Notice code CP2000
You got a CP2000 notice. You have 30 days to answer it.
You are holding a notice that says your return does not match the income records the IRS has.
It is a proposed change, not a bill, and you have 30 days from the date on the letter to reply.
Send your notice details for help checking the proposed amount and preparing your reply before day 30.
Briefing for CP2000
IRS pageThe IRS is proposing a change to your tax because its income records differ from your return.
Example30 days from a letter dated October 6, 2026 is November 5, 2026.
- Agree with the change and sign the response form.
- Agree, then add more items on Form 1040-X.
- Disagree and send proof of the wrong line.
Which numbers matter?
Day 30
A CP2000 dated October 6, 2026 is due November 5, 2026.
Type your letter's date in the 'Date printed on your CP2000' box to get your own day 30.
Interest
Interest runs from your return's original due date on any tax you end up owing.
Reply by day 30 even if you disagree, so the proposal does not turn into a bill.
Proposed amount
This is what you would owe if you agree with every line.
Check each listed item against your W-2 and 1099 forms before you sign.
Check the proposed change before day 30
The IRS wants to change your tax, and you have 30 days from the date on the letter, so a letter dated October 6, 2026 is due November 5, 2026.
With no reply, the IRS can bill the full proposed amount, and a licensed tax professional checks each line against your forms first.
Send the notice through the form, or call now and go over each line before day 30.
Call 855-964-5291What happens when you call
- You call during business hours and say you have a CP2000.
- A licensed tax professional asks for the date, the amount and the tax years on the letter.
- You hear your options for this notice and decide what to do. Nothing is filed without your yes.
A licensed tax professional answers, not the IRS. The call costs nothing, and you give up nothing by calling. IRS Code Lookup is a private tax help service.
Would you rather send your CP2000 details?
Your income mismatch notice lists every item the IRS thinks is missing, line by line.
With those lines in hand, a licensed tax professional can match them to your forms and draft your reply.
What is the IRS saying?
The IRS is proposing a change to your tax. It compared the W-2 and 1099 forms it received with your return and listed every item that differs. The change can raise your tax or lower it.
Nothing is final yet. The letter is a proposal, and your reply decides what happens next.
Why did you get it?
The usual cause is a form you forgot or never opened: a 1099 from a bank, a stock sale, or a payment app. A W-2 typed in wrong, or a payer sending the same form twice, can do it too.
Take Marisol. Her letter lists a stock sale she left off her 2024 return. The IRS counted the whole sale price as income because it had no record of what she paid for the shares.
Is it real?
A real CP2000 has the code in the top right corner and a response form at the back. The IRS CP2000 page lists reply fax numbers by processing center. Austin's fax is 877-477-0583; it is not a voice help line.
Still unsure? Search the code on the IRS notice search, or use the real or fake checklist.
When is your deadline?
Send your reply and papers within 30 days of the letter date. If you need longer, ask for more time through the same reply options before day 30, not after.
What if you agree?
If the notice is right and you have nothing more to report, follow the response form and pay, or ask for a payment plan. If it is right and you have more income, credits or expenses to add, use Form 1040-X. Fill it out, write "CP2000" at the top, and send it with the response form.
What if you don't agree?
Mark that you disagree and attach proof: a corrected 1099, a brokerage statement showing what you paid, a letter from the payer. Say which line is wrong. For Marisol, the statement showing her purchase price is the whole answer.
To let a tax professional talk to the IRS for you, send Form 2848 with the reply.
What happens if you ignore it?
If you don't reply, the IRS can send a bill for the full proposed amount. Interest adds up every day until it is paid.
What should you read next?
Questions people ask
Does a CP2000 mean I am being audited?
No. The IRS says this letter is not an audit. It means the numbers it has on file differ from your return and the difference needs an answer.
Can I get more time to answer a CP2000?
Yes. The IRS lets you ask for an extension through the same reply options on the notice. Ask before day 30, counted from the date on the letter.
How do I reply to a CP2000?
The IRS lists a secure upload, fax and mail. It calls the upload the fastest. Send the response form from the back of the notice with your papers.
What if someone else used my Social Security number?
Send your reply with Form 14039, the identity theft affidavit. Our identity verification page explains the steps that follow.
Sources
- Understanding your CP2000 series notice. Published by irs.gov.
- IRS Letter CP2000: Proposed changes to your tax return, video text. Published by irs.gov.
Last checked October 2026
What to do now
- Find the date on the letter and mark the day 30 days later.
- Match each listed item against your W-2 and 1099 forms.
- Gather proof for any wrong line, like a brokerage statement showing what you paid.
- Send the response form and papers by secure upload, fax or mail before the deadline.
Send the notice through the form, or call now and go over each line before day 30.
A licensed tax professional answers, not the IRS. The call costs nothing, and you give up nothing by calling. IRS Code Lookup is a private tax help service.