Received CP40 Notice But No Prior IRS Communications? What To Do?

This actually happens more often than you'd think. A CP40 is an IRS notice informing you about an intent to levy (seize) assets to pay your tax debt. But you're right - they should have sent previous notices before getting to this point. First thing - verify the notice is legitimate. Call the IRS directly using the number on their official website (not the one on the notice). Have your notice, Social Security number, and tax return handy when you call. Request an account transcript for 2021 to see what's showing up on their end. You can get this online through the IRS website or by filing Form 4506-T. The transcript will show any assessments, payments, and notices they claim to have sent you. Also, check if you've moved since 2021 or if there were any issues with your mail delivery. Sometimes notices get lost or sent to old addresses.

I was in a similar situation last year and spent WEEKS trying to get through to the IRS without success. The hold times were insane, and I kept getting disconnected. Finally tried a service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped analyze my tax situation and explained exactly what was happening with my CP40. They looked at my tax documents and transcripts and found out the IRS had been sending notices to my old address from 3 years ago even though I had updated my address on my tax returns! The system flagged the discrepancy for me right away. Saved me hours of frustration trying to figure out what happened.

Just wanted to follow up - I actually tried taxr.ai after posting my question here. Uploaded my CP40 and some past tax docs and it immediately flagged that the IRS had calculated my self-employment taxes incorrectly! There was a discrepancy between Schedule C and Schedule SE that I completely missed when filing. The system showed exactly where the error occurred and why I was getting the notice now instead of earlier. Super helpful and saved me from having to wait on hold with the IRS for hours just to get basic info!

If you need to actually speak with someone at the IRS about this (which I definitely recommend), good luck getting through their phone system right now. I had a similar CP40 situation and spent 3 weeks trying to reach someone. After getting nowhere, I used this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that somehow gets you through the IRS phone queue. They have a demo video here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Honestly thought it was BS at first but I was desperate. They got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for weeks. The agent was able to put a hold on the levy while I sorted things out. Definitely worth it for the stress reduction alone.

I need to apologize and correct myself. After dismissing Claimyr as a likely scam, I was still struggling with my own IRS issue and getting desperate. Decided to try it as a last resort and wow - I was connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes. Definitely legit. The agent confirmed that they had been sending notices to my old address despite me filing with my new one for two years. They were able to put a hold on collections while I send in documentation proving the address issue. Saved me from having assets frozen while we sort this out!

Have you checked your IRS transcript online? You can create an account at irs.gov and view all notices they've sent and when. When I got a surprise CP40, my transcript showed they'd sent 4 previous notices that I never received cuz they went to my old apartment. Also double check the notice is legit. Lots of scams out there. Real IRS CP40 will have your truncated SSN and tax info that matches what you filed.

check if it really is from the irs. scammers send fake notices all the time!! real cp40 has your tax id number on it (last 4 of ssn) and will match info from your return. also real irs notices NEVER ask for gift cards or bitcoin lol

If you get a CP40, you need to act FAST. This is their "Intent to Levy" notice, which means they're about to start taking your money from bank accounts, garnishing wages, etc. You have 30 days from the date on the notice to request a Collection Due Process hearing by filing Form 12153. This will put a hold on any collection actions while you sort things out. Don't ignore this one!

I went through something very similar last year - got a CP40 out of nowhere for my 2020 taxes. Turns out the IRS had been sending notices to an address I lived at briefly during college, even though I'd been filing with my current address for years. Here's what worked for me: First, definitely verify it's legitimate by calling the IRS directly (use the number from their official website, not the notice). When you call, ask them to read you the mailing addresses they have on file for each year - this is how I discovered the problem. Second, request Form 12153 for a Collection Due Process hearing immediately. This stops all collection actions while you sort things out. You have 30 days from the notice date, so don't wait. Third, file Form 8822 to update your address with the IRS if there's been any confusion about where you live. Even if you think they have the right address, do it anyway to create a paper trail. The whole thing took about 3 months to resolve, but the Collection Due Process hearing gave me the time I needed without worrying about my accounts getting frozen. The IRS agent I finally spoke with was actually pretty helpful once I got through to them.