# Why would the IRS send me a certified letter? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 3, 2013, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-the-irs-send-me-a-certified-letter/665205 "2013-08-03T00:31:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![My\_Freakin\_Back\_Is\_Killing\_Me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@My\_Freakin\_Back\_Is\_Killing\_Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/My_Freakin_Back_Is_Killing_Me)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-the-irs-send-me-a-certified-letter/665205/21 "2013-08-04T04:27:14Z")
Sorry to leave you guys hanging. I picked up the letter and it was bad news; a problem with a previous years return. But not as scary as I thought. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-the-irs-send-me-a-certified-letter/665205/22 "2013-08-04T05:28:01Z")
> [@My\_Freakin\_Back\_Is\_Killing\_Me](#): > > So, I come home today to find an orange slip that says I missed a certified letter. Upon closer inspection I see that the letter is from the IRS:eek::eek: I’d rather receive a dead fish wrapped in newspaper. Sorry you’re having a problem, hope it gets worked out without too much hassle. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-the-irs-send-me-a-certified-letter/665205/23 "2013-08-04T17:47:04Z")
> [@My\_Freakin\_Back\_Is\_Killing\_Me](#): > > Sorry to leave you guys hanging. I picked up the letter and it was bad news; a problem with a previous years return. But not as scary as I thought. You probably don’t need to be told, but don’t ignore it. I did, years ago, and the IRS attached my bank account. It turned out okay though. After the audit, the IRS owed me money. ---
**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-the-irs-send-me-a-certified-letter/665205/24 "2013-08-04T17:52:34Z")
Also, just because THEY tell you it is an error in the their favor does not mean it is so. Received a similar letter and had an accountant look at my filing from that year and every year after. Cost me very little and he did find my mistake, in my favor. He answered the IRS, they agreed, and refunded a nice bit of money plus interest. So, unless you absolutely sure the error the IRS identified is correct, you may wish to have a disinterested party take a look. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-the-irs-send-me-a-certified-letter/665205/25 "2013-08-04T19:54:45Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I’d rather receive a dead fish wrapped in newspaper. Mmmm…sushi. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-the-irs-send-me-a-certified-letter/665205/26 "2013-08-05T18:40:25Z")
> [@howye](#): > > Also, just because THEY tell you it is an error in the their favor does not mean it is so. Received a similar letter and had an accountant look at my filing from that year and every year after. Cost me very little and he did find my mistake, in my favor. He answered the IRS, they agreed, and refunded a nice bit of money plus interest. > > So, unless you absolutely sure the error the IRS identified is correct, you may wish to have a disinterested party take a look. That’s right. A few years ago I got a letter from the IRS saying I owed them some additional money. I was sure they made a mistake so I wrote them a detailed letter explaining exactly what I did and how I had followed their instructions precisely, and how their letter misunderstood my situation. About six months later I got another letter saying that I was correct and now I did not owe them anything. ---
**Author:** ![defeedme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@defeedme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/defeedme)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-the-irs-send-me-a-certified-letter/665205/27 "2018-03-18T04:40:39Z")
IRS is the most hated government agency on planet earth and for good reason, they are all heartless robot evil skum and the majority of them are out to get you just because they are jealous or enjoy hurting other people or both. They are all low earner small minded people who have miserable lives and enjoy the tiny bit of power they get from their slave job & can’t wait to make the innocent suffer. ---
**Author:** ![defeedme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@defeedme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/defeedme)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-the-irs-send-me-a-certified-letter/665205/28 "2018-03-18T04:43:28Z")
> [@My\_Freakin\_Back\_Is\_Killing\_Me](#): > > Sorry to leave you guys hanging. I picked up the letter and it was bad news; a problem with a previous years return. But not as scary as I thought. must of been a pretty big problem ? why did it require certified ? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-the-irs-send-me-a-certified-letter/665205/29 "2018-03-18T04:44:53Z")
> [@defeedme](#): > > must of been a pretty big problem ? why did it require certified ? Check the date of that post. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-the-irs-send-me-a-certified-letter/665205/30 "2018-03-18T04:51:41Z")
This is an old zombie thread, you’re probably not gonna get an answer to your question. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-the-irs-send-me-a-certified-letter/665205/31 "2018-03-18T04:55:15Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > This is an old zombie thread, you’re probably not gonna get an answer to your question. Especially since the post being quoted was the OP’s last post on this message board. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-the-irs-send-me-a-certified-letter/665205/32 "2018-03-18T04:59:30Z")
Dang, was the OP disappeared?? ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-the-irs-send-me-a-certified-letter/665205/33 "2018-03-18T05:20:38Z")
Well… the IRS. I’ve said too much. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-the-irs-send-me-a-certified-letter/665205/34 "2018-03-18T05:30:02Z")
I thought they were kinder and gentler now. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-the-irs-send-me-a-certified-letter/665205/35 "2018-03-18T06:03:17Z")
> [@defeedme](#): > > must of been a pretty big problem ? why did it require certified ? > [@Czarcasm](#): > > Check the date of that post. He could also stand to read the thread, as doing so would probably answer his question. Probably. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-the-irs-send-me-a-certified-letter/665205/36 "2018-03-18T12:18:09Z")
Let’s put this one back to bed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-the-irs-send-me-a-certified-letter/665205.md?page=1)