Received a “Math Error” Letter From The IRS? You might be Demanded Payment

Over the past week, around 11 million Americans received concerning emails from the Internal Revenue Services regarding a math error: asking the recipients of the emails for payment requests.

These “math error” emails demand more money or reduce refunds from its recipients, and the IRS only give 21 days to pay it without facing penalty and interest charges. So, whether the error holds up or not, recipients need to act fast and request an appeal to reverse it.

If you received an email like this, you are encouraged to call the IRS at (800) 829-8374 to review their account with a representative to appeal for an error.

However, the agency is apparently facing a massive backlog and a lot of demands from concerned taxpayers–take note, they sent out 11 million “error” emails–so it may be difficult to get a response.

You have 60 days to request an abatement for the amount owed. In that time, you can provide additional documentation to the IRS to explain why you shouldn’t have to pay.

Recommended Read: IRS Scams: How to Stay Protected Online?

However, the IRS says “if you don’t provide us additional information that justifies the reversal and we believe the reversal is in error, we may forward your case for audit.”

If you don’t contact the IRS within 60 days, you lose all rights to reverse the charges and cannot appeal it, though you can claim a refund after it’s paid.

According to reports, the palpable culprit for these error emails may just be the influx of stimulus payments that have been sent out for the past year. There may be discrepancies in your income statements and you might be liable to pay a portion of your checks back. 

Recipients are advised to brace themselves for more errors that may result from stimulus payments received later in the year. In addition, the child tax credit could further complicate things.

Make sure you keep up with news about the IRS and the latest investigation regarding the matter to stay on track.