What This Notice Means

The IRS assigned your overdue tax account to a private collection agency. The IRS is required by law to contract with qualified private debt collection agencies to collect certain overdue federal taxes. The payment instructions for this notice call for your business name and employer identification number, so it goes to business accounts.

Verify the Agency First

Scammers pose as tax collectors. Before you deal with anyone, confirm who they are.

  • Your CP140 names the agency assigned to your account and its contact information.
  • The agency will also send you its own letter confirming it was assigned your account.
  • When you contact the agency, it will ask for your name and address of record. It then performs two-party verification: you give the first five numbers of the taxpayer authentication number on your notice, and the agency gives you the last five.

If the numbers don't match, stop.

How to Pay

Payments go to the IRS, not to the agency.

  • Online: pay through the IRS directly.
  • By mail: make the payment payable to the United States Treasury. Include your business name, EIN, and the tax form and period. Send it to Internal Revenue Service, Kansas City, MO 64999-0010.

If You Can't Pay in Full

The private collection agency will work with you to set up a payment plan. The agency must maintain the security and privacy of your tax information.

Before You Agree to Anything

A payment plan through the agency is one option. It isn't the only one. Look at the full picture of what the business owes, including other periods, before you commit to monthly payments. Publication 4518 explains what to expect when your account is assigned to a private collection agency.

You can authorize a representative with Form 2848 to deal with the IRS for you.

If your business received a CP140 notice and you want to look at every option before agreeing to a payment plan, call us at (813) 229-7100.