CP24 Notice: Estimated Payment Mismatch, You May Get a Credit

A CP24 notice means the IRS corrected your return because the estimated tax payments you claimed don't match the payments it has posted to your account. In this case, the correction may leave you with a credit, which can mean a refund. The notice may also cover other changes made while processing your return. If the payments it lists are all yours and you agree, you don't need to do anything. The one thing worth a careful look is whether every payment really belongs to you.

Why you got a CP24

The IRS compares the estimated payments listed on your return with the payments credited to your account for that tax year. A CP24 is sent when the IRS has a different total and the difference works in your favor. Common causes:

• You left a payment off the return, such as a fourth-quarter payment made in January.
• A typo on the estimated tax line of the return.
• A prior-year overpayment was applied that you forgot about.
• A payment was applied to your account by mistake, for example one meant for a different taxpayer or tax year.

There are several versions of the notice (CP24E, CP24G and CP24U, among others). They work the same way.

Before you assume the extra credit is yours, think about where it could have come from. A payment made in January for the last quarter of the prior year is easy to forget. So is an overpayment from last year that you chose to carry forward. A payment you don't recognize at all is the one to question, because a refund built on someone else's payment will eventually be reversed.

What the CP24 says

Look for:

• The estimated payments the IRS credited, with dates and amounts.
• Any credit carried from the prior year.
• "What we changed on your return", including any other corrections.
• Your resulting credit or refund.
• A date to contact the IRS if you disagree, and the toll-free number under "Where to find more information."

What to do

If you agree

No response is required. The IRS says you should receive your remaining refund within 4 to 6 weeks, as long as you don't owe other taxes or debts it is required to collect. Track it with "Where's My Refund?" If a refund is reduced to pay other debts, see our guide to refund delays and offsets.

If a listed payment isn't yours

Call the number in the "Where to find more information" section and have your return and payment records ready. If you receive a refund that came from someone else's payment, you will need to return it. The IRS explains how in Tax Topic 161, Returning an erroneous refund.

If a payment is missing or misapplied

If you made a payment that the notice doesn't show, call the same number with proof such as a canceled check or bank statement. The IRS will discuss the issue and tell you what to do next.

If you need another correction

To fix a different error on the return, file Form 1040-X. See our amended return guide.

What happens if you ignore it

If the notice is right, ignoring it is fine; the credit is applied or refunded. If a payment on the list isn't yours and you spend the refund, you will likely have to pay it back later, and the IRS may send a bill. If you disagree and don't call by the date on the notice, you may lose some formal rights to dispute the change, though you can still send documents later. For older issues, audit reconsideration may help.

Is this notice real?

CP24 is a standard IRS notice sent by mail. Verify the credit and payments in your IRS Online Account or call the IRS at a number listed on irs.gov. Be wary of anyone asking for bank details or a fee to "release" a refund. See how to spot IRS scams.

IRSV.com is an independent guide and is not affiliated with the IRS. This page is general information, not tax or legal advice. Rules change; confirm details on IRS.gov or with a tax professional. Found an error? Tell us.