Why Kintsugi Is Contacting You About Past-Due Balances or Unfiled Returns
Learn why we send emails asking you to review past-due balances or unfiled returnsUpdated 20 days ago
If you received an email from us asking you to review past-due balances or unfiled returns, this article explains where that information came from, what we need from you, and what happens next.
Why We're Reaching Out
We monitor your state tax portal accounts as part of managing your compliance. When we see that a state is showing an outstanding balance or a return that has not been filed, we tell you.
The reason is simple: we want to make sure you stay compliant with the states you are registered in. Unpaid balances and unfiled returns tend not to resolve themselves. They accumulate interest and penalties, and they can eventually escalate to collections or affect your standing in that state.
This outreach is proactive. It does not mean you have done anything wrong, and it is not a billing notice from Kintsugi. It is us flagging something we found in a state's records so you can decide what to do about it.
Where the Information Comes From
Our team reviews customer state tax portal accounts on a weekly cycle. Where they find a gap, our team contacts you, usually within a day or two of the review.
Because the source is the state's own portal records, these findings sometimes cover periods before you started with Kintsugi, or jurisdictions we do not currently file for on your behalf. If something in the list looks unfamiliar, say so and we will look into it.
The Three Versions of This Email
You will receive one of three variants depending on what we found.
1. Outstanding balances only
The state shows money owed. The email asks you to review the balances and confirm whether you want us to pay them on your behalf.
2. Unfiled returns only
The state shows returns that were never filed. The email points you to the sheet's second tab, labelled Unfiled Return Tracker, and asks whether you want us to file them for you.
3. Both Outstanding balances due and Unfiled returns
The sheet has two tabs. Tab 1 lists outstanding balances for you to approve for payment. Tab 2, the Unfiled Return Tracker, lists past-due returns for us to prepare and file.
What We Need From You
A reply, either way. Specifically:
If the email is about | We need you to |
|---|---|
Outstanding balances | Confirm whether you want us to pay them on your behalf |
Unfiled returns | Confirm whether you want us to file them for you |
Both | Tell us on both counts, since they are handled separately |
We do not pay a state balance or file a past-due return without your approval. Even where the amount is clearly owed, we wait for you to confirm. If you would rather handle a particular state yourself, that is a perfectly good answer, just tell us so we stop tracking it as open.
If something in the sheet does not look right, reply and ask. Questions like "why is this state on the list" or "what is this amount made up of" are common and we would rather answer them than have you approve something you are unsure about.
What Happens After You Approve
For outstanding balances
We proceed with paying the amounts you approved to the relevant state authorities. Once payment is made, our team updates the tracker and the balance clears from the state's records.
For unfiled returns
We prepare the returns and add them into Kintsugi as filings for you to review and approve. This is an important detail: approving the outreach email authorises us to prepare the returns, but each return then still needs your approval in the app before it is submitted.
You will find these under the Filings page. They are categorised as Back Filings rather than Original Filings, so you can filter for them specifically. Note that Auto-Approve does not apply to back filings, so they will not be approved automatically on the 5th the way a current-period filing would. They wait for you.
What Happens If You Don't Respond
We follow a set cadence rather than contacting you indefinitely.
We send the initial email.
If we do not hear back, we follow up on three consecutive days.
If there is still no response by the end of that week, we stop.
After roughly a two-week gap, the item may come back around in a future weekly review, and we will contact you again.
What does not happen is the problem going away. Pausing our outreach does not pause the state. An unpaid balance keeps accruing interest and penalties, and an unfiled return stays unfiled. If you need more time rather than no contact, a quick reply saying so is much better than silence, because it keeps the item active and we will not have to start over.
FAQs
Q: Is this a bill from Kintsugi?
A: No. This is about money owed to a state tax authority, not to us. Nothing in this email affects your Kintsugi subscription.
Q: Why am I seeing a state I did not know I had a problem in?
A: The list comes from the state's own portal records, which can include periods before you joined Kintsugi or jurisdictions we do not file for. Reply and we will explain what we found.
Q: How much do I owe in total?
A: The Google Sheet has the breakdown. For unfiled returns, the amount due may not be final until the returns are actually prepared, since it depends on your transaction data for those periods. If you need a total before deciding, ask and we will get one for you.
Q: Can I pay the state directly myself?
A: Yes. Just tell us that is your plan so we do not pay it as well and create a double payment to unwind.
Q: What if I disagree with the amount the state is claiming?
A: Tell us before approving anything. Assessed balances are sometimes wrong, or reflect a payment the state has not yet applied. We would rather look into it than pay an incorrect amount.
Related Articles
What Happens If You Don't Approve Your Filing Before the 5th
Filing Statuses Explained: Unfiled, Filing, Filed, Paused, Issue, Skipped, and Cancelled
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