Can You View IRS Notices Online?

Paper-based processes are manual, slow, and likely to result in errors and late fees, and they tie you to specific locations to conduct your paperwork. Handling as much of your business's tax processing and management online as possible is an easy transformation to reduce those risks. It's made even easier by your ability to view IRS notices online, look up supporting details, and operate with tools built for online IRS notice management anywhere you are.  

Learn more about how to view IRS notices online, how to maintain access to them, and our team's favorite best practices for handling IRS notices online. 

You Can View IRS Notices Online 

Both individual taxpayers and companies can access their IRS tax notices online. Through an IRS.gov account, you can review balances, known due payments, pending notices, and even access a history of past notices and payments (through the past 18 months). That allows direct taxpayers and authorized individuals to access detailed records instead of solely relying on emailed communications and mailed notices or letters. It gives you a database to view your IRS notices and ensure you don't miss any. 

However, this service is still relatively new, and there are some gaps in the functionalities. For example, you cannot use the portal to view notices older than 18 months, so you must create an archive of past communications yourself. The IRS.gov account also only has federal-level notices and letters. Individual states may or may not have online portals for easy state tax management, while others may also not be available.  

Ultimately, while viewing IRS notices online is a helpful tool, it should only be part of a robust tax management system built to ensure you don't fall behind or lose track of any notice. Using automated notice software allows you to create your own record and database, allowing you to keep track of all notices, whether federal, state, or local, and keep them on record indefinitely. 

How to Access Your Online Notices 

How can you view IRS notices online? You can only view them if you have an active account with the IRS. If you want to access your tax notices online, follow these steps: 

1. Navigate to IRS/gov/account. 
2. You must create an account if this is your first time accessing the online portal. The IRS shifted to using ID.me accounts in the past few years, so you may need to undergo additional identity verification steps. 
3. Navigate through different sections of your online portal, which include a general dashboard, a payment history page, digital copies of IRS tax notices, a payment portal for pending balances, and more. In your account, you can also set up payment plans, change your authorizations, and change your communication preferences.  

Best Practices for Handling Notices Online 

Knowing whether you can view IRS notices online isn't enough to stay on top of your yearly taxes. Handling notices online can significantly streamline your personal or business tax management. However, adopting a strategic approach is crucial instead of simply relying on the online account. Follow these best practices for handling notices online: 

• Explore the portal before you need answers. Becoming familiar with the portal, its different views, and online action items can help you navigate it successfully if you have a sudden deadline or need crucial information. 
• Expect delays. Payments and responses to notices may not be reflected on the site quickly. So it's always best to act well before a deadline and follow up via email or phone. 
• Download the details to a secure folder or document management platform. Your IRS account won't hold all of the details forever. Make it a regular practice to download documents and printouts of actions so you always have a paper trail. 
• Know the exceptions. Some notices and actions won't be viewable through the portal. Note those and ensure you have the appropriate fail-safes in your tax management workflow so the gaps don't take you off-guard. 
• Contact the IRS directly. If you have missing documents, questions, or concerns, always call the IRS directly instead of waiting for updates through your portal. 

Ultimately, you or your organization must ensure tax matters are handled correctly and on time. You also have the burden of proof when explaining that you responded to notices on time and through the correct channels, so keep clear, detailed records on a system you control. 

Keep Your Notices Organized and Actionable With NOTICENINJA 

Online IRS notices help manage complex tax matters, especially if you must manage thousands of notices with multiple people involved. But it's no replacement for automation software that can actively alert you about deadlines and pending notices. Instead of making do with an IRS account and a file folder for your paper notices, invest in a flexible IRS tax notice management system that can help you manage everything from filing forms on time to disputing tax notices.