What This Service Actually Does
- An initial consultation identifies the immediate problem and outlines possible next steps. It may involve reviewing one notice and asking about filing history, payment ability and prior representation.
- A full investigation goes further: it reconciles records, tax years, assessments and collection activity. Ask which of these tasks, if any, is included before treating a consultation as a complete case assessment.
Why Someone Might Need It
- You received unfamiliar correspondence, cannot pay a balance or need to understand a quote from a tax company.
- You need help deciding whether your problem involves a return, a disputed amount, collection, or the conduct of a paid representative.
What a Professional Might Charge
Selected published examples include free screening calls and consultations priced at $199 or $200. This is a reference point, not a maximum fee.
Illustrative published fee examples, not a verified national average, required rate, legal price limit, or quote. The price depends on the work and the professional. Agency charges and taxes are separate.
Compare the Full Scope and CostWhat the Professional Fee May Include
- A defined appointment length, preliminary document review and an explanation of the practitioner's experience.
- A written list of recommended next steps, if the engagement expressly includes one. Ask whether the consultation fee is credited toward later work.
What It May Exclude
- Obtaining all transcripts, preparing returns, contacting the IRS, negotiating a collection alternative and ongoing representation unless stated in writing.
- Government charges, state matters and urgent court filings. A free consultation does not mean subsequent services are free.
Can I Do This Myself?
You can identify the agency, issue, deadline and available public help yourself. A paid consultation can be useful when you need individualized analysis, but a sales conversation is not an IRS investigation or a decision on eligibility.
Documents and Information I Need
- Every page of the latest notice, including the envelope if mailing timing matters.
- A list of tax years, agencies, returns filed, estimated balances and existing payment agreements.
- A short timeline of contacts, payments, deadlines and any active bank or wage levy.
- Your questions and any proposed service contract. Keep sensitive records private until you have verified the recipient and a secure delivery method.
Keep these records in your own secure files. This website does not require your tax documents to read or use the guide.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Name the Agency and Issue
Read the sender, notice number, tax type and tax period. Write one sentence such as: IRS individual income tax, 2024, balance due. Keep federal and state letters separate because procedures and deadlines differ.
Put the Deadline First
Copy every payment, response, protest or petition date into your calendar. A call to a company does not preserve an appeal deadline. Active collection or a court deadline belongs at the top of your questions, before discussing a long-term resolution package.
Check the Facts You Already Have
Compare the letter with the filed return, payment receipts and previous correspondence. Separate what is documented from what you have been told. For example, note a missing payment as an unresolved discrepancy rather than concluding that the entire balance is invalid.
Use Your Own IRS Account
Open the official IRS account page to review available balances and records. Sign in through the authentication service reached from IRS.gov. Keep your password and verification codes to yourself. Liberty Standard does not collect your IRS credentials or financial account details.
Choose the Question You Need Answered
Identify whether you need to verify a balance, file a return, dispute an adjustment, arrange payments, request hardship consideration or evaluate existing representation. Write the desired result and the uncertainty preventing you from taking the next step.
Ask the IRS for a Procedural Explanation
Use the verified number on your notice. Have identifying information, your return and the letter ready for the IRS authentication questions. Ask which unit handles the matter, which document is needed next and the response deadline. Record the date and employee identification provided.
Check Free Assistance Before Buying Services
Use the links below to contact the program suited to the task. Explain the notice and deadline when requesting help. Ask whether it accepts your case and has capacity. An application for free assistance does not suspend a tax deadline.
Evaluate a Paid Consultation If Needed
Ask who will give the advice, their credential, experience with your issue, charge and deliverable. Ask what remains unverified and what might change the recommendation. Get the proposed scope and refund terms in writing before paying.
Make a Written Next-Step Plan
List the next action, who will do it, the due date, records needed and follow-up date. Save this with the notice. If the advice is conditional, record the condition. Keep learning or obtaining a second opinion when a proposal does not explain the work.
Checkmarks are a personal reading aid. They are not submitted to an agency or saved as a case record. Enter personal or bank information only through the agency’s secure system.
Official IRS Forms and Resources
What Happens After Submission?
- Reading a guide or attending a consultation does not submit anything to the IRS. Track any separate call, filing or payment that you actually complete.
- If you hire someone, obtain a signed engagement and the identity of the responsible practitioner. Ask when you will receive the first written status report and what evidence of work will accompany it.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Treating a salesperson's preliminary eligibility statement as IRS approval.
- Paying for a broad package before the agency, years and task are identified.
- Ignoring the notice while comparing providers, or sharing login codes so someone can impersonate you online.
When Professional Assistance May Be Appropriate
- Seek a qualified tax attorney for possible criminal exposure, litigation or complex legal disputes. Court representation requires appropriate admission.
- An EA or CPA experienced in collection or examination may help with substantive IRS representation. A preparer or bookkeeper may be the right person for return preparation or records, but those roles alone do not grant general IRS representation rights.
Free or Low-Cost Assistance
Frequently Asked Questions
Must I Hire Someone to Speak with the IRS?
No. You can handle your own matter and can choose an eligible representative when useful. The choice should reflect the issue and your ability to manage it.
Is a Free Consultation Necessarily a Sales Tactic?
No. Many reputable practitioners offer one. Evaluate what is explained, whether uncertainty is acknowledged and whether you can review a written scope without pressure.
Which Free Program Does What?
LITCs consider qualifying tax disputes and representation. TAS helps with qualifying hardship or unresolved IRS administrative problems. VITA/TCE primarily prepares eligible basic returns; it is not a substitute for collection representation.
Official guidance reviewed October 10, 2026. General education does not determine eligibility or extend a deadline. Follow the current agency instructions and the dates on your actual notice. These IRS procedures do not replace state-specific rules.