Does it Pay to be Noticed?

Does it Pay to be Noticed?

If you receive a notice from the IRS most of us will see our pulse rate quicken and a cold sweat break out on our foreheads. Here is some advice if an IRS notice finds its way into your mailbox.
	Open it. You would be surprised how many people simply cannot find the courage to open a letter from the IRS. It can be intimidating. Try to remember the IRS sends out millions of these every year.
	Most notices are produced by computer programs. Most IRS notices are driven by a request for clarification. Things like a name mismatch or a missing 1099 or W-2 can be easily corrected.
	Follow the instructions. The letter will tell you what to do and when to do it. Follow these instructions.
	Changes to your return. Often the IRS will make a proposed change to your tax return and will ask you to confirm the change. If you agree with the change you often need to do nothing. If not, you must formalize your disagreement.
	Ask for help. Do not assume you know the answer. Ask for a review of the correspondence as soon as possible.
	Certify your response. Any written response to your IRS notice should be sent by certified mail. If the IRS later says you did not respond, this certification can be used to defend your timely response to their notice.
	Fraud is possible. Remember the IRS does not correspond via email. Do not give personal information to anyone representing themselves as the IRS without independent verification. This is especially important on telephone calls. How do you do this? Independently confirm mailing addresses and initiate phone calls to the IRS through information on their www.irs.gov website.
	Use alternatives. If you cannot seem to get resolution to your notice via mail, consider calling or visiting a local IRS office. But only do so with proper representation.

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