IRS Letter 2645C Explained: Understanding Tax Correspondence

As puzzling as it may be, tax correspondence always serves a specific purpose. However, deciphering the IRS’s cryptic language in some notices and letters is no small feat, even for a seasoned tax professional.

Letter 2645C is one of the most perplexing letters the IRS sends to taxpayers, primarily due to its vagueness. Instead of specifying why the IRS is contacting a taxpayer, the letter lists several potential reasons it was sent to a taxpayer.

Although the letter may initially seem confusing, its purpose is simple as it merely informs you that the IRS has received some information from you.

Let’s see what IRS Letter 2645C might mean and examine further tax correspondence you might get after this interim letter.

The Purpose of Tax Correspondence

Federal tax law compels the IRS to inform taxpayers about any adjustments the agency makes to their tax returns. Tax correspondence also enables the IRS to request additional information from taxpayers, verify their identities or urge them to settle their taxes.

Hence, the IRS won’t levy your bank account, place a lien on your property or initiate some other collection action before contacting you and explaining the motivation.

All tax correspondence the IRS sends to taxpayers is delivered through USPS. You must double-check if the IRS letter you received is genuine, as you might be a scam victim if the letter was delivered to you by some other postal service.

The most common reasons the IRS sends tax correspondence to taxpayers are:

• A tax return processing delay
• Request for additional information
• The IRS amended a tax return
• Due taxes
• The tax refund is smaller or larger than indicated on a tax return
• Identity verification
• The IRS has questions about your tax return

Please note that the IRS can send you multiple letters and notices regarding any of the abovementioned issues. However, tax correspondence lists the actions you must take to resolve the problem.

You don’t have to take any action if a notice or a letter doesn’t explicitly state what you must do to fix the issue.

In-debt Look at IRS Letter 2645C

The IRS sends several versions of Letter 2645C to taxpayers. But these letters’ layout and contents are almost identical despite minor differences.

The letterhead contains the IRS logo, contact address, and the letter’s title. This information is located in the letter’s top left and right corners. The taxpayer identification number and the tax period the letter refers to will be directly above the letter’s body.

Depending on the version, IRS Letter 2645C may or may not contain a list of reasons you received it. These reasons are:

• Correspondence
• Payment
• Form
• Penalty abatement request
• Response to our inquiry or notice
• Installment agreement
• Telephone inquiry
• Other

The next section of the letter informs the taxpayer that the IRS still needs to resolve the issue at hand and that they will send the complete response within 45 to 90 days.

All variants of the letter indicate that the IRS is currently processing the taxpayer’s information and that no further action is required on their part at this point.

The following paragraph urges a taxpayer to continue making installment agreement payments. It provides instructions regarding the information each payment should contain.

The letter states that the IRS has stopped sending you further notices once they have researched and processed the matter. It also instructs the taxpayer to contact them if they receive additional notices about the account.

The contact number 800-829-0922 is at the bottom of the letter, along with the information you should include if you decide to contact the IRS via mail.

Depending on the variant, Letter 2645C may or may not contain the instruction to include the letter in any correspondence you mail to the IRS.

Implications of IRC Letter 2645C

The correct interpretation of Letter 2645C depends on the type of information you submitted to the IRS.

The letter only states that the IRS is processing the correspondence, forms, or payments you sent. Hence, the interim letter confirms that the IRS received information from you.

Suppose you submitted a penalty abatement request or completed a telephone inquiry. In that case, the letter indicates that the IRS needs a certain amount of time, up to three months, to process your request or any other information they received from you.

You won’t receive letters or notices from the IRS during this time. However, once the matter is resolved, the IRS will send you a letter or a notice informing you of their decision and the further steps you must take.

The IRS doesn’t explain the potential reasons for sending the letter into another category, which can complicate its interpretation.

It’s also difficult to grasp why the IRS would send taxpayers this letter after receiving payment since the agency doesn’t usually postpone processing payments for 45 or more days.

The letter doesn’t indicate that you have to take a specific action other than continuing to make installment agreement payments, so you should delay taking further steps until you get the follow-up notice or letter.

How to Respond to IRS Letter 2645C?

Verifying the letter’s authenticity is the first step you must take after Letter 2645C lands in your mailbox. It’s particularly important if you had no correspondence with the IRS before you received the letter.

You should also contact your tax preparer or any other person you authorized to represent you before the IRS to check if they sent information to the IRS.

Calling the number in the letter and speaking with an IRS agent can help determine why you got Letter 2645C.

It would help if you didn’t get your hopes up because, in most cases, the person on the other end of the line will tell you to sit tight and wait for the follow-up letter.

Remember that Letter 2645C doesn’t request that you take a particular action, like paying due taxes, verifying your identity, or sending documents that support tax credits and deductions you claimed on your return.

Consequently, the best way to respond to IRS Letter 2645C is to wait until you receive additional information from the IRS.

You should contact the IRS or urge your tax representative to do so if you are still waiting for a follow-up letter after the deadline specified in Letter 2645C.

Frequently Asked Questions

Dealing With IRS Letter 2645C and Other Interim Letters

Although it may only sometimes be obvious, the IRS always has a reason to contact taxpayers. Like other interim letters, IRS Letter 2645C only informs taxpayers that the IRS received certain information.

You don’t have to respond to this letter or take any other action. However, receiving it isn’t the reason to stop making installment agreement payments if you’re repaying a tax debt.

The IRS will send you a follow-up letter once they process the information you provided and decide regarding the issue which prompted them to send you this letter.

Hence, being patient and waiting for further tax correspondence is the best way to deal with IRS Letter 2645C.