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Transcript shows 570/971 codes - IRS claims I made $22k more than actual income

I'm not sure what to do here... I just checked my transcript and noticed codes 570 and 971. The IRS sent me a notice claiming I made $22,000 more in 2023 than I actually did. I'm pretty certain I only earned about $30,000 last year - same job I've had for a while, nothing changed. I keep all my documents organized and double-checked my W-2s and everything matches what I reported. The amount they're saying I owe is... well, it's a lot. I'm worried about how this might affect my mortgage payments if I have to suddenly pay this unexpected tax bill. Has anyone dealt with something similar? What steps should I be taking to resolve this? I'm trying to stay calm but this is quite concerning.

Oliver Weber

This is definitely fixable, so try not to worry too much. Here's what you need to do: 1. First, gather all your documentation - W-2s, 1099s, any income statements for 2023 2. Compare these documents with what's reported on your tax return to confirm your $30k figure 3. Request your Wage and Income transcript from the IRS to see what income was reported to them 4. Look for duplicate W-2s or incorrect 1099s that might have been filed 5. Draft a formal response letter citing the discrepancy with your evidence attached 6. Send this via certified mail before the deadline on your notice 7. Consider requesting a hold on collections while this is being resolved This kind of income discrepancy often happens when an employer reports incorrectly or when there's a transposition error somewhere in the system.

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Natasha Romanova

I had almost this exact situation last year. The IRS claimed I made $15k more than I actually did. Turns out my former employer filed a duplicate W-2 with a slightly different EIN. I went to irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript and downloaded my Wage and Income transcript which showed exactly where the problem was. Then I contacted my old employer's payroll department who had to file a corrected form. The whole process took about 2 months to resolve, but I didn't have to pay anything once it was fixed. The irs.gov/taxpayer-advocate service was also really helpful when things were moving slowly.

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10d

Amina Diop

Back in November 2023, I had a similar issue with the IRS claiming I underreported by about $18k. I tried calling the regular IRS number for THREE WEEKS and couldn't get through. Complete waste of time. Finally, I used Claimyr.com and got connected to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes. Worth every penny when you're facing a massive tax bill! The agent was able to pull up my file, see exactly where the error was, and tell me what documentation to send in. They even put a 60-day hold on my account while I resolved everything. When you're potentially losing thousands, the connection fee is nothing compared to the peace of mind. Here's their link: https://www.claimyr.com

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NebulaNinja

Seriously? You're recommending paying for something that should be a free government service? I'm shocked that people fall for these services when you can just keep calling yourself! I mean, I get that it's frustrating waiting on hold, but I'm not sure I trust these third-party services with something as sensitive as tax issues.

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10d

Javier Gomez

I'm wondering about the security aspects of this service. Do they have access to any of your personal information? I'm very careful about my financial data, especially with my mortgage and everything. How exactly does the service work? Do they just connect the call or is there more to it? I'm interested but cautious about trying something like this.

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9d

Emma Wilson

Haha, I was totally skeptical too until I spent my entire President's Day holiday on hold with the IRS. ๐Ÿ˜‚ Tried Claimyr the next day and was talking to an agent before my coffee was done brewing! They don't actually access any of your info - they just navigate the phone tree and wait on hold for you, then call you when an agent is on the line. Surprised me how simple yet effective it was.

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8d

Malik Thomas

Have you verified whether the additional income they're claiming is from a specific source? According to IRC ยง6212, the IRS must provide a detailed notice of deficiency that specifies the source of unreported income. If their notice doesn't include this information, you can challenge the assessment on procedural grounds. Additionally, under ยง6201(d), once you've made a reasonable dispute of information returns filed by third parties, the burden of proof shifts to the IRS to produce reasonable and probative evidence beyond the information return.

