Got a Letter From the IRS? What It Means and What to Do

Published October 14, 2026

A letter from the IRS almost always asks for one thing by one date: a payment, a missing form, an answer to a change the IRS made to your return, or proof that a return is really yours. Read every page. Find the notice number in the corner, and act before the date printed on the letter. Some letters need no reply at all.

Setting the envelope aside is the expensive choice. If it's an IRS bill, interest and penalties keep adding up while it sits in a drawer.

Why the IRS sends letters

The IRS lists these as the usual reasons:

You have a balance due.
Your refund changed.
The IRS has a question about your return.
The IRS needs to verify your identity.
The IRS changed or corrected your return.
Processing your return is delayed.

The top of the letter tells you why the IRS sent it. Look in the right corner for the notice number, a code starting with CP or LTR. Write it down. That number is how you'll find information about the notice on IRS.gov.

First, make sure it's really from the IRS

Scammers copy IRS letters and impersonate the agency in calls and texts. Here's what the IRS says about how it contacts people:

First contact is normally a letter sent through the U.S. Postal Service.
The IRS emails or texts you only if you opted in to those messages.
A direct message on social media is never from the IRS.
Unannounced home visits are rare, and the IRS generally sends a letter first.

Be suspicious of anyone claiming to be from the IRS who rushes you, threatens arrest or deportation, asks for personal or financial information, or demands immediate payment.

Search the notice number on IRS.gov. You can also sign in to your IRS Online Account to see what you owe and digital copies of many notices. To pay, use IRS.gov/payments or make a check payable to the United States Treasury. Never pay with a gift card.

If you're still unsure, bring the letter to our office. We'll look at it with you.

What to do with the letter, step by step

Read every page. Write down the notice number and tax year. Mark the date your answer is due.
Pull out your return for that year and compare it with what the letter says.
If the letter asks for nothing, keep it with that year's records.
If you agree and you owe, pay by the due date. Even a partial payment reduces interest and penalties.
If you disagree, follow the letter's instructions. Send your explanation with copies of your documents. Answering by the due date protects your appeal rights.
Keep a copy of everything you send, and write down how and when you sent it.

Three common letters

CP14: you owe a balance

A CP14 says you have unpaid tax. Pay the amount by the notice's due date to avoid more interest on it. After that date, interest keeps adding up and a late payment penalty applies.

If you can't pay the CP14 balance in full, you can apply online for a payment plan. If you think it's wrong, call the number on the notice with your paperwork ready.

CP2000: your income doesn't match what others reported

Employers, banks and payment apps report what they paid you. When those reports don't match your return, the IRS sends a CP2000 proposing changes. Your tax could go up or down, or stay the same. A CP2000 isn't a bill.

Use the response form to agree or disagree. Sign it and attach your documents. You can send your reply through the IRS document upload tool, by fax or by mail, using the details in your notice.

If the CP2000 is right and you also have other income, credits or expenses to report, file Form 1040-X. Write "CP2000" at the top and send it with your reply.

CP5071 series: prove the return is yours

The IRS holds a return when it suspects someone else filed it. For a CP5071 series letter, verify your identity online through your IRS account. Have the letter and your return for that year at hand. If you can't verify online, follow the letter's instructions for the other options.

After you verify, the IRS says processing can take up to 9 weeks. If you didn't file that return, use the same service to tell the IRS. And consider an Identity Protection PIN for the years ahead.

If you owe and can't pay it all

Don't wait for the bill to grow. The IRS offers two kinds of plans for individuals:

A short-term plan, if you can pay the full amount within 180 days.
A long-term plan, also called an installment agreement, with monthly payments.

Apply online through your IRS Online Account, by phone, by mail with Form 9465 or in person at an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center.

Interest and some penalties keep running until you've paid the balance. If you filed on time, an approved IRS plan cuts the late payment penalty from 0.5% to 0.25% of the unpaid tax per month. Long-term plans have a setup fee, which the IRS can waive for people with low income.

An IRS letter may also say you have unfiled returns. Our guide to catching up on years you didn't file explains what to do.

Where to get help

The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent organization inside the IRS that helps people resolve problems with the agency. Low Income Taxpayer Clinics can help some taxpayers with a dispute.

At GTS Tax Pro, we sit down with you and read the letter. We explain what it asks in plain words, in English or Spanish. Then we help prepare what you need, whether that's an answer to the notice, missing returns or a payment plan request. Our page on help with IRS letters explains how a visit works.

If someone else prepared the return the IRS is asking about, our guide on how to choose a tax preparer explains what a paid preparer owes you.

Questions people ask

How do I know if an IRS letter is real?

The IRS usually contacts you first by mail. It sends emails and texts only if you opted in. A social media message is never from the IRS. Search the notice number on IRS.gov or sign in to your IRS Online Account, where many notices also appear.

How long do I have to respond to an IRS letter?

Use the date printed on your IRS letter. Deadlines vary by notice, so find yours first. If you need more time to gather papers, contact the IRS before that date.

What happens if I ignore an IRS letter?

It doesn't disappear. An unpaid IRS balance keeps growing with interest and a late payment penalty. With a CP2000, the IRS may send a bill for the proposed changes. If you disagree, answering by the due date protects your appeal rights.

The IRS says I owe money I can't pay. What now?

Pay what you can by the due date to reduce interest and penalties. Then ask the IRS for a short-term payment plan or monthly installments. Individuals can apply online, by phone, by mail or in person.

Can I answer an IRS letter online?

Often, yes. You can verify your identity online for letters such as the CP5071 series and upload a CP2000 reply through the IRS document upload tool. You can also set up a payment plan online. Follow the instructions in your letter.

Bring the letter to our office on Bachman Dr

Bring every page of the letter and the return it mentions. Include any papers the IRS asks for. The list of what to bring for an IRS letter has the rest.

We're at 3021 Bachman Dr #102, near Bachman Lake in Northwest Dallas. We're open Monday to Friday 10 AM to 7 PM and Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM. Walk-ins are welcome.

Call (214) 352-1600 or send us a message, but please don't email tax documents.

Rules checked against IRS.gov in October 2026.

Got a letter from the IRS? What it means and what to do