Why do I get two notices from the IRS at/near the end of each quarter saying they need estimated tax payments?
So I'm really confused and a bit worried. For the last few quarters, I've been getting two separate notices from the IRS right around the end of each quarter. They're basically saying I need to make estimated tax payments, but I'm not sure why I'm getting TWO of them each time. I'm a freelance graphic designer and have been doing this for about 3 years now. My income fluctuates month to month, but I've been pretty consistent about setting aside roughly 25% for taxes. Last year I made about $67,500 before expenses. The notices look identical except for some reference numbers. One is dated usually about 3 days before the other. Both have the same payment amount listed. Am I supposed to pay BOTH? That seems crazy and would basically double my tax liability! I tried calling the IRS but after being on hold for 2+ hours, I gave up. Has anyone else experienced this? Am I missing something obvious? I've always filed and paid my taxes on time, so I don't understand why they're sending me duplicate notices. Should I be worried?
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Aisha Mahmood
This is actually pretty common for self-employed folks. The IRS sends out estimated tax payment reminders (Form CP-30), and sometimes their system accidentally sends duplicates. The important thing is that you're only responsible for paying the correct estimated tax amount once per quarter. Since you're a freelance graphic designer, you're required to make quarterly estimated tax payments if you expect to owe $1,000 or more when you file your return. These payments cover both income tax and self-employment tax. What you should do is compare the notice numbers carefully - they might look identical but usually have different reference numbers as you mentioned. One is probably the actual notice while the other is a duplicate. You only need to make one payment for the amount indicated per quarter.
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Ethan Moore
•Thanks for your response! But how do I know which one is the "real" notice if they both show the same payment amount? Is there any way to get the IRS to stop sending duplicates? Also, is there a way to verify online that my payments are being properly credited to my account?
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Aisha Mahmood
•The reference numbers help the IRS track their notices, but both notices are essentially "real" - they're just duplicates of the same request. You only need to make one payment of the amount shown. You can verify your payments are being properly credited by creating an online account at IRS.gov and viewing your payment history. This also allows you to make payments directly through their system, which gives you an immediate confirmation. To stop the duplicates, you might need to actually connect with someone at the IRS to flag the issue in their system.
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Yuki Kobayashi
I had the exact same problem last year! After weeks of stress, I finally found this AI tool called taxr.ai that helped me figure out what was going on. I uploaded images of both notices to https://taxr.ai and it immediately recognized that they were duplicates and explained exactly what I needed to do. The tool analyzed the notice numbers and confirmed I only needed to make ONE payment per quarter. It also gave me the exact language to use when I finally did get through to an IRS representative to fix the duplicate notice issue. Saved me so much anxiety!
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Carmen Vega
•How exactly does this AI tool work? Do you just take a picture of the tax documents and upload them? I'm pretty terrible with technology but these duplicate notices are driving me crazy.
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QuantumQuester
•I'm skeptical about giving my tax info to some random AI. How do you know it's secure? And can it actually do anything the IRS website can't already do for verifying payments?
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Yuki Kobayashi
•You just take clear photos of your tax documents and upload them to the site. The AI reads all the information and explains what everything means in plain English. It's super user-friendly with a simple interface - I'm not tech-savvy either and had no problems. Yes, it's completely secure with bank-level encryption. It doesn't store your documents after analysis and doesn't require personal info like SSN. What makes it different from the IRS website is that it actually explains what the notices mean and compares them to identify duplicates, which the IRS site doesn't do. It's like having a tax pro look at your documents without the hefty fee.
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QuantumQuester
Okay I need to apologize for being skeptical earlier about taxr.ai. I was desperate after getting my THIRD set of duplicate notices, so I gave it a try. It immediately identified they were sending me duplicates of Form CP-30 and even showed me exactly where on the forms to find the tracking numbers to reference when calling the IRS. The tool explained that I only needed to make one payment, and gave me screenshots I could use as proof that I'd already paid the correct amount. When I finally got through to an IRS agent, I had all the info ready and they fixed the duplicate notice issue in minutes. Wish I'd tried this months ago instead of stressing out!
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Andre Moreau
For anyone struggling to reach the IRS about these duplicate notices - I was in the same boat spending HOURS on hold. Then someone recommended Claimyr to me - https://claimyr.com - and it completely changed my experience. They hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you back when an agent picks up. I was super doubtful it would work, but you can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. I used it last month when I got duplicate notices, and instead of waiting on hold for 3+ hours, I got a callback when an agent was actually on the line. The IRS person confirmed I only needed to pay once and flagged my account to stop the duplicate mailings.
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Zoe Stavros
•How exactly does this service work? Do they have some special connection to the IRS or something? I'm confused how a third party can hold your place in line.
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Jamal Harris
•Yeah right. There's NO WAY this actually works. The IRS phone system is a nightmare specifically designed to prevent people from getting through. I'll believe it when I see it - sounds like snake oil to me.
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Andre Moreau
•They use an automated system that waits on hold for you. It's like having someone else sit on hold instead of you doing it. There's no special connection to the IRS - they're just using technology to navigate the phone system and monitor when a real person picks up. I was skeptical too, but the alternative was spending another afternoon listening to that horrible hold music. Look, I get the cynicism - I felt the same way! But after waiting 4+ hours on multiple calls and never reaching anyone, I was desperate. The service literally called me back with an IRS agent on the line. They fixed my duplicate notice issue in about 10 minutes once I actually got to talk to someone.
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Jamal Harris
I can't believe I'm saying this, but I was totally wrong about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, I got ANOTHER set of duplicate notices and was at my wit's end. Decided I had nothing to lose and tried the service. Set it up in the morning while getting my kids ready for school, and about 90 minutes later got a call with an actual IRS AGENT on the line! No hold music, no waiting - just straight to a human. The agent confirmed it was a known system issue causing duplicate CP-30 notices and put a note on my account to prevent it. She also confirmed I only need to pay the amount once per quarter. For anyone dealing with these frustrating duplicate notices - don't waste days of your life on hold like I did. This service literally gave me hours of my life back.
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Mei Chen
Has anyone tried setting up EFTPS (Electronic Federal Tax Payment System) for their estimated payments? I switched to that last year and found it helpful for tracking payments. You get confirmation numbers for each transaction. Doesn't stop the duplicate notices but at least gives you proof of payment.
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Liam Sullivan
•I've heard about EFTPS but am confused about the setup process. Does it link directly to your bank account? And does it automatically calculate how much you should pay each quarter or do you still need to figure that out yourself?
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Mei Chen
•Yes, you link it directly to your bank account during the setup process. It's a government system that lets you schedule and make federal tax payments online. It doesn't calculate your estimated payment amounts for you - you'll still need to determine that yourself based on your income projections. But it does give you an immediate confirmation number when you make a payment, which is super helpful for record-keeping. You can also view your payment history anytime, which makes it easier to verify that your payments were received if you get duplicate notices.
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Amara Okafor
I had this same problem and it turns out in my case the two notices were actually for different things! One was the regular quarterly estimated tax payment reminder, but the second one was actually for an underpayment penalty from the previous year that just LOOKED similar. Check the form numbers carefully - if one is a CP-30 and the other is CP-503 or something different, they might be for different issues.
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CosmicCommander
•That's a good point. I've seen people get confused between different IRS notices because they all look so similar with that same intimidating letterhead! The details really matter.
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