Receiving a tax notice or letter is never a pleasant experience. It can be confusing and frustrating if you don't understand why you received the notice in the first place. That's why we wrote The Ultimate Guide to Tax Notices and created a tax notice library filled with the most common tax notices and letters you might receive. We believe the process of staying compliant with your taxes should be as effortless as possible.
General Information
- What is the notice number? CP11
- What government agency sends this notice? The Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- What is this notice about? The IRS made changes to your return because they believe there's a miscalculation. You owe money on your taxes as a result of these changes.
- What should you do if you receive this notice?
- Read your notice carefully. It will explain the changes the IRS made and why you owe money on your taxes.
- If you agree with the changes the IRS made,
- Pay the amount owed by the date on the notice.
- Make payment arrangements if you can't pay the full amount you owe.
- Correct the copy of your tax return that you kept for your records, but do not send it to the IRS.
- If you don't agree with the changes the IRS made, contact them within 60 days from the date of your notice, and see frequently asked questions below.
- By telephone: Call the IRS at the telephone number shown on your notice. The fastest way to resolve many return errors is by telephone. Some cases require additional information that you may provide verbally.
- By mail: Please include a copy of the notice along with your correspondence or documentation, and allow 30-60 or more days for a resolution.
FAQs & Additional Information
- How do I adjust my estimated tax payments? You can adjust your estimated tax payments with a Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals.
- How can I find out what caused my tax return to change? Read your notice carefully. For additional clarification, call the IRS at the number shown on your notice.
- What should I do if I disagree with the changes you made?
- If you disagree, contact the IRS at the toll-free number shown at the top right corner of your notice, or respond by mail to the address on your notice. If you write to the IRS, include a copy of the notice along with your correspondence or documentation.
- The IRS will reverse most changes they made if they increased the amount you owe or if your return requested a refund. However, you must contact the IRS within 60 days from the date of your notice to request the reversal. You don’t need to provide an explanation or additional documents when you request the reversal, but the IRS will consider any information you provide them. However, if they don’t receive information that supports your original return, they may forward your case for audit, in which case the audit staff will contact you within 6 weeks to explain the process and your rights. The IRS is not required to reverse changes they made to the tax withholding or estimated tax payments you reported but will consider the information you provide them.
- If you don’t contact the IRS within the 60-day period, the changes won’t be reversed and you’ll lose your right to appeal their decision before payment of the tax. Following the payment of the tax, you may file a claim for refund to dispute the changes. Generally, you must submit the claim within 3 years from the date you filed the tax return, or within 2 years from the date of your last payment for this tax, whichever is later.
- Will I be charged interest on the money I owe? To avoid interest charges, fully pay the amount owed by the due date stated on the payment coupon. If you don't pay in full by that date, interest will accrue on the unpaid balance from the date the return was due.
- Will I receive a penalty if I can't pay the full amount? Yes, you will receive a late payment penalty. You can contact the IRS at the number shown on your notice if you can't pay the full amount shown in your specific notice because of circumstances beyond your control. Contact the IRS by the due date of your payment and, depending on your situation, the IRS may be able to remove the penalty. See their Penalty Relief page for what information to have available.
What does it look like?
Resources
Looking for more information about this notice? Here are some helpful resources:
- About the notice - https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-cp11-notice
- Example copy of the notice - https://www.irs.gov/pub/notices/cp11_english.pdf
How can we help you today?
Are you looking for more information about your tax notice or other challenges? DiMercurio Advisors has a dedicated team supporting tax notices, audits and more. We are passionate about ensuring you are well-informed and in control of your tax situation.
