What to do if you get an IRS letter
by Thomas Bridgman, EA Hudson Valley Tax Experts assists taxpayers with IRS and state tax issues , from responding to letters and handling audits to preparing unfiled returns and negotiating payment arrangements. IRS and the states rely heavily on mail correspondence to conduct their business. There's nothing quite like opening your mailbox and finding a letter from the IRS to raise your blood pressure and quicken your breath. The IRS is not known for sending cheery notes (“hey, hope you’re having a great summer, thinking of you!”) and if you find that an IRS return address beings on a feeling of dread, you’re not alone. It may seem obvious, but the first step on discovering that unwelcome visitor in your mailbox is: don’t panic and open the envelope . (Okay, that’s two steps, but they go hand in hand. Call them 1A and 1B. You can add 1C: take a deep breath.) Resist the urge to file the unopened letter in the sock drawer or bury it in the garden. Whatever news it contains, g...