Received CP2000 and CP22A from the IRS - Need help understanding what to do next
I just got a CP2000 notice saying I owed $1,492 for tax year 2022 because of unreported income. I made sure to pay it before the due date of June 15th. Then yesterday, I received another notice - a CP22A - stating I owe $1,495.58 for the same 2022 tax year. This one shows some interest information (I'm assuming it's interest that accumulated on the original $1,492 I owed). I'm really confused about what to do now. Should I pay the entire $1,495.58 even though I just paid them $1,492? Or do I just owe the difference of $3.58? I've tried calling the IRS multiple times but can't get through to anyone who can explain this to me. This is only my 4th year filing taxes on my own and I'm completely lost when it comes to these notices. Any advice would be appreciated!
23 comments


Omar Fawaz
The CP2000 is a notice of proposed changes to your tax return, while the CP22A is a notice of adjustment to your account. You already paid the amount from the CP2000, which is good. The CP22A is likely showing the original amount plus interest that accrued before your payment was processed. Look at the dates carefully on both notices. The CP22A might have been generated before your payment was fully processed in their system. You should check your online account at IRS.gov to see your current balance. If you can't access that, you probably only owe the difference (the interest amount), but I would recommend sending a letter to the address on the notice explaining that you already paid the CP2000 amount and include proof of that payment (copy of canceled check, bank statement, etc.). The IRS computers often generate these notices automatically without recognizing recent payments, especially if they crossed in the mail or were processed after the notice was generated.
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Chloe Martin
•Thanks for the explanation. Could the CP22A be completely separate from the CP2000? Like could it be for something else entirely? Also how long should I wait before taking action after checking my online account?
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Omar Fawaz
•The CP22A is almost certainly related to the CP2000 based on the similar amounts and same tax year. It's very unlikely they'd be for separate issues with such similar figures. I'd recommend checking your online account immediately. If you still show a balance after 2-3 weeks from your payment date, that's when you should send the letter with your payment proof. The IRS can take a couple weeks to process payments and update their systems, especially during busy periods like now.
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Diego Rojas
I was in a similar situation last year with those confusing IRS notices! After spending hours trying to get through to someone at the IRS with no luck, I found https://taxr.ai which saved me so much stress. It analyzed my notices, explained them in plain English, and told me exactly what to do next. For your situation, it sounds like you might just owe the difference (the interest), but the tool can confirm that by analyzing both notices together. It showed me that my second notice was generated before my payment was processed, which is probably what happened in your case too. Saved me from making a duplicate payment!
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Anastasia Sokolov
•Does it actually work with CP notices specifically? I've gotten 3 different notices this year and I can't make sense of any of them. Do you just upload pictures of the notices?
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StarSeeker
•I'm skeptical about these kinds of services. How does it actually help with IRS notices? Wouldn't it be better to just talk to a real accountant who can give personalized advice?
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Diego Rojas
•Yes, it works specifically with CP notices! That's actually its specialty. You just take pictures of the notices with your phone and upload them. It can read all the IRS jargon and translate it to normal language. For your question about talking to an accountant - I thought about that too, but most accountants charged me $150+ just to look at my notices. This was way more affordable and gave me immediate answers. It's not trying to replace professional advice for complex situations, but for understanding basic notices and figuring out next steps, it's perfect. I still ended up talking to an accountant later, but I went in understanding the situation much better.
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StarSeeker
I was super skeptical about using https://taxr.ai when someone recommended it, but I was desperate after getting three different IRS notices in two months. Just wanted to update that I tried it last week with my CP2000 and CP22A notices (similar to your situation), and it immediately explained that the second notice was generated before my payment was processed. The system showed me exactly where to look on both notices to confirm this and recommended I wait 2 weeks for my payment to process before taking any action. Sure enough, when I checked my IRS account online after 10 days, the balance was correctly updated. Saved me from making a duplicate payment and hours of stress trying to reach someone on the phone!
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Sean O'Donnell
If you're still trying to reach the IRS by phone, I feel your pain! I spent weeks trying to get through about my CP notices. Then I found https://claimyr.com which got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes. There's a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c It basically navigates the IRS phone tree for you and calls you back when it gets a human on the line. The agent was able to confirm that my second notice crossed with my payment in the mail and I only needed to pay the small interest amount. Definitely worth it to get a definitive answer directly from the IRS instead of guessing.
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Zara Ahmed
•How does this actually work? I don't understand how a service can get you through the IRS phone line faster. Aren't they just calling the same number everyone else is?
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Luca Esposito
•This sounds like a scam. Why would I pay for something to call the IRS for me when I can just keep trying for free? And how do I know they're actually connecting me to a real IRS agent and not just someone pretending to be one?
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Sean O'Donnell
•It uses an automated system that keeps dialing and navigating the IRS phone tree until it gets through to a human. Then it calls you and connects you directly to that agent. They're calling the same number, but their system can do the waiting and button-pushing for you. The service never pretends to be an IRS agent - it just connects you directly to the real IRS when it gets through. You're talking to actual IRS representatives through your own phone. I was skeptical too, but after spending hours redialing myself with no success, this was a lifesaver. The relief of actually talking to someone who could see my account details and confirm I just owed the interest portion was worth it.
