When you get a notice form the IRS, or any state agency, it can be stressful. Your first thoughts could be: Is the notice right? Should I just pay it to avoid an audit? Will they garnish my wages? Do I really owe that much money? Where can I go for help? Will the IRS help me? The thought of dealing with something so large as the IRS or a state taxing agency can be over whelming. It is very hard to navigate and you may be on hold for hours.
We are here to help you navigate through the process no matter how long it may take. First will need to analyze what the notice is stating, then gather supporting documents, and finally start working towards a resolution. If you follow these steps you may be able to save yourself time and stress.
First in order to analyze the notice we will need a copy of it. You can email it to your Tax Preparer or drop it off at any of our locations. We can determine what actions we can take. Once determined we will discuss with you what your options are and what needs to be done. These options may include paying the notice, disputing part of it, or disputing all of it.
If we advise you to dispute the notice, and you agree, we will gather what supporting documents we have on file and may ask you for additional documents that will strengthen your case. These documents could be receipts, bank notices, canceled checks, and letters from third parties. These documents will be submitted with a response to the IRS or state agency.
After everything has been gathered we will draft a response to the taxing authority on your behalf stating why we believe the notice is incorrect. We will have you review the draft and sign it. The response will be submitted via fax or mail and we will have to wait for a written response. The resolution process may take several letters or phone calls and can be very slow. Patience is key to make it through the process. The outcome could be the IRS agreeing with us, partly agreeing with us, or completely disagreeing with us. Not knowing how the IRS will react can add to your stress.
We understand that this is a stressful experience and that you will want this resolved as fast as possible. We will do our best to work as fast as we can. As we analyze, prepare, and work through the resolution we will keep you updated. Following these steps will help the process be as smooth as possible and reduce your stress as we take care of the hard work.
