Got a CP2000 Notice with Proposed Tax Due - Will This Affect My Current Year Refund?
Just got a lovely little surprise in the mail - an IRS letter saying I owe them money from my 2022 return. 😑 They've proposed an amount I supposedly owe and I have to respond by April 10th. I've been methodically going through my records and I'm pretty sure they're wrong (shocker, I know). The thing is, I just filed my 2023 return last month and I'm expecting a decent refund that would really help with student loan payments. Here's what's confusing me - when I check my account on the IRS website, it doesn't show any balance due yet. So my question is: since I don't technically owe anything at the moment (at least according to their website), is it possible I'll still get my refund while this proposed assessment is being sorted out? Or are they going to hold my refund hostage until this is resolved? Just graduated last May and trying to adult properly with these tax things. Any insights would be great!
14 comments
Malik Robinson
Great question about the CP2000 notice! These are proposed changes, not final assessments. Since it doesn't show as a balance due on your account yet, your current refund should process normally in most cases. Can you share what type of income they're questioning on the CP2000? Was it unreported income, mismatched numbers, or something else? Also, how confident are you in your documentation to dispute their findings?
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Isabella Silva
•Not entirely accurate. Depends on timing. If OP responds with disagreement, IRS might freeze refund. Happens frequently. System flags accounts under review.
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Ravi Choudhury
•Let me clarify how the CP2000 process works with current year refunds: 1. When you receive a CP2000, it's a proposed adjustment, not a final bill 2. The IRS computer systems track these cases separately from your current year return 3. If you respond before the deadline with documentation, your current refund typically processes normally 4. However, if you ignore the notice or the deadline passes, the system may flag your account 5. At that point, your refund could be held pending resolution 6. The key is responding promptly with proper documentation The IRS generally doesn't hold current year refunds for proposed (not finalized) prior year adjustments unless there are other factors at play.
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Freya Andersen
•This situation reminds me of what happened to my brother last year. He had a CP2000 for 2021 taxes while waiting on his 2022 refund. His refund was delayed by about 3 weeks compared to mine (we filed same day), but it did eventually come through before his CP2000 issue was fully resolved. Not as straightforward as when I had a simple return with no notices, but not completely held up either.
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GalaxyGlider
Based on your timeline, you should respond to the CP2000 notice within exactly 30 days from the date on the letter. This gives you the best chance of getting your current refund without delay. Here's what to do: 1. Gather documentation proving your position - exactly 100% of what they're asking about 2. Write a response letter citing specific line items you disagree with 3. Mail everything certified with return receipt requested 14-21 days before the deadline 4. Include precisely 3 copies of your supporting documents In 78.3% of cases, timely responses with complete documentation result in current year refunds processing normally while the CP2000 issue is being resolved. The average processing time for a CP2000 response is 8-12 weeks.
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Omar Farouk
•Do you think it's worth paying for certified mail? I'm trying to keep costs down with everything else going on, but I also don't want my response to get lost...
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CosmicCadet
•The Return Receipt component is actually critical here. Under IRS Procedural Regulation 601.106, having proof of timely response can prevent the proposed assessment from becoming final if your correspondence gets misplaced in their processing centers. This happens more than you'd think, especially during peak processing periods like February through May.
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Chloe Harris
•I would say that certified mail is probably worth it in this case, though it's not absolutely required. In my experience working with clients who've received CP2000 notices, those who send responses via regular mail sometimes have to deal with the IRS claiming they never received the documentation. It might cost around $7 or so for certified mail with return receipt, but that's relatively small compared to the potential headache of having to restart the whole process if your response gets lost.
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Diego Mendoza
The CP2000 is just a Notice of Proposed Adjustment, not a Statutory Notice of Deficiency. Under IRC Section 6213, the IRS can't make an assessment until you either agree to it, fail to respond by the deadline, or exhaust your appeal rights. The refund offset procedures under IRC 6402 generally only apply to assessed liabilities, not proposed ones. So technically, your refund should process normally while this is pending, but the IRS systems don't always follow the technical rules perfectly. I've seen both outcomes happen.
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Anastasia Popova
I went through this exact scenario in February 2023. Had a CP2000 from my 2021 return while waiting for my 2022 refund. Called the regular IRS number listed on the notice every day for a week - always 2+ hour wait times only to get disconnected. Finally used Claimyr (https://www.claimyr.com) and got through to an agent in about 15 minutes. The agent confirmed my refund wasn't being held and would process normally while I responded to the CP2000. They even noted my account that I was disputing the CP2000 findings, which apparently helps prevent automatic holds. My refund arrived about 10 days later, and I resolved the CP2000 issue separately over the next month. Worth the small fee to avoid the endless phone tree and get actual answers!
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Sean Flanagan
Don't just respond to the notice - call them directly and ask specifically about your refund status. The IRS treats these as separate issues, but sometimes their left hand doesn't know what the right is doing. I was shocked when I found out my refund was actually already approved even though I had an open CP2000 case. The online account doesn't always show pending actions that could affect your refund. Be direct and ask: "Will my current year refund be affected by this CP2000 notice?" Get the agent's ID number and note the date/time of the call.
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Zara Shah
Warning from someone who's been there: I ignored a CP2000 notice dated January 15, 2023, thinking I'd deal with it after I got my refund. Big mistake. By February 28, 2023, they had flagged my account, and my refund that should have arrived by March 7, 2023, was held until July 22, 2023. Even after I responded on April 5, 2023, it took them 3 more months to process everything and release my refund. Don't be like me - respond by April 1st at the latest, not right at the deadline. The IRS moves at glacial speed, but they're very efficient at holding your money.
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Marcelle Drum
Hey there! I'm dealing with something similar right now - got my CP2000 notice about three weeks ago for my 2022 return. What I've learned from calling the IRS (after waiting forever on hold) is that the key timing factor is whether you respond before the deadline. In my case, they told me that as long as I respond by the date on the notice with proper documentation, my 2023 refund should process normally. The agent explained that CP2000 notices are handled by a different department than current year refunds, so they don't automatically freeze everything. However, she did warn me that if I miss the deadline or if there are any complications with my response, that's when they might put a hold on future refunds. So definitely don't wait until the last minute like I almost did! One thing that helped me was organizing all my 2022 tax documents first before calling, so I could reference specific forms and amounts while talking to them. Made the conversation much more productive than my first call where I was just panicking. Good luck with your response - sounds like you're being proactive about it which is exactly what you should be doing!
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Emma Wilson
•Thanks for sharing your experience! It's really helpful to hear from someone going through the same thing. Did you end up having to provide a lot of documentation when you responded, or was it pretty straightforward? I'm still going through my 2022 records and trying to figure out exactly what they're questioning - the notice isn't super clear about which specific items they think are wrong. Also, when you called, did they give you any timeline for how long it typically takes them to process the CP2000 response once they receive it?
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