COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Internal Revenue Service is sending out warning “math error” notices to millions of Americans in what’s called a CP12 Notice.
“It's a serious thing don't ignore it like some pesky bill or credit card statement," said Mark Steber, who is the chief tax information officer for Jackson Hewitt Tax Services.
Nine million notices have been sent. So what do they mean?
According to Steber, the notices mean the IRS either has questions or changes are being made to your tax return.
The notices may also mean an error was on your federal tax form.
“You might have put the wrong numbers for your W2, or withholdings or 1099 was left off. You might have included the wrong employment id number,” says Steber.
Steber also mentioned that you more than likely received a notice because you have qualified for a rebate recovery credit under the government's economic stimulus packages.
But that's not always the case.
“They are not always accurate and it may just be a simple question of data that you need to provide,” he says.
According to the IRS website, if you receive a notice, be sure to review it and compare the changes to the information on your tax return.
If you don't agree with the changes, contact the IRS within 60 days from the date of your notice.
There's no need to respond if you do agree to the changes and you should receive a refund check in four to six weeks.