IRS Help Center

Browse 580 IRS Help Guides by Topic

Every Clarity guide, organized by the problem you're facing. Written in plain English and reviewed by experienced tax professionals. Prefer to search by notice code? Use the IRS Notice Decoder.

Start with the trigger. If a letter arrived, use a notice guide and look for the CP or LTR number in the right corner of the letter. If you owe and cannot pay in full, use the payment plan, offer in compromise or collection delay guides. If you disagree with the IRS, use the dispute and appeal guides. The list below sorts every guide by that starting point.

Updated August 17, 2026

Key takeaways

• Find the CP or LTR number in the right corner of your IRS letter, then search that number to get details on what it means.
• The IRS sends notices for a balance due, a changed refund, a question about your return, identity verification or a processing delay.
• If you disagree, follow the instructions in the notice to dispute it and include copies of documents for the IRS to review.
• Even if you cannot pay the full amount you owe, paying by the due date can reduce interest and penalty charges.
• If a letter does not appear in the IRS search or looks suspicious, call 800-829-1040 and follow the representative's instructions.

Which guide do I need if I just received an IRS notice or letter?

Start with the identification step. The IRS says you can find the CP or LTR number on the right corner of the letter, and you can search for a notice by number or topic to get details on it. The IRS may send a notice or letter if you have a balance due, your refund has changed, it has a question about your return, it needs to verify your identity, it changed or corrected your return, or it is delayed in processing your return. Match your letter to one of those reasons and the right guide follows quickly.

Then read it carefully and keep it for your records. If the IRS asks you to respond, act by the due date. What you do next depends on your situation:

• If you agree, take any requested action. You do not need to reply unless the IRS specifically asks you to.
• If the IRS changed or corrected your return, compare the notice with your return and note the corrections on your personal copy.
• If the letter does not appear in the IRS search or looks suspicious, call 800-829-1040.

You can also get certain notices and letters in your IRS online account, and Form 9000, Alternative Media Preference, requests notices in Braille, large print or audio files.

Which guide do I need if I owe the IRS and cannot pay in full?

Use the payment guides, and read them in order of what you can actually afford. The IRS is direct about the cost of waiting: penalties and interest will continue to grow until you pay the full balance, so paying something by the due date matters even when you cannot pay everything.

If you need more time, you can apply for a payment plan (installment agreement) to pay your balance over time. Payment plans are available for individuals and businesses, fees apply, and the IRS publishes details on payment plan types including simple, streamlined, in-business trust fund express and partial payment installment agreements. If your situation is more serious, an offer in compromise is the route to check whether you can settle your debt for less than you owe. If you are facing financial hardship, you may be eligible to ask for a temporary collection delay until your finances improve.

For the payment itself, the guides cover Direct Pay from a bank account, debit card, credit card or digital wallet, your IRS online account, the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System, same-day wire, check or money order, cash through a retail partner, and electronic funds withdrawal during e-filing.

Which guide do I need if I disagree with the IRS or want representation?

Go to the dispute and appeals guides first. The IRS instruction is to follow the instructions in the notice to dispute what it says, and to include information and copies of documents for the IRS to review when it considers your dispute. Replying by the due date stated on the notice protects your appeal rights, so the due date on the letter drives your timeline rather than any general rule.

If the problem is bigger than one notice, the IRS points to several help channels. The Taxpayer Advocate is listed as a source of help, along with Low Income Taxpayer Clinics. If you want someone else to deal with the IRS for you, the power of attorney and other authorizations material explains how third party authorization works.

Two more guides are worth knowing about. Scams and consumer alerts cover suspicious letters and contacts, which matters because a fake notice can look convincing. And if you agree with a correction the IRS made, you only need to take action if the IRS asks for more information, if you have a balance due or if you disagree.

IRS payment and tax debt options covered by these guides

What the IRS says

“Review it carefully and keep it for your records. If we ask you to respond, act by the due date.”

— IRS, Understanding your IRS notice or letter, IRS — Understanding your IRS notice or letter https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-irs-notice-or-letter

Frequently asked questions

How do I identify which IRS notice I received?

Look at the right corner of the letter. The IRS says you can find the CP or LTR number there, and you can then search for that notice by number or topic to get details on what it means. Common reasons for a notice include a balance due, a changed refund, a question about your return, identity verification, a corrected return or a processing delay.

Do I have to reply to every IRS notice?

No. If you agree with the notice, take any requested action, and you do not need to reply unless the IRS specifically asks you to. If the IRS changed or corrected your return, you only need to take action if it asks for more information, if you have a balance due, or if you disagree with what the notice says.

What if I cannot pay the full amount the notice says I owe?

Pay what you can by the due date, because that can reduce interest and penalty charges, and penalties and interest keep growing until the full balance is paid. From there you have options: apply for a payment plan to pay over time, check whether you can settle for less than you owe with an offer in compromise, or ask about a temporary collection delay if you are facing financial hardship.

What should I do if the IRS letter looks fake?

Search for the notice or letter by its number or topic first. If the letter does not appear in that search, or if it looks suspicious, call the IRS at 800-829-1040 and follow the representative's instructions. The IRS also publishes scams and consumer alerts material covering fraudulent contacts, fake emails or messages, and identity theft.

Which guides by topic guide do I need?

All 580 Clarity guides on guides by topic, newest research first. Each one covers a single situation end to end.

Which topic should I start with?

All 580 Clarity guides, grouped by the problem you are facing. Pick the group that matches your notice, your form, or your question.