Updated October 24, 2026. Quick answer: Tax Topic 157 is the IRS page on a change of address. It says to notify the IRS so you receive any tax refunds or IRS correspondence, and it lists five ways: on your return, through the post office, by form, in writing and by phone. It also says a request generally takes 45 days to process.
Quick reference
| Item | What the IRS topic says |
|---|---|
| Why to notify the IRS | “you need to notify the IRS to ensure you receive any tax refunds or IRS correspondence.” |
| Form to use | “you may complete a Form 8822, Change of Address (For Individual, Gift, Estate, or Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Returns)” |
| Details for a written notice | “Full name”, “Old and new addresses”, “Signature” |
| Joint filers | “If you filed a joint return, you should provide the information and signatures for both spouses.” |
| Processing time | “Generally, it takes 45-days for a change of address request to be fully processed.” |
Changing your address on a return or with the post office
The topic starts with the reason. It says “If your address has changed, you need to notify the IRS to ensure you receive any tax refunds or IRS correspondence.” It then lists “There are several ways to notify the IRS of an address change:”
The first way is the return itself. The topic says “If you change your address before filing your return, enter your new address on your return when you file.” It adds “When your return is processed, we’ll update our records.” and “Be sure to also notify your return preparer.”
After filing, the post office comes into play. The topic says “If you change your address after filing your return, you should notify the post office that services your old address.” It gives the reason in the next sentence: “Because not all post offices forward government checks, you should also directly notify the IRS as described below.”
By form, in writing or by phone
By form, the topic says “To change your address with the IRS, you may complete a Form 8822, Change of Address (For Individual, Gift, Estate, or Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Returns)”. It also names Form 8822-B for the business version of the change.
In writing, the topic says “You may also write to inform us that your address is changing.” The letter should include your “Full name”, “Old and new addresses”, and a “Signature”. It also asks for “Social Security number, individual taxpayer identification number, or employer identification number”.
By phone, the topic says “You may also call us to inform us that your address is changing.” It also notes “We may request additional information to verify your identity.”
Joint filers, employment tax returns and timing
For joint returns, the topic says “If you filed a joint return, you should provide the information and signatures for both spouses.” For couples who no longer share a home, it says “each joint taxpayer should notify us of your new, separate addresses.”
Employment tax returns have their own note. The topic says “If the change of address relates to an employment tax return, the IRS issues confirmation notices (Notices 148A and 148B) for the change to both the new and former address.”
On timing, the topic says “Generally, it takes 45-days for a change of address request to be fully processed.” Related site pages include Form 1040 and Form 4868.
Where this comes from
This page describes the IRS page titled Topic no. 157, Change your address, How to notify the IRS, as served on irs.gov on October 24, 2026. The IRS page shows that it was last reviewed or updated on 06 Oct 2026. The IRS can change a topic after we read it, and the IRS page controls. General information, not tax or legal advice.
Common mistakes
- Relying on the post office alone. The topic says “Because not all post offices forward government checks, you should also directly notify the IRS as described below.”
- Leaving the preparer out. The topic says “Be sure to also notify your return preparer.”
- Sending one spouse’s information for a joint return. The topic says “the information and signatures for both spouses.”
- Expecting the change to take effect at once. The topic says “Generally, it takes 45-days for a change of address request to be fully processed.”
Related: IRS tax topics by number, Form 1040, Form 1040-SR, Form 4868, Form 1040 lines 34 to 36, refund and direct deposit, Form 8821, and Form 2848.
Find the right next step for your situation
About how much do you have invested? Pick the range that fits; your next step appears immediately below.
Talk to an advisor about moving and taxes
For U.S. investors with $250,000 or more in investable assets. WiserAdvisor is an independent service matching you with 2 to 3 vetted advisers. Its form asks for your ZIP code and answers to a few questions; a match is not guaranteed.
Free to request, with no obligation to hire. By submitting, you consent to calls, texts and emails from WiserAdvisor and up to three advisers. Advisers pay for introductions.
Clear Money Guide may earn a referral payment for a qualifying completed form. An introduction is not a Clear Money Guide recommendation.
Opens on WiserAdvisor’s site in a new tab.
Explore advisor help after a change of address
Price the destination before you decide. The matching service below introduces you to advisers who pay to meet you.
Before you start, what actually happens. The form is run by Kapitalwise, our advisor-matching partner. Kapitalwise sends your details to advisers who pay for the introduction, so expect calls and texts. Clear Money Guide may earn a referral payment for a qualifying submitted form, whether or not you ever hire anyone. This is free to you and there is no obligation to hire anyone.
The Kapitalwise form opens here; you stay on this page.
What happens when you press the button
It asks about nine questions: age, investable assets, location; then your name, email and phone number, and verifies the phone by text. Nothing loads and nothing reaches Kapitalwise until you press the button.
Prefer flat-fee or hourly pricing instead? Compare ranges here.
Answer againSources
- IRS, Topic no. 157, Change your address, How to notify the IRS (irs.gov): https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc157
- IRS, Tax topics index (irs.gov): https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics
Read from the IRS pages linked above on October 24, 2026. General information, not tax or legal advice. The IRS topic page and the instructions for your own form control, and your own facts decide the outcome.