If you received correspondence from the IRS, follow the instructions on the letter or notice about how to respond. Call the phone number or visit the website listed on the notice or letter for additional information, this is usually located at the end. If possible have your tax and income documents (such as cancelled checks, tax returns, etc.) ready when you call. If you disagree, contact the IRS. If you want more details about your tax account, you can request a copy of your transcript.

If the correspondence is not from the IRS, you’ll need to call the sender to discuss the issue.

If you think you are not responsible for some or all of the tax, see Publication 5, Your Appeal Rights and How to Prepare a Protest if You Don’t Agree.

If you can’t pay the full amount by the due date, you will need to determine what payment options might work for your situation, and contact the IRS to set up a payment plan or discuss other ways to address your balance. Being proactive in addressing the tax debt may allow you to avoid additional penalty and interest charges and may prevent the IRS actions to enforce collection, such as a levy.

You may qualify for penalty relief if you tried to comply with tax laws but were unable due to circumstances beyond your control.  To request penalty relief, follow the instructions in the IRS notice you received.  Some penalty relief requests may be accepted over the phone.

You may need to submit Form 843, Claim for Refund and Request for Abatement, along with a signed statement to the IRS explaining your reasons. For specific instructions, see the Penalty Relief page on IRS.gov or Notice 746, Information About Your Notice, Penalty and Interest