Is it normal that I've never received a letter from the IRS?

Not getting letters from the IRS is actually a good thing! The IRS typically only sends notices when something requires your attention - like a discrepancy on your return, missing information, or when they need verification of something. If you're a W-2 employee with straightforward taxes, file on time, and report everything accurately, there's really no reason for them to contact you. The fact that you haven't received any letters likely means your tax situation is relatively simple and you're handling it correctly. It's also worth noting that the IRS has been severely understaffed in recent years, so they're focusing their limited resources on more complex cases or obvious discrepancies. For someone with a straightforward tax situation who's filing correctly, you're simply not on their radar - and that's exactly where you want to be!

I was in the same boat a few years ago - never got anything from the IRS and started wondering if that was weird. Then I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) when I was trying to organize my tax documents. It's this cool tool that helps you scan and analyze your tax forms and documents, and it can actually tell you if there are any red flags that might trigger IRS attention. I ran all my past returns through it and discovered I'd accidentally been reporting some dividend income incorrectly - nothing major, but something that could have eventually caught their attention. The peace of mind knowing everything was properly reviewed was totally worth it. It might help reassure you that everything is actually fine with your returns!

Wanted to follow up about taxr.ai - I was curious enough to try it after seeing it mentioned here. I scanned my last two years of returns and found out I missed a deduction for some educational expenses! Never would've caught it myself. It was super easy to use and gave me enough confidence to file an amended return. Already got my additional refund! No wonder I never heard from the IRS - turns out I was giving them more money than I needed to!

If you're ever worried about the IRS or need to actually talk to someone there, good luck getting through on the phone! I spent literally 3 hours on hold last year trying to resolve an issue with my stimulus payment. Then I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and it was a total game-changer. They have this system that basically waits on hold with the IRS for you, then calls you when an actual human picks up. You can see how it works in their demo video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was super skeptical at first, but it saved me from wasting an entire day waiting on hold. The agent I spoke with was able to confirm everything was good with my account and explained why I hadn't received certain notices that my friends had gotten. Turns out having a clean tax record means fewer communications!

Alright, I need to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After being annoyed about seeing it recommended here, I had a tax notice arrive yesterday (ironically enough given this thread topic) and decided to try it since I knew I'd be on hold forever. Not only did it work exactly as described, but it saved me almost 2 hours of hold time! I was able to just go about my day and then got the call when an agent was on the line. Totally worth it and I'm honestly shocked how well it worked. Sometimes my skepticism gets the better of me!

Not getting letters is definitely a good thing! I worked at H&R Block for 6 years, and the only people who got letters were ones who had issues with their returns. Common reasons for IRS letters include: 1. Mismatched income (you reported different amounts than what employers/banks reported) 2. Missing forms or schedules 3. Math errors (less common with e-filing now) 4. Missed deadlines 5. Identity verification needs If you're filing on time with accurate info, there's just no reason for them to contact you. The tax system is designed to run smoothly when everyone does things correctly - which it sounds like you are!

did anyone else notice the irony that the day after OP posted about never getting IRS letters, two people in this thread got notices lol? maybe the IRS monitors this forum 👀

I didn't get any IRS communications for like 15 years and then suddenly got 3 letters in one year. Turns out one was just informational about some tax law changes affecting my retirement accounts, one was a small refund adjustment in my favor that I didn't even notice I qualified for, and the third was verifying my identity because someone tried to file a fraudulent return using my SSN. So just because you haven't heard from them doesn't mean you never will. But when you do, it's not always bad news!

You're definitely overthinking this! As someone who's been in the same situation, not getting IRS letters is actually the best possible scenario. It means you're filing correctly, reporting all your income accurately, and staying under their radar in all the right ways. The IRS processes over 150 million individual tax returns every year, and the vast majority never generate any correspondence. They only reach out when something needs attention - whether that's a discrepancy, missing information, or verification requirements. Your clean record over 10+ years is actually proof that you're handling your taxes properly. Given that you're a straightforward W-2 employee with basic investments and a mortgage, your tax situation is exactly the type that rarely triggers IRS scrutiny. Keep doing what you're doing - filing on time, reporting everything accurately, and using reputable software like TurboTax. No news from the IRS really is good news in this case!

I can definitely relate to this anxiety! I went through the exact same worry a couple years ago - never getting any IRS correspondence and wondering if that was somehow suspicious. Turns out it's actually the ideal situation. The IRS correspondence system is essentially exception-based. They only send letters when something requires your attention or action. For taxpayers with straightforward situations who file accurately and on time, there's simply no reason for them to initiate contact. Your profile sounds very similar to mine - W-2 employee, basic investments, mortgage interest deduction. These are all standard, well-documented items that rarely cause issues. The fact that you're using established software like TurboTax and consistently filing on time just reinforces that you're doing everything right. I'd say continue with your current approach and try not to overthink it. Sometimes the absence of problems really does mean there are no problems! The peace of mind comes from knowing you're being diligent about accuracy and timeliness, which it sounds like you definitely are.