Navigating an IRS unpaid balance notice

If you recently received a letter saying you owe the IRS money for unpaid 2023 federal income tax and you know you paid, it may have been a glitch.

Read on for the next steps you can take.

IRS: Erroneous notice for some

On June 12, the IRS published information on its website, saying it is aware some taxpayers are receiving a CP14 notice even though they paid their 2023 federal income tax. The CP14 notice indicates the IRS received a return, there’s no math error, but a balance is due.

According to the IRS press release, taxpayers who paid electronically or by check may show their accounts are pending, even if the IRS processed payment. If a taxpayer paid in full and on time, the IRS said no immediate action is needed and the IRS would adjust any penalties and interest automatically.

The IRS said taxpayers who paid only part of the tax due on their 2023 return should pay the remaining balance or follow instructions on the notice for installation payments.

Steps you can take

An NBC 5 executive producer said she received a CP14 notice dated June 3. It said interest is accruing on an outstanding tax payment and threatens penalties, saying a balance due by June 24. Our EP told NBC 5 Responds she checked her financial statements and could see a payment to the U.S. Treasury cleared her account on Tax Day, April 15. It shows she paid and filed her 2023 federal income tax on time.

North-Texas based tax consultant Monika Hengesbach said she’d tell taxpayers who received a CP14 notice to, first, confirm their tax payments went through.

Check your records to confirm the IRS received your federal income tax payment. Confirm the check or electronic payment cleared your bank account or credit card.

“You want to verify with whatever software you used, if you did set up the payment to be drawn at that time, that that did go through successfully,” said Hengesbach. “Then, the next step would be to log on to your bank account and ensure that the payment actually cleared the bank. If you have those two things happen, then you are okay at this point.”

It’s not clear how many taxpayers received the erroneous CP14 notice. NBC 5 reached out to the IRS and is waiting to hear back on any information about the number of taxpayers impacted.

For now, if you confirm you paid on time and in full, Hengesbach said to follow the IRS instructions to wait.

“I know the notice says you have 21 days to pay the outstanding balance and that interest is accruing. I know that is very overwhelming, but just hold tight,” Hengesbach said.

NBC 5 Responds is committed to researching your concerns and recovering your money. Our goal is to get you answers and, if possible, solutions and a resolution. Call us at 844-5RESPND (844-573-7763) or fill out our customer complaint form.