# Unexpected IRS letter **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 26, 2022, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-irs-letter/975602 "2022-11-26T19:54:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2022, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-irs-letter/975602/1 "2022-11-26T19:54:41Z")
Hi all. It’s… uh, been a while. How’s it going? (Mods, move this where appropriate. It’s been so long that last time I was here the forum was called General Questions - I don’t know if this one has a factual answer, so into IMHO it goes, IMHO.) A couple weeks ago I got two identical copies of a letter from the IRS. One addressed to my name, and one addressed to “PTC CUST BENEFICIARY IRA”. It claims that in the past year, either me or someone in my family didn’t have health insurance. The letter is just a reminder that [healthcare.gov](http://healthcare.gov) exists. But neither I nor my family (just my parents) have gone without health insurance. (I presume BENEFICIARY IRA means that they are looking at my retirement account beneficiaries - again, my parents.) I would chalk this up to a simple error - but a simple error at the intersection of the IRS, at least one of my retirement accounts, and somebody’s health insurance… seems like something to check out. A search for the IRS letter’s code (“Letter 6534”), brings up an IRS web site that essentially says, “We can’t help you with this one.” Any advice here? Leave it alone? Or dive deeper… and starting with who? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2022, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-irs-letter/975602/2 "2022-11-26T20:02:30Z")
> **[IRS Statement about Letter 6534 | Internal Revenue Service](https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-statement-about-letter-6534)** > > October 4, 2022 > > The IRS will soon mail letters on behalf of the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, sharing information about obtaining Marketplace healthcare coverage. The letters will be mailed to specific individuals informing them that they... ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2022, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-irs-letter/975602/3 "2022-11-26T20:03:07Z")
Welcome back! 14 years?! The IRS has been sending us odd letters recently, too. One said that they were investigating our questions and would get back to us (we never asked them any questions). The most recent contained something relevant to us, along with some papers that should have gone to somebody in Kansas. Not sure what’s going on with them, but in the past we’ve learned to just not interact with them if it can be avoided. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2022, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-irs-letter/975602/4 "2022-11-26T20:05:19Z")
They are severely understaffed for what they are trying to do. Probably not worth digging into something that doesn’t come with a penalty. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2022, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-irs-letter/975602/5 "2022-11-26T20:07:06Z")
> [@drewbert](#): > > Any advice here? Leave it alone? Or dive deeper… and starting with who? I called my Bro, who worked as a IRS Agent for 20 years. He said this is nothing to worry about. ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2022, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-irs-letter/975602/6 "2022-11-26T21:26:02Z")
Much appreciated everyone! ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2022, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-irs-letter/975602/7 "2022-11-26T21:52:59Z")
> [@drewbert](#): > > It claims that in the past year, either me or someone in my family didn’t have health insurance. The letter is just a reminder that [healthcare.gov](http://healthcare.gov) exists. But neither I nor my family (just my parents) have gone without health insurance. While this is a factual error on their part, for broader context recall that there was originally a “tax” that applied if you didn’t have health insurance. This was rescinded under the Trump administration, so now all the IRS can do is go “hey, don’t you want to sign up?” ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2022, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-irs-letter/975602/8 "2022-11-27T00:53:03Z")
I remember you. Welcome home! ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2022, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-irs-letter/975602/9 "2022-11-27T15:24:19Z")
Stay a while. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2022, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-irs-letter/975602/10 "2022-11-27T16:03:44Z")
Wouldn’t the OP (or whoever allegedly did not have healthcare) have a 1095C to prove they really had it? Or is it only some people with insurance get it? ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-irs-letter/975602/11 "2022-11-28T20:35:55Z")
There is no longer a Federal mandate requiring everyone have health insurance. That ceased in January 2019. There may be individual state requirements, YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-irs-letter/975602/12 "2022-11-29T02:36:49Z")
Yeah, I’m sure I and my folks have all that. I’m wasn’t worried one of us didn’t have insurance, more that someone out there in the system thought one of us didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-irs-letter/975602/13 "2022-11-29T03:40:21Z")
I just got an unexpected IRS letter, too. Scared the shit out of me a second, but it was nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2022, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-irs-letter/975602/14 "2022-11-30T02:57:42Z")
The clients I work with have to file IRS paperwork via mail, as the forms we have to fill out are one of the last holdouts that the IRS still refuses to make electronic. Because the mail system at the IRS is apparently so utterly fucked, we get reports of clients getting penalty notices for forms they filed on time up to 4 years ago. They are so woefully understaffed it’s frightening, and their computer system is just as bad, as it just randomly sends out these penalty notices. I wonder how many heart attacks they’ve inadvertently caused? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2022, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-irs-letter/975602/15 "2022-11-30T03:01:40Z")
Welcome back, @drewbert ! “Sit down young stranger, and tell us how you been!” ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-irs-letter/975602/16 "2022-12-02T22:20:35Z")
I got a letter from the IRS yesterday that said I was to get a $1,000+ refund. There was a separate envelope from them which held the check. I hadn’t properly calculated the taxing of my Social Security income, again.