IRS Notices & Representation
Got an IRS letter? Don't call them yourself.
Send it to us. We read the notice, pull the record behind it and deal with the IRS directly, from one office in Metairie. Somebody local, not a firm on the radio.
- CP notices, examination letters and Revenue Officer contact
- Representation under a Form 2848 power of attorney
- We read the transcripts before anyone responds to anything
- Quoted before we start
First 24 Hours
What to do today, in order
None of them involve talking to the IRS.
Do not ignore it
Every notice carries a date. Deadlines are the part nobody can undo later.
Do not call the number yet
What you say goes in the file, and most people call before they know what it says.
Photograph both sides of every page
Front and back of each sheet, plus the envelope. The postmark can matter.
Find the deadline and write it down
Usually beside the notice number at the top right, or in the response section.
Send it to us
Email the photos or bring the letter in. We will tell you what comes next.
Reading The Letter
The common ones, in plain words
What each one is. Not what it will mean for your case — nobody can tell you that from a notice number.
| Notice | What it means |
|---|---|
| CP2000 | Income on your return does not match what someone reported about you. A proposed change, not a bill. |
| CP14 | The IRS says there is an unpaid balance. Usually the first bill for a year. |
| CP501 / CP503 / CP504 | Escalating reminders about an unpaid balance. CP504 states an intent to levy certain assets. |
| CP523 | The IRS says an installment agreement is in default and may be terminated. |
| LT11 / Letter 1058 | Final notice of intent to levy, and of your right to a hearing. A strict deadline that affects appeal rights. |
| A Revenue Officer contact | A named IRS employee is assigned to the case, almost always collection. Not a call center. |
| An examination letter | A return has been selected for audit. It names the year and lists what the IRS wants to see. |
Louisiana Department of Revenue notices have their own numbering and deadlines. Send those too.
How It Works
What representation actually is
You sign a Form 2848
The power of attorney. It names the firm, the years and the tax types we can handle, and nothing else. You can revoke it.
We pull the transcripts
Before anything is answered we read the record for those years. The letter is one page of a longer file.
We deal with the IRS directly
Correspondence, calls on the practitioner line, and the meeting if there is one. Copies come to us too.
You stop explaining yourself
You do not talk your way through your own case with a Revenue Officer. That is what representation is for.
Real Or Scam
How to tell a real IRS letter from a fake one
Impersonation is an industry, and it works because the real thing is frightening enough that people stop thinking. Reliable tells:
- The IRS generally starts with a letter. A first contact by phone, text or email is a reason to check.
- The IRS does not demand gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency. Ever.
- A federal payment goes to the "United States Treasury," never to a person or company.
- Real notices carry a number at the top right, such as CP2000 or LT11.
- Phone threats of arrest or deportation are a scam signature, not IRS procedure.
- You can check a balance in your own IRS online account, or send the letter to us.
In-person IRS contact is rarer than it was, and a Revenue Officer will normally have written first. If somebody turns up, ask for their HSPD-12 credential, hand over nothing, and call us.
What It Costs
Quoted before we start
You send the letter, we read it and pull the transcripts, then you get a written scope and a price. If it is something you can handle yourself in ten minutes, we will tell you that.
What we will not do is tell you how it turns out. Anyone quoting a settlement figure or a penalty result before reading your account is not describing a service.
Questions
What people ask when the letter arrives
Should I just call the number on the notice?
Not before you know what the account shows. The notice is one page of a file you have not read. Once we have the transcripts, the call is made by someone with the whole picture.
What if the deadline has already passed?
Tell us today. Some deadlines close a specific door and some do not, and which one depends on the notice type and the dates. A missed date is a reason to move faster.
Do I have to be on the call with the IRS?
Generally no. With a Form 2848 on file for those years and tax types, we correspond and speak with the IRS for you. Where the IRS wants to hear from you directly, we will say so first.
The notice says I owe money I do not think I owe.
Common with CP2000 notices, which come out of information matching, not a person reading your return. A proposed change is a proposal. The reply is documented, with records, inside the window.
Related reading
Start Here
What happens when you call
- A person answers. Not a menu, not a call center.
- We ask what is filed and what is not, and what the letter says at the top.
- The first step is sending bank statements, plus a photo of the notice. That is all.
- We quote before we start, so you see the scope and the price before any work begins.
- We reply within one business day.
Or call the office: 504-832-1873
708 Rosa Ave, Metairie, LA 70005
Get Started Today
Schedule a free consultation to discuss your needs
We'll respond within 1 business day