Question 1

Do I need a tax attorney for this?

Accepted Answer

Sometimes. For formal IRS representation — Power of Attorney, audit defense, negotiating a settlement, fighting a levy — yes, you need an Enrolled Agent or tax attorney with credentials we don't hold. We coordinate with people we trust. For the work that happens before that point — reading the letter, organizing records, filing missing returns, calculating what's owed, requesting transcripts — that's us. Most situations don't need a full attorney engagement; they need someone to handle the paperwork first.

Question 2

Can you stop a wage garnishment or bank levy today?

Accepted Answer

No — and anyone who tells you they can on day one is selling you something. Stopping a garnishment or levy requires getting current on filings, submitting financial-disclosure paperwork, and entering a formal arrangement with the IRS (installment agreement, currently-not-collectible status, or offer in compromise). That takes days to weeks, not hours. What we can do today is read the notice, pull your IRS transcripts, and start the right paperwork so the clock starts moving.

Question 3

How fast do you respond when there's a deadline?

Accepted Answer

IRS notices usually give you 30 days. Email us with the notice and we'll get back to you promptly to review it together. For escalated collection — levy, seizure, final notice of intent to levy — reach out as soon as possible. The earlier the notice gets to us, the more options stay on the table.

Question 4

Will the IRS keep adding penalties and interest while we work on this?

Accepted Answer

Yes, until the underlying balance is addressed. Interest compounds daily; the failure-to-file penalty is 5% per month, the failure-to-pay penalty is 0.5% per month. That's why filing missing returns is usually the first move even if you can't pay yet — filing stops the bigger penalty, and a payment plan stops the smaller one from compounding indefinitely.

Question 5

What if I genuinely can't pay what I owe?

Accepted Answer

Three real paths: an installment agreement (monthly payments over up to 72 months), currently-not-collectible status (the IRS pauses collection if you can show you have no ability to pay), or an offer in compromise (settling for less than full balance, which the IRS only accepts a small fraction of). Each requires financial-disclosure documentation. We help you assess which fits, prep the paperwork, and refer to an Enrolled Agent or attorney for the formal submission when it's appropriate.

Question 6

Should I respond to the IRS letter myself or wait?

Accepted Answer

Don't ignore it — but don't respond blind, either. Most IRS letters have a deadline printed at the top; the worst thing you can do is miss that date. Read it, take a photo, send it to us. We'll tell you what it's actually asking for (often less than it sounds) and what the right response looks like. Half the time the answer is short paperwork; the other half it's a real engagement.

Question 7

What does this cost?

Accepted Answer

Flat fee, scoped to the work involved. Reading a notice and responding with a simple letter is one number. Filing six years of missing returns, requesting transcripts, and negotiating an installment agreement is another. Formal representation through an EA or attorney is billed separately by them. We quote up front before we start so you know what you're committing to.

An IRS letter on the kitchen counter. Let’s open it together.

Twelve common IRS problems.

IRS audit notice

Back taxes owed

IRS wage garnishment

IRS bank levies

IRS liens

IRS payment plans

Offer in compromise

Innocent spouse relief

Unfiled tax returns

Payroll tax problems

Get your IRS file

IRS seizures

What people ask when they reach out.

Helpful reading on this topic.

Missed a tax deadline? Here's what to do.

Quarterly estimated taxes guide.

Personal tax document checklist.

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