Knock knock, who is it? The IRS. Where? At your door. Aha, we are not cheating you, this is real and are the new changes that have arrived at the IRS. An agent may come to your house to ask for explanations if you have some pending tax matter that you have deliberately ignored… Well, the IRS is not going to ignore you… Andd will show up at your home, they might ring your doorbell to talk about taxes, forms that “got lost” or some old debt that it is time to settle. Of course, knowing that an IRS agent is going to come to your house is not reassuring at all, so we are going to explain the reasons why the IRS may appear at your door.
Starting with the fact that these visits can happen even if the famous Letter 725-B already arrived (and you ignored it too). Many people leave that paper waiting for it to dissolve in a drawer by magic, but by magic it also turns into an IRS agent knocking on your door.
IRS decides to say hi
They are not going to knock on your door because they are bored at the office, (even it would not be the strangest thing this writer has seen), but, listen, for there to be a visit, there is usually a history of noncompliance, that means there must be ignored notices, forms that were never sent, unmanaged debts… you know, those things we leave “for tomorrow” until it is too late.
Letter 725-B, what is it?
Just like before a storm begins to drizzle, before someone appears in person at your home, the IRS sends the famous “Letter 725-B” It is their diplomatic way of saying the famous “we need to talk”.
If you answer it, perfect. If not… well, the visit goes ahead anyway. The letter is not a “just in case”, it is more like a last warning, so best not to ignore it.
What happens if the IRS knocks on your door?
Relax, nobody is arresting you (yet), ask for identification, check that it matches the letter you received, ask what you need. Take note of the documents you must gather and, whenever possible, request explanations in writing so you do not get surprises.
And very important: remember that you are not obligated to hand over money at that moment nor to let them enter your home. Never pay anything with any strange method, everything must be through official IRS channels.
But what they want???
They are not going to search your house or asking you how your love life is going. They are going to address issues about unfiled returns, missing documents, clarify inconsistencies they have on record and talk about possible payment plans (this only if there is debt, they are not going to ask you for money).
The agents will explain what papers you will need, what steps come next and, above all, what you can do to avoid larger penalties when they arrive.
And how do I know it is not a scammer?
2025, my friend. You must always ask for the official IRS credential and their HSPD-12 identification card (with photo, name and serial number). If they do not show you that, there is nothing more to talk about, and if you think they might be scammers, phone 112 and call emergency services.
How to avoid the IRS
You cannot avoid it, sorry, they exist. But you can avoid them reaching your doorbell with the following steps:
- File your returns on time.
- Respond to letters (especially 725-B).
- Do not ignore notices.
- If you owe money, request an official payment plan as soon as possible, please!!