Tax Notice Resolution
When the IRS or the state sends a letter, we read it, explain what it actually says, and handle the response, from simple notices through examinations, so it gets resolved instead of ignored.
What This Is
A letter from the IRS or the Alabama Department of Revenue feels alarming, but most notices are not emergencies. Some are routine. Many are simply asking you to verify something or correct a mismatch. A surprising number are resolved with a phone call and a few pieces of documentation. The one thing that reliably makes a notice worse is ignoring it.
We handle the range of what shows up in the mail. Simple notices asking for clarification. Proposed adjustments where the agency thinks you owe more than you reported. Correspondence audits requesting documentation. Full examinations. Payment arrangements when a balance is owed and needs to be structured. Whatever the notice says, we read it, explain it in plain language, and respond properly so it gets resolved.
Reading and Responding
Reading and Responding
First we figure out what the notice actually says. IRS letters come with notice numbers and response deadlines, and the language is not always clear. We translate it, explain your options, gather the records needed to respond, and prepare the response before the deadline. You understand what is happening at every step.
Representation
Representation
CPAs are authorized to represent clients before the IRS and state tax authorities. That means we can correspond on your behalf, speak with agents, respond to document requests, attend examinations, and negotiate payment arrangements. You do not have to deal with the agency directly unless you want to.
Why This Matters
Tax notices have deadlines, and those deadlines are not suggestions. Miss a response window and you lose the right to dispute a proposed adjustment. Ignore a notice long enough and the agency will assess the amount they proposed and start collection. Interest accrues the entire time. What started as a simple clarification request becomes a balance with penalties stacked on top.
The other problem is responding incorrectly. Sending the wrong documentation, conceding something you did not need to concede, or simply not knowing what the agency is actually asking for. Many people try to handle notices themselves because they assume hiring help will be expensive, and then they pay more in additional tax than they needed to because the response was not handled properly.
The Deadline Problem
The Deadline Problem
Notice deadlines are typically 30 or 60 days, sometimes less. If the deadline passes without a response, the agency assumes you agree with their proposed adjustment and proceeds accordingly. Reopening a matter after that point is harder and sometimes impossible. Timely response preserves your options.
The Documentation Problem
The Documentation Problem
Notices often ask for documentation you may not have organized or may not know how to present. Bank statements, receipts, cancelled checks, contracts. Gathering the right records and presenting them in a way the examiner expects is half the work. Submitting a disorganized pile invites follow-up requests and delays.
What Changes
The notice gets handled. You understand what the agency was asking, what we submitted in response, and how the matter was resolved. If there is a balance owed, we help you understand whether the assessment is correct and work with the agency on payment terms if needed. The worry stops because the problem is actually addressed instead of sitting on your counter.
We also look at what caused the notice in the first place. Sometimes the original return had an error that should be corrected going forward. Sometimes the issue was missing documentation that better recordkeeping would prevent. For clients who work with us on individual tax preparation or business tax preparation, that feedback loop means fewer notices in the future.
Honest Boundaries
Honest Boundaries
We handle notice resolution, correspondence audits, examinations, and payment arrangements. If a matter escalates to litigation, appeals that require legal representation, or criminal investigation, that work belongs with a tax attorney. We will tell you clearly when that line is reached and help you find the right professional.
Fixed Pricing
Fixed Pricing
We price notice resolution per engagement, agreed before work begins. You know what the representation will cost before we start. If additional work becomes necessary beyond the original scope, we discuss it with you first. No surprises and no hourly billing that discourages you from asking questions along the way.
Planning-First Tax & Accounting
The Next Step:
Start a Conversation
We begin with a clear understanding of your business, then define the engagement and establish pricing from the outset.