MA Tax Notice: Will I Owe $1,692 from Unreported $6,423 Unemployment & $1,000 Lottery Income?
I received a notice from Massachusetts DOR titled "THIS IS NOT A BILL" regarding adjustments to my Personal Income Tax Return for the tax period December 31, 2024. The notice states "We adjusted your Personal Income Tax Tax Return for the tax period December 31, 2024. We're required to issue this notice to let you know about the adjustments made. Below is the detail of what was adjusted during the review process. The "adjusted amount" column shows the figures that were adjusted by the Department of Revenue." Under "Return Adjustment Reasons" it clearly states "Total Income Tax has increased" and then lists these specific line item adjustments: - 8a. Unemployment compensation: $6,423.00 - 8b. Massachusetts state lottery winnings: $1,000.00 - 37. Income tax after credits, contributions, use tax and HC penalty: $1,692.00 The notice includes a section called "What should I do?" that says: "Review the changes by comparing the adjustment(s) shown above to your original return. If you agree with the adjusted amounts, no further action is required at this time. If you owe tax, we'll send you a bill called a Notice of Assessment. You may pay online at mass.gov/masstaxconnect before you receive the Notice of Assessment." It also says if I disagree with the adjustments, I can respond online by visiting mass.gov/masstaxconnect, going to Quick Links, clicking "Submit documentation" and entering the Letter ID from the upper right-hand corner of the notice. Then I need to attach a statement explaining my position along with supporting documentation. Under "What happens if I don't respond?" the notice states: "If you don't respond, we'll assume you agree with the information in this notice. If there is a balance due, you'll receive a Notice of Assessment. Additional interest and penalty charges will accrue until the total amount owed is paid. If no tax is owed, this notice will serve as your Notice of Assessment. Note that if an adjustment results in a small amount of tax due, we may waive the amount due and will not send a bill." It also mentions "If you have overpaid, you'll receive a refund if your refund request was timely and if no other tax or debts need to be collected." For questions, they provide contact information: "To contact us online, go to mass.gov/masstaxconnect and log in to your account or create a username. If you have further questions, call us at (617) 887-6367 or toll-free in Massachusetts at (800) 392-6089, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m." Does anyone know if this means I'm definitely going to owe more money? I'm really worried about these adjustments and what they mean for my tax situation. I don't remember reporting this much unemployment or lottery winnings, and I'm confused about what happens next.
12 comments
Aaliyah Reed
The MA Department of Revenue has identified two sources of unreported income on your 2024 tax return: $6,423 in unemployment compensation and $1,000 in MA state lottery winnings. Based on these adjustments, they've calculated an additional tax liability of $1,692 after accounting for credits, contributions, use tax, and healthcare penalty. This notice serves as a preliminary warning - it's not the actual bill, but it indicates you'll receive a formal Notice of Assessment soon. The adjusted tax amount of $1,692 will likely be due, plus any additional interest and penalties that accrue until payment. You have two important options: 1. If you agree with these findings, you can proactively pay the $1,692 through MassTaxConnect before receiving the official bill to minimize additional charges 2. If you believe these amounts are incorrect, you can dispute them by submitting documentation through MassTaxConnect using the Letter ID from your notice Important: Failing to respond will be considered acceptance of these adjustments, and the formal bill will follow with additional charges. The DOR provides support at (617) 887-6367 or toll-free at (800) 392-6089 if you need clarification.
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Daniel Rogers
omg thank u for explaining! do u know how long until i get the actual bill? 😭
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Aaliyah Reed
Usually within 2-3 weeks. Start setting aside money now if you can!
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Ella Russell
Hey everyone! I've been seeing a lot of confusion about tax notices lately. I started using taxr.ai and it's been a game changer for understanding these notices. It's only $1 and gives you super specific analysis of your situation. Check it out at https://taxr.ai
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Mohammed Khan
sounds interesting but kinda sketch. how does it actually work?
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Ella Russell
Not sketch at all! You just upload your transcript and it uses AI to break everything down in plain English. Shows exactly what's happening with your taxes and what to expect next.
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Gavin King
in the same boat rn. forgot to report my unemployment last year and got hit with a similar notice. its rough out here 🤡
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Nathan Kim
Make sure to set up a payment plan if you cant pay the full amount! Dont just ignore it like I did lol interest adds up FAST
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Daniel Rogers
how do i set up a payment plan? do i have to wait for the bill first?
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Nathan Kim
Wait for the Notice of Assessment then you can set it up through MassTaxConnect 👍
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Eleanor Foster
Did you not get a 1099-G for the unemployment? They always send those out in January
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Daniel Rogers
i moved during the year so maybe i missed it? idk tbh 🤔
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