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Luca Esposito
I need to apologize for calling Claimyr a scam in my earlier comment. After another week of failing to reach the IRS about my CP22A notice, I reluctantly tried https://claimyr.com and got connected to an IRS agent in about 27 minutes. The agent confirmed exactly what was happening with my notices - they had been generated before my payment processed. The agent was able to look at my account, see my payment, and confirm I only owed the small interest amount. She even gave me her ID number and told me to reference our call if I received any further notices. Saved me hours of frustration and gave me peace of mind knowing exactly what I needed to pay. Sometimes it's worth admitting when you're wrong!
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Nia Thompson
Double check the payment address you sent your check to. One time I sent my payment to the wrong processing center (I used the address for tax returns instead of payments) and even though the IRS eventually got it, it took them almost 3 months to apply it to my account, and I got several notices in the meantime. Also make sure you included your SSN, tax year, and form number on your check so they know how to apply the payment. If any of that info was missing, it could delay them crediting your account.
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Freya Thomsen
•I double checked and I did send it to the correct address that was listed on the notice. I included my SSN, tax year, and wrote "CP2000" on the memo line of the check. I also sent it with the payment voucher they included. Should I call them to make sure they received it? Or just wait?
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Nia Thompson
•If you included all that information, you did everything right. The payment should be properly applied to your account, but it might just take time to show up in their system. I would give it about 2-3 weeks from when you sent the payment before taking any action. You can check your online account at IRS.gov if you have one set up - that will show your current balance. If you don't have an online account, it might be worth setting one up, as it's the fastest way to see your current status. If after 3 weeks your payment isn't showing up, then it would be worth trying to contact them.
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Mateo Rodriguez
Did you send a check or pay electronically? Electronic payments process much faster. If you sent a check, it could take 2-3 weeks to process. The CP22A might have been generated in between when you sent your payment and when it was actually processed.
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GalaxyGuardian
•This is a good point. I work in banking and checks can take a surprisingly long time to fully process, especially with government agencies. Electronic payments through the IRS Direct Pay system usually post to your account within 1-2 business days.
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Ava Martinez
I went through something very similar last year! The timing of these notices can be really confusing because they're often generated automatically by the IRS computer system without considering recent payments. Here's what I'd recommend: First, check your bank account to confirm your payment cleared. Then, set up an online account at IRS.gov if you haven't already - this will show your most current balance and payment history. The online account updates faster than their notice system. Based on the amounts you mentioned ($1,492 vs $1,495.58), it does look like the CP22A is showing the original amount plus a small amount of interest that accrued before your payment was processed. This is completely normal. If your online account shows a zero balance or only a small remaining balance after your payment posts, then you know you're in good shape. If it still shows the full amount after 2-3 weeks, then you'll want to contact them with proof of your payment. Don't stress too much - this timing issue happens to a lot of people, especially during busy tax seasons. The IRS notices often cross in the mail with payments, creating this exact confusion you're experiencing.
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Peyton Clarke
•This is really helpful advice! I'm dealing with my first CP notice and wasn't sure if I should panic or wait it out. The part about setting up the online account makes a lot of sense - I've been putting that off but it sounds like it's the best way to see what's actually happening with my account in real time. How long did it take for your online account to show the correct balance after you made your payment?
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Zainab Yusuf
•@Peyton Clarke In my case, it took about 10 days for the online account to reflect my payment - I had sent a check so that included processing time. If you pay electronically through the IRS Direct Pay system, it should show up much faster, usually within 1-2 business days. The key thing is that the online account updates way faster than their automated notice system, so you ll'know your true status before any more confusing notices arrive. Setting up the account is definitely worth the few minutes it takes - it gives you so much peace of mind to see exactly what they have on file for you.
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PixelWarrior
I've been through this exact situation! The CP22A is almost certainly related to your CP2000 payment, and the small difference ($3.58) is likely interest that accumulated between when the original notice was generated and when your payment was processed. Here's what I'd do in your shoes: 1. **Check your bank** - Make sure your $1,492 payment has cleared 2. **Set up IRS online account** - Go to IRS.gov and create an account to see your current balance in real-time. This updates much faster than their notice system 3. **Wait 2-3 weeks** - Give the IRS time to process and apply your payment to your account 4. **Only pay the difference** - If your online account shows you only owe the small interest amount after your payment posts, just pay that The IRS computer system generates these notices automatically, often before recent payments are fully processed in their system. It's super common for the CP22A to cross in the mail with your payment, creating exactly this kind of confusion. Don't panic - you're handling this correctly by paying promptly. Just give their system time to catch up, and use the online account to see your true current status rather than relying on potentially outdated paper notices.
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Jasmine Hancock
•This is exactly the kind of clear, step-by-step advice I needed when I was dealing with my first IRS notices! I'm curious though - when you say "wait 2-3 weeks," is that from when you mail the check or from when it actually clears your bank account? I sent my payment about a week ago and it cleared my bank three days ago, so I'm trying to figure out my timeline for checking the online account.
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