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IRS notice decoder · Payments and credits on your account

CP62: a payment was applied to your account

A CP62 says the IRS applied a payment to your account. Check it against your records, then see whether it leaves a refund or a balance.

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

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CheckedOct 19, 2026

What a CP62 means

A CP62 reports that the IRS applied a payment to your account, with the date and amount. source 1

What happens next depends on the bottom line. If the notice shows a refund, the IRS says there's nothing to do. If it shows an amount due, pay it by the date printed on the notice. source 1

Most CP62s are good news or neutral. We just check that the payment is the one you expected.

The date that counts

If the notice shows an amount due, pay it by the date printed on the notice. If it shows a refund, the IRS says no response is needed. source 1

Why people get one

  • A payment you made was posted to your account.
  • A payment was moved onto your account, for example after a misapplied payment was fixed.

First steps

  1. Check your IRS online account (typed in yourself at irs.gov) to see the notice and confirm it's real.
  2. Find the payment date and amount on the notice and match them to your records. source 1
  3. If the notice shows a refund, no response is needed. source 1
  4. If it shows an amount due, pay by the date on the notice, or pay what you can and apply online for a payment plan. source 1
  5. If the wrong payment was applied, write to the address on the notice or call the number printed on it. source 1

What not to do

  • Don't skip the bottom line. A CP62 can still show a balance due.
  • Don't send a second payment for the same amount before checking what already posted.
  • Don't act on a link or phone number from an unexpected email or text that claims to be about this notice. Use irs.gov, typed in yourself.
  • Related CP60 The opposite notice: a payment was removed from your account.

Keep reading

Questions

Do I need to reply to a CP62?

Only if it shows an amount due or the payment is wrong. The IRS says no response is needed if it shows a refund. source 1

When will the refund shown on a CP62 arrive?

The IRS page says a refund you haven't received yet should arrive within a few weeks. source 1

What if the IRS applied the wrong payment?

The IRS says to write to the address on the notice or call the number shown on it. source 1

Sources

  1. IRS, Understanding your CP62 notice (updated January 30, 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.