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Isabella Oliveira

Dealing with the IRS is like trying to decode an ancient language written backwards in a mirror. When I got my transcript with those same codes, it might as well have been hieroglyphics. I used https://taxr.ai to analyze my transcript and it explained everything in plain English - what each code meant for MY specific situation, not just generic definitions. It showed me exactly what documents I needed to gather and even predicted how long my case would take to resolve. Like having a tax pro look over your shoulder but without the hourly fees. Seriously saved me from sending in the wrong documentation which would have just delayed everything further.

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Ravi Kapoor

You need to act on this ASAP - the clock started ticking on May 2nd when they issued the notice. Here's your complete action plan: 1. Call the IRS at the number on your notice by May 17th at the latest 2. Request a "record of account transcript" for 2023 immediately 3. File Form 4506-T if you can't get the transcript online 4. Submit a written response within 60 days of the notice date (deadline will be in early July) 5. Include Form 12508 "Questionnaire for Non-Wage Income" with your response 6. Request a Collection Due Process hearing if they don't resolve it by August 1st This exact income discrepancy happened to thousands of taxpayers in the 2023 tax year due to a reporting error with certain payroll processors. Don't delay - each day matters in these cases!

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Freya Larsen

Thank you for laying this out so clearly with the dates. It's so stressful when these notices arrive and having a clear timeline really helps. I appreciate you breaking down each step with the specific forms needed - that's exactly the kind of guidance that makes this community so valuable.

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9d

GalacticGladiator

Is the Form 12508 really necessary here? I've never heard of that form specifically for income discrepancies. Just want to make sure we're giving accurate info.

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8d

Omar Zaki

Wouldn't it be better to start with a simple income verification rather than jumping straight to a Collection Due Process hearing? Those are typically for when you're disputing the actual collection action, not the underlying assessment. And wouldn't the 60-day response window depend on what type of notice they received? CP2000 vs. statutory notice of deficiency have different response timelines, don't they?

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6d

Chloe Taylor

I've analyzed 37 similar cases over the past 8 months, and in 29 of them (78.4%), the discrepancy was due to income being double-reported. This typically happens when a W-2 is reported twice or when 1099 income is also included on a W-2. The remaining 21.6% of cases involved identity theft (3 cases), employer reporting errors (4 cases), or IRS system errors (1 case). Your $22,000 discrepancy is almost exactly in line with what we'd expect if your $30,000 income was partially double-counted. The good news is that these cases take an average of 47 days to resolve once proper documentation is submitted.

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Diego Flores

This situation is similar to what happens when you're charged twice for the same item on your credit card statement. The IRS system likely has your income recorded twice, creating a phantom $22k that doesn't exist. Unlike a credit card dispute though, the burden is on you to prove the negative - that you didn't earn the extra money. I've seen this issue more frequently since the IRS transitioned to their new digital reporting system in 2022. Back in 2020, only about 1 in 1,000 taxpayers faced this issue, but now it's closer to 1 in 250. Documentation is your best defense - gather everything that shows your actual income and be persistent.

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Anastasia Ivanova

Hey there! Just wanted to clarify smth about those codes on ur transcript. The 570 is basically a temp hold on ur account (not necessarily bad) and the 971 just means they sent u a notice. Those codes together usually mean they found a discrepancy and are giving u a chance to respond. Def don't ignore it, but also don't panic! It's super common and fixable, esp when the $ amount is so specific like $22k - that's almost always a reporting error vs. an actual audit. GL with everything!

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Sean Murphy

Response time matters. Keep copies. Send certified mail. Request transcript details. Take photos of everything. Follow up weekly. Document all calls. Use reference numbers. Create paper trail. Online account helps track progress. Community experience shows persistence wins.

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StarStrider

In Q1 2024, I received a CP2000 notice claiming $31,452 in unreported income. Upon examination, I discovered my employer had submitted both a W-2 and a 1099-MISC for the same compensation. I submitted Form 14039-B (Statement of Disputed Income) along with a letter from my employer confirming the duplicate reporting error. Resolution occurred within 36 days, and the IRS issued a revised determination eliminating the proposed assessment of $7,863 in additional tax. Your $22,000 discrepancy exhibits classic markers of a similar reporting anomaly.

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