Techniques and tools are described for notifications of events, such as receipt of messages, and specifically to tools and techniques related to breakthrough notification profile and status. For example, it is determining whether a profile is active and whether a contact associated with an event is identified as having a status related to the profile. If the profile is active, a notification related to the event is issued only if the sender has the status. If the profile is not active, the notification is issued whether or not the sender has the status.