The Hidden Threat in the CP504 Notice
When you receive an IRS CP504 notice, most people focus on the balance due. But buried in the fine print is a threat most taxpayers miss: the IRS can seize your state tax refund without further notice.
How the IRS Takes Your Refund
The IRS doesn’t need your permission. They don’t need a court order. Once the CP504 is issued, the IRS has the legal authority to intercept your state refund and apply it to your federal tax debt.
Here’s how it works:
You file your state tax return expecting a refund.
- The state processes your return and prepares to send you a check.
- The IRS intercepts the payment before it reaches you.
- You receive a letter from the IRS saying, “We applied your state refund to your federal balance.”
By the time you find out, the money is already gone.
Why This Is Dangerous
For many taxpayers, that state refund is already spent in their minds. It’s rent money. It’s a car payment. It’s groceries. Losing it without warning can trigger a financial crisis.
What You Can Do
If you’ve received a CP504, you have a narrow window to act. You can:
- Request Currently Not Collectible (CNC) status if you’re facing financial hardship.
- Negotiate an Offer in Compromise to settle for less than you owe.
- Set up an Installment Agreement to stop the levy.
But you need to act before the IRS takes your refund.
Start here: IRSDecoder.com (free diagnosis) → TaxAssassin.app (intelligence report) → Strategy Call.
Allen Lenth, EA, MBA
Executive Tax Solution
📞 (469) 262-6525
📧 www.encyro.com/executivetaxsolution
📍 7002 Industrial Dr. Suite 104, Sachse, TX 75048