Ask Maxi · IRS letters
I got a CP11 from the IRS. What does it mean?
A CP11 means the IRS corrected what it sees as a mistake on your return, and the change left you owing money.
The notice has a section called "What we changed on your return." Common reasons are a math error, a credit claimed without the right supporting information, or estimated payments that do not match IRS records.
What to do:
- Read exactly what changed and compare it with your return.
- If you agree, pay by the date on the notice, or set up a payment plan if you cannot pay it all.
- If you disagree, contact the IRS by the date on the notice. Many of these are fixed by phone, and you can often fax a missing document during the call.
Why the date matters: if you respond by the deadline on the notice, generally 60 days, the IRS has to reverse the change and use regular audit procedures if it still disagrees. Miss it and you lose that formal right, although the IRS will still consider documents you send later.
Do not send a corrected copy of the whole return. Fix your own copy so next year starts from the right numbers.
Send us a photo of the first page of the notice. We will tell you what it means for you and what to do next.
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