Skip to content

General education, not advice for your situation.

Carry Forward Learning Start here Intern0 XP

IRS notice decoder · Bills for a balance due

CP134B: your tax deposits don't cover the tax you reported

A CP134B says the deposits credited to your business account fall short of the tax on your return. Check your records and pay the gap by the date on it.

By the Carry Forward Learning team Reviewed by Hunter Nottingham, JD, CPA

No dated figures Checked Review by

CheckedOct 19, 2026

What a CP134B means

A CP134B is a balance-due notice for a business. The IRS says the federal tax deposits credited to your account don't match the tax you reported on your return, and it asks you to pay the difference by the pay-by date on the notice. source 1

The gap is often a matching problem rather than unpaid tax: a deposit made under the wrong EIN, the wrong form or the wrong period. So before paying anything, we line up every deposit for that period against the notice.

The IRS says a late payment or failure-to-deposit penalty may apply, depending on what is owed, and Notice 746 explains penalties and interest. source 1

The date that counts

Pay by the pay-by date printed on the notice. The IRS page ties that date to limiting penalties; it gives no other window. source 1

Why people get one

  • Deposits during the period were less than the tax the return reported.
  • A deposit was applied to a different tax period, form or EIN than you meant.
  • A deposit was made that the IRS has no record of, so it isn't on the notice. source 1

First steps

  1. Find the form and tax period on the notice, then pull your deposit records and the return for that period.
  2. Compare your records to the figures on the notice, the way the IRS page suggests. source 1
  3. Check the deposits the IRS shows in your business tax account or EFTPS, typed in yourself at irs.gov or the EFTPS site. source 1
  4. If you agree, pay through your business tax account or EFTPS, or Direct Pay for business, by the pay-by date. A check to the United States Treasury with the payment stub also works. source 1
  5. If you made deposits that aren't on the notice, call the number printed on your notice with the deposit details in front of you. source 1
  6. If you can't pay it all, look at a payment plan; Form 9465 is the request form. source 1

What not to do

  • Don't pay twice. If you believe the money was already deposited, trace it first.
  • Don't pay through a link or phone number in an unexpected email or text. Use irs.gov or EFTPS, typed in yourself.
  • Don't let the pay-by date pass while you investigate; the IRS says penalties apply to what stays unpaid. source 1
  • Related CP136 The notice that tells an employer which deposit schedule applies next year.

Keep reading

Questions

What if I disagree with my CP134B?

The IRS says to call the number printed on your notice. Have your deposit confirmations ready. source 1

Will I be penalized if I can't pay in full?

The IRS says yes: a late payment or failure-to-deposit penalty, depending on what is owed. Notice 746 has the details on penalties and interest. source 1

Where do I learn the deposit rules?

The IRS points to Publication 15, the Employer's Tax Guide, and Notice 931 on deposit requirements for employment taxes. source 1

Sources

  1. IRS, Understanding your CP134B notice (updated October 2, 2026) (external site) checked Oct 19, 2026

Every rule on this page comes from the IRS page in the list, read on the date shown. Your notice itself is the final word on its own dates and amounts.