IRS Notice CP 16 - Changes to Tax Return, Overpayment Applied to Balance Due
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The IRS has adjusted your tax return and these changes affect your refund.

The notice explains the changes to the tax return and the amount of the overpayment that was applied to your tax balance from prior year returns.

If you agree with the adjustment, make the changes to your tax return records to reflect the IRS adjustment. If you do not agree with the change, call or write to the IRS at the phone number or address given in the header section of the notice.

Sections of the Notice:

  • Header Section: This area contains the Notice Number, the applicable tax year, the notice date, your Social Security Number, and the IRS contact number.
  • Explanation Section: This section explains the reasons for the changes to your return and provides information on what you should do. The information generally contains a tabular comparison of the IRS figures to the figures from your tax return.
  • Response Section: If you agree with the adjustment, make the changes to your tax return records to reflect the IRS adjustment. There is no need to contact the IRS. If you have questions or do not agree with the adjustment, the notice directs you to contact the IRS at the number listed in the header section.

Sample CP 16: PDF Pages 1-3

Note that any link in the information above is updated each year automatically and will take you to the most recent version of the document at the time it is accessed.