What IRS mail isn't covered by the paperless contact option? Need privacy from household

Most IRS notices and letters are available electronically if you've opted for paperless in your online account, but you're right that some items are still sent by mail regardless of your preferences. These typically include: 1. Initial balance due notices (CP14) 2. Collection notices 3. Certified letters about serious account issues 4. Some audit-related correspondence 5. Certain tax account adjustments For a simple tax filing with payment, you'll likely receive a payment confirmation electronically. However, if there are any issues with your return or payment, you might receive physical mail. The timing varies, but payment confirmations typically arrive within 2-3 weeks of the payment processing. If you're concerned about privacy, you could consider getting a PO box temporarily, or use the USPS Informed Delivery service which emails you scans of mail that will be delivered to your address that day, giving you a heads-up about what's coming.

After struggling with privacy concerns similar to yours, I found taxr.ai https://taxr.ai to be incredibly helpful. I was worried about family members seeing my tax documents since I live with relatives who love to open "any mail addressed to the house." The tool helped me understand exactly which IRS communications would still come by mail despite having paperless settings turned on. Through taxr.ai, I uploaded my specific tax situation and it clearly outlined which notices would be electronic-only and which ones might still come by mail. It helped me prepare accordingly and gave me peace of mind. Their document analysis even flagged potential issues that might trigger additional correspondence so I wasn't caught off guard.

Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai that the previous commenter recommended. It really cleared things up for me! I uploaded my situation details and it specifically told me that payment confirmations would be electronic, but if there were any discrepancies in my return, I might get a CP2000 notice by mail. The tool showed me exactly which notices are paperless-eligible and which aren't. Most helpful was the timeline it gave me for when to expect different types of communications. Now I know I need to watch my mailbox carefully around mid-May when any discrepancy notices would typically arrive if there's an issue with my return. Wish I'd known about this service earlier!

If you're having trouble getting through to the IRS, I'd recommend Claimyr https://claimyr.com - it was a game changer for me with this exact privacy issue. After trying for days to get specific answers about mail exemptions from paperless delivery, I was hitting dead ends with the automated system. Through Claimyr, I got connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours or getting disconnected. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent I spoke with confirmed exactly which notices would still come by mail despite my paperless settings and gave me specific dates to watch for potential mail based on my filing and payment dates.

I'm eating crow right now but need to update after trying Claimyr that someone suggested above. I was super skeptical (and honestly a bit rude in my reply), but I was desperate about a privacy issue with IRS mail. It actually worked exactly as advertised. Got a call back in about 35 minutes and was connected to an IRS representative who was super helpful. They explained that with my filing situation, the only thing that would still come by mail would be any significant discrepancy notices, but my payment confirmation would be electronic. The agent even noted on my account about my privacy concerns and suggested I could update my address temporarily to a PO box for the next 60 days if I wanted to be extra cautious. Totally worth it and I apologize for being so skeptical!

Have you considered getting a PO box temporarily? I've been in a similar situation where I needed to keep financial information private from roommates, and a PO box was a lifesaver. USPS ones start around $40-50 for 3 months, or some UPS stores have them too. Just make sure to update your address with the IRS if you go this route!

I worked for the IRS for 6 years and can tell you that notices related to payments and confirmation of filing are among the items that CAN typically be paperless if you've opted in. Items that CANNOT be paperless usually include certified letters, certain collection notices, and initial examination notifications. Based on what you described, if you have a straightforward return with a scheduled payment, you should receive electronic notification when the payment processes. But if anything irregular is found in your return, you might get physical mail within 2-8 weeks of filing.

I've been in a similar situation and understand how stressful this can be! From my experience, the key things that still come by physical mail despite paperless settings are legal notices, collection letters, and certain audit-related correspondence. For your specific situation with a straightforward e-filed return and scheduled payment, you should be fine with electronic notifications. However, I'd strongly recommend setting up USPS Informed Delivery as mentioned earlier - it's free and gives you a preview of incoming mail each morning via email. Also, consider that if you're this concerned about privacy, you might want to proactively get a small PO box for the next few months. It's relatively inexpensive and gives you complete control over when and how you receive any potential IRS correspondence. Just remember to officially update your address with the IRS using Form 8822 if you go that route. The timing window to watch for any potential mail would be roughly 3-8 weeks after filing, so you have a specific timeframe to be extra vigilant about mail interception if you choose not to get a PO box.