How do I find out how much I owe in back taxes

There are a few ways to find out how much you owe the IRS. You can do that online, over the phone, or through the mail.

The most reliable ways are over the phone or by using the online tool offered by the IRS since mail you receive from the IRS may not contain total balances for all years or mail could have been lost.

The IRS offers an online tool to help you figure out how much tax you owe. The tool shows the balance for each tax year including the principal amount and any penalties or interest. It also shows payments you’ve made in the last 18 months and your payoff amount.

To contact the IRS by phone, call 1-800-829-1040 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.