Gurmeet Answers · IRS Help
What do clients get wrong when they receive an IRS notice?
The most common mistake is panic followed by inaction. The second most common is the opposite: responding too quickly without understanding what the notice actually says.
From Gurmeet's desk
When a client calls me after receiving an IRS notice, the first thing I ask is: what does the notice number say? Most clients do not know. They have read the dollar amount and stopped there. But the notice number tells you almost everything — what the IRS is claiming, what they want, and what your options are. Without that, you are responding to a feeling, not a document.
Mistake 1: Assuming the IRS is always right
IRS notices are generated by automated systems that match information returns against filed returns. These systems make mistakes. A notice proposing additional tax does not mean the IRS is correct. It means the IRS has identified a discrepancy and is asking you to explain it. I have seen clients pay balances they did not owe because they assumed the IRS must be right.
Mistake 2: Ignoring the notice
IRS notices have deadlines. If you do not respond by the deadline, the IRS treats your silence as agreement. A proposed change becomes a final assessment. The options available to you narrow significantly once a deadline passes.
Mistake 3: Calling the IRS without preparation
Calling the IRS without the notice in front of you, without your records, and without understanding what the notice is about is rarely productive. If you cannot explain your position clearly and support it with documentation, the call is unlikely to resolve the issue.
From Gurmeet's desk
The clients who handle IRS notices best are the ones who treat them like a business problem rather than a personal crisis. Read the notice carefully. Identify the deadline. Gather the relevant records. Then decide whether you can respond yourself or whether you need professional help. That sequence — read, identify, gather, decide — works almost every time.
When to get professional help
The notice involves a significant dollar amount
The notice is a final notice of intent to levy or lien
You disagree with the IRS's position and need to build a response
The notice involves a year where your records are incomplete
You have received multiple notices about the same issue
The deadline is approaching and you are not sure how to respond
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