The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the federal agency responsible for collecting taxes and administering the Internal Revenue Code. The IRS may contact taxpayers for a variety of reasons, including to collect overdue taxes, to request additional information, or to conduct an audit.
There are several ways that the IRS may contact taxpayers, including:
- By mail: The IRS typically initiates contact with taxpayers by sending a letter or notice in the mail. These letters or notices will explain the reason for the contact and provide instructions on what to do next.
- By phone: The IRS may also contact taxpayers by phone, but only after they have first attempted to contact the taxpayer by mail. IRS employees will never call to demand immediate payment or to threaten arrest.
- In person: In some cases, the IRS may send an employee to visit a taxpayer’s home or business. This is typically done when the IRS needs to collect overdue taxes or to conduct an audit.
How to Verify the IRS is Contacting You
It is important to be aware of the different ways that the IRS may contact taxpayers, as there are many scams that attempt to impersonate the IRS. If you are unsure whether or not a contact is legitimate, you can take the following steps:
- Check the sender’s address. All official IRS correspondence will come from an address that ends in “.gov.”
- Look for the IRS logo. All official IRS correspondence will include the IRS logo.
- Call the IRS. You can call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to verify whether or not a contact is legitimate.
What to Do If You Owe Money to the IRS
If you owe money to the IRS, it is important to take action as soon as possible. The IRS offers a variety of payment options, including:
- Online: You can pay your taxes online using the IRS website.
- By phone: You can pay your taxes by phone using the IRS’s automated phone system.
- By mail: You can pay your taxes by mail by sending a check or money order to the IRS.
Additional Resources
- IRS website
- IRS phone number
- IRS payment options
Do’s and Don’ts for Taxpayers Who Get a Letter or Notice from the IRS
The IRS mails letters or notices to taxpayers for a variety of reasons including if:
- They have a balance due.
- They are due a larger or smaller refund.
- The agency has a question about their tax return.
- They need to verify identity.
- The agency needs additional information.
- The agency changed their tax return.
Here are some do’s and don’ts for taxpayers who receive one:
**