Need advice on CP22E Notice from IRS for 2021 Tax Year

I've helped several clients with CP22E notices - they can definitely be stressful but don't panic. A CP22E notice typically means the IRS made changes to your tax return that resulted in you owing additional tax. It's important to carefully review the notice to understand exactly what they're claiming is incorrect on your original return. The notice should specify which items they adjusted and why. Common issues include income that wasn't reported, credits that weren't properly qualified for, or deductions they're disallowing. First, check if you actually qualify for whatever credits/deductions the IRS is adjusting. Form 8862 is usually required when you claimed certain refundable credits (like Earned Income Credit) in a previous year but the IRS denied them. The fact that you had to file this form suggests there might have been issues with credits on your previous returns. If you purchased audit defense, now's the time to use it! Contact the company immediately and let them handle communications with the IRS. That's exactly what you paid for.

After getting a similar notice last year, I tried calling the IRS for weeks with no luck. Then I found this service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped make sense of my CP22E notice. They analyze the notice and explain exactly what the IRS is claiming in plain English. I was confused because my notice mentioned adjustments to some credit I claimed, but I couldn't figure out which one or why. The taxr.ai system highlighted exactly which lines on my original return were being questioned and explained why the IRS was making those changes. They also gave me options for my next steps. The best part was that they showed me which documentation I needed to gather to respond properly. Saved me from submitting the wrong stuff which would have just delayed everything more.

Just wanted to follow up - I tried that taxr.ai site after asking about it. It was actually super helpful! I uploaded my brother's CP22E notice and it broke down exactly which credits were being disallowed and why. Turns out he claimed the American Opportunity Credit incorrectly because he didn't realize his education program wasn't eligible. The explanation was really clear and they provided the exact form he needed to fill out to respond. Much better than the actual IRS notice which was basically a wall of tax code references. He's now working on getting the proper documentation together to appeal part of the assessment where he believes he actually does qualify. Just thought I'd share since it helped us figure out what was going on without spending hundreds on a tax pro just to interpret the notice.

If you need to actually talk to a human at the IRS about your CP22E notice, I highly recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation with a huge unexpected tax bill, and trying to call the IRS directly was a complete nightmare. Spent hours on hold only to get disconnected. Claimyr has this system that basically waits on hold with the IRS for you and calls you when an actual agent picks up. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Saved me literally hours of hold time, and I finally got to speak with someone who could explain what was happening with my account. The IRS agent was able to put a hold on collections while I gathered documentation to dispute part of the assessment. They also explained payment plan options for the portion I couldn't dispute.

I need to eat my words about Claimyr being a scam. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it as a last resort since I was getting nowhere on my own with the IRS. It actually worked exactly as described. I signed up, and about 2 hours later (while I was working on other things), I got a call connecting me directly to an IRS representative. No waiting on hold, no getting disconnected after an hour. The agent was able to explain exactly what was happening with my CP22E notice and set up a payment plan for me right there on the phone. They also put a 45-day hold on collections while I gather some documents to dispute part of the assessment. For anyone dealing with these notices who needs to actually speak with the IRS - this service saved me so much frustration. Definitely worth it considering how many hours of my life I wasted trying to call them directly.

Have you checked if your ex-in-laws made errors on your previous returns? The fact that you had to file Form 8862 is a red flag that there were issues with prior year returns. The IRS might be going back and reviewing those returns more carefully. If your in-laws were claiming credits you weren't eligible for, that could explain why you're suddenly facing scrutiny. The CP22E might be related to those incorrect claims finally catching up. I'd suggest pulling your tax transcripts for the past few years from the IRS website to see if there are any patterns of questionable credits or deductions. This might help you understand if the current issue is isolated or part of a bigger problem.

The CP22E notice usually means u need to respond within 30 days!! Dont miss this deadline or it gets harder to fight. Also check if the changes they made were correct? Sometimes IRS systems dont correctly match all ur documents. When I got mine they said I didn't report income from a 1099 but they were wrong...the income WAS reported just on a different schedule than they expected. Had to send proof and they fixed it. The amount they say u owe could be wrong!!