter’s Authenticity First
Most IRS letters and notices don’t expect you to respond. Some do.
However, before you respond, you can first reach the IRS by phone to confirm the authenticity of the letter. You can also log into your own account at the IRS website to verify the information sent and other details, like any tax years that allegedly have an unpaid balance.
Be extremely careful about using any links or calling any numbers on the letter itself. IRS notices are rarely faked, but you can often go onto their website to find the official number you’d need to call along with other contact information.
Do not provide any information over the phone or online through an unverified number or website. If you are going to send communications, use the official address listed on the irs.gov website.
When you receive a letter, you can reach out immediately to Instant Tax Solutions to verify its authenticity and make sure you aren’t the victim of a scam or phishing attempt. Remember that the IRS will never reach out to you with a phone call or email prior to sending a letter.
Exercise caution in every circumstance.
3. Verify Your Ability or Need to Take the Action Requested
Most IRS communications that need some sort of response will be related to a supposed balance owed. Before making payments or confirming the amount, you should first check your own records.
The IRS has been known to make mistakes and miscalculations, especially when they don’t have full and accurate information available. If you fail to file a tax return, they are likely to be using outdated, piecemeal information, which may leave off deductions and credits you are owed, for example.
Many times, you will find that you are unable to pay the balance indicated in full. You can reach out to Instant Tax Solutions to explore your options, which can include appealing, making an offer in compromise, or entering into an installment agreement.
4. Don’t Panic, and Remember You Have Options
In the majority of cases, the IRS simply wants you to pay what they think you owe. They usually aren’t looking to put you in jail, and many of the collection actions they threaten you with are just that: threats, which are intended to motivate you to pay the assessed balance.
Before you panic or try to avoid your problems, reach out to experienced tax debt relief lawyers in Spokane who care about your rights.
Respond With the Help of Experienced Tax Professionals
Instant Tax Solutions can fully investigate your financial situation and help you gain a comprehensive understanding of what you do and don’t owe and what your options are for avoiding penalties like fees and bank levies. There is always a path forward where you can get back in good standing; it just may take an installment agreement or other arrangement to get there.
Don’t be afraid of the IRS and the letters they send you! Be focused on what you can do now in response. Reach out to our tax and accounting professionals today at (888) 886-5526 or contact us online to find out what you can do when the IRS decides to show up in your mailbox.
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