Simplified IRS Notices

The next time you receive an IRS notice in the mail, it may be easier to understand. That’s because the IRS has a program to redesign taxpayer notices so they are simpler. Within the next 12 to 18 months, about 60% to 70% of notices will be redesigned.

Taxpayer-Friendly Notices

The IRS sends out about 2.3 million notices annually; they’re not all scary collection letters. Some notices provide helpful information and reminders to taxpayers. Here are some of the newly formatted notices:

• Additional child tax credit-suggesting that the notice recipient may be eligible for this tax credit and what to do to claim it.
• Undelivered tax refund-notice that the check has been returned to the IRS and what to do to have it re-sent to the proper address.
• Direct deposit failure-notice that a tax refund that was supposed to be deposited directly into a taxpayer’s account was not accepted. The tax refund will instead be sent by mail; the taxpayer does not need to do anything.

Source: IR-2010-3