IRS notices can be intimidating and confusing. The good news is that even if a notice says you owe the IRS you often the right to appeal or protest the decision in some way.
Follow these steps if you don’t agree with an IRS notice and want to preserve your appeal rights.
Read Carefully
Read the notice carefully. Do you know what the notice is referring to? It could be a mistake on your tax return, a tax bill you didn’t pay, or something else. There are many different types of IRS notices, and some are more urgent or important than others.
Next, see if the notice tells you how to respond if you disagree. You should also carefully note any dates or deadlines listed on the notice.
Call a Tax Attorney
If you aren’t 100% sure what the notice means and how to respond, you should get a professional opinion from a tax attorney. You may also need to act quickly because the IRS gives taxpayers a limited time to respond to some types of notices.
You generally have 30 days to respond to an IRS Levy Notice and request a Collection Due Process hearing. A failure to respond during this timeframe could result in an IRS levy of your bank account funds or other assets.
You have 90 days to petition Tax Court if you disagree with a Notice of Deficiency. However, you should contact a tax attorney as soon as possible because you may want to work with IRS Appeals before going to Tax Court.
Appeal and Negotiate
You may be able to negotiate with several different IRS employees during the appeals process. You can first negotiate with an IRS examiner, then ask to talk to their supervisor. If that still doesn’t work, you can go to IRS Appeals, an entirely separate division that may view your case differently.
As a last resort, you may have the option of going to Tax Court. Even after you petition the Tax Court to hear your case, the negotiating can continue before reaching a trial.
Every IRS notice is different, so contact a tax attorney if you need help responding or negotiating with the IRS.
Get help responding to an IRS notice by calling The Gartzman Law Firm at (770) 939-7710. We can listen to your concerns and help you find the best tax resolution strategy for your case.