Illinois and Your IRS Notice: Two Agencies, Two Letters

Order of operations

Start with the IRS letter. Find the notice type, the response date and the part that explains what changed. Our step-by-step guide on responding to an IRS notice sets out a sensible order.

Only after that is under control is it worth thinking about whether another agency has questions.

If a second agency writes about the same year, do not combine the replies. Answer the IRS first by its date, then read the state letter for its own date and sender. Writing both dates at the top of your log keeps either from slipping by.

The Illinois Department of Revenue

Illinois' tax agency is the Illinois Department of Revenue (tax.illinois.gov). Its homepage lists resources for individuals, including an income tax section for individuals and the IL-1040 form.

What the agency requires after a federal change is a question for that agency. This page does not state Illinois rules or deadlines.

A wage earner's example

Suppose an employee gets a CP2000 because a W-2 amount differs from what was on the return. The federal fix may be as simple as showing the W-2 you used, or agreeing and correcting the return. That decision rests on the federal notice.

If Illinois then sends a letter, the agency's own instructions and website are what count.

To prepare, the employee would pull the W-2 from the employer, the pay stubs for the year and the filed return. The IRS says a notice like this is a proposal, not a bill, and that you can agree or disagree by the response date. If you disagree, explain each item and attach support.

Questions to ask yourself

Use these before replying to anything.

If you cannot answer the first question from the letter itself, treat that as a reason to slow down. The IRS notes that the notice number sits in the upper right corner, and that its site can be searched by that number.

• Which agency signed this letter?
• What date does it give for a reply?
• Did I find the agency's phone or web details on its own site?
• Do I need help from a licensed professional?

A word on the tool

IRS Audit Defense Pro is software that helps you organize your facts and draft a response letter for your federal matter. You review it and send it yourself. It does not write state responses or read the state agency's instructions for you.

Because it keeps your facts and documents in one place, it can also make a conversation with a professional shorter. It does not give advice, and it does not predict how any agency will respond.

Keeping a simple record

A one-page log is enough: the date each letter arrived, the sender, what it asked for, what you sent back and how you sent it. If you mail anything, use a method that gives you proof of delivery.

If you later speak with either agency, the log lets you answer questions quickly and avoid contradicting yourself. It also helps a professional, should you hire one, understand the timeline without sorting through a stack of envelopes.

Certified mail with a receipt is a sensible choice for anything with a deadline, since the postmark date controls and you carry the risk if it falls late.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Illinois Department of Revenue
• Understanding your CP2000 series notice (IRS)
• How to know it's the IRS (IRS)

Related guides

• How to respond to an IRS notice, step by stepRead the whole notice, note the notice number and the response date, confirm the letter is genuinely from the IRS, gather your records, decide whether you agree or disagree, then reply in writing by the date on the notice.
• You received a CP2000. Here is how to read it and replyA CP2000 is a proposal, not a bill and not an audit.
• How to get your IRS tax transcriptsThe fastest route is usually your IRS Online Account, where you can view and download transcripts.
• Is This IRS Notice Real? How to Tell Before You RespondThe IRS usually makes first contact by U.S.
• Pennsylvania: Your IRS Notice and the Department of RevenueFederal rules govern your IRS notice, and our federal guides explain them.
• CP2000 response letter sample: when part of the proposed change is wrongA CP2000 response letter identifies the notice, goes through each proposed item, says what you accept and what you dispute with a reason, lists your enclosures, and is signed.