So, you have received Letter 4464C from the IRS. Congratulations, you have won the IRS lottery! The IRS has chosen your return for a review. Now, it’s time to figure out what you need to do next.
Why did I receive this letter?
The IRS Integrity and Verification Operation unit sends out letter 4464C to inform you they have chosen to verify the accuracy of your return. The IRS issues this letter after a tax return has been filed but before the refund is issued. There are several reasons for sending this letter out. Among them are to randomly verify a taxpayer’s identity to protect against identify theft, to determine the refund being requested is accurate before issuing it to the taxpayer, and to test their own internal controls. Aside from being randomly issued, there could be situations that trigger this letter also. First-time filers, a larger than usual refund, or a complete change in type of income (for example, changing from being self-employed to receiving a W-2 from an employer) – these could all be reasons the IRS wants to be sure the refund is correct and going to the right person.
The IRS will review the personal information, income, withholdings, tax credits, or business income reported on your tax return. It is important to remember that this is not an audit though – and being chosen for review does not mean you made an error or were dishonest, so there is no reason to panic.
What do I need to do?
The first thing to note is it will typically take the IRS up to 60 days to complete their review of your tax return. The IRS will also hold any refund for which you may have filed. During this time, it is recommended you take a close look at your return to check for any errors. If you do discover changes that need to be made, you may file an amended return to correct the information. After 60 days, if you have not been contacted by the IRS or received your refund, you can call the phone number provided on the notice for an update.
How will they verify my tax return?
To verify the information on your return, the IRS will generally contact you, or your authorized representative, directly. You may be asked to provide additional information or clarification on the items on your return. They may also reach out to third parties as needed. These third parties may include employers who issued your
W-2, banks that reported interest paid to you, your mortgage lender who services your loan, etc.
If you have concerns about the IRS speaking with these institutions, it is important to note that they are limited to the information they can verify. For example, they can only share information that was reported to you, the taxpayer, for the year under review. The IRS is also required to keep a record of who they spoke to and the details of that conversation. A copy of that record can be requested in writing.
