What to do first when a letter arrives from the IRS or New York State

An envelope from the Internal Revenue Service or the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance can be unsettling. Each letter explains what it is about and what, if anything, you need to do. A few calm steps make it easier to handle.

Open it and read it through

It is tempting to put it aside. Open it, read it to the end, and note the date it was sent and any date it gives for a reply.

Check that it is genuine

Scams often imitate tax agencies. The IRS says it does not start contact by email, text message or social media to ask for personal or financial information. Before you call a number in a letter, check that it matches the number on the agency's own website, irs.gov (opens in a new tab) or tax.ny.gov (opens in a new tab). A letter, call or message that demands payment by gift card is a scam.

Do not ignore it, and do not rush

A letter left unanswered can become harder to resolve. At the same time, there is no need to pay or reply the same day without understanding what is being asked.

Gather what it refers to

The letter names the tax year and the return it is about. Find your copy of that return and the documents that went with it.

Send us a copy

If we prepared the return, or you would like us to look at the letter, send us a copy of the whole letter through the client portal, never by email, and tell us when it arrived. We will read it and tell you what we see.

Keep everything together

Keep the letter, the envelope, copies of anything you send back, and notes of any calls, with the date and the name of the person you spoke to.