IRS letter in the mail?
Forward it to us.

The IRS sends millions of notices every year. The vast majority are automated — generated by software, not by an agent reviewing your return. Here are the most common ones we see:

• CP2000 — Automated underreporter notice. The IRS matched your return to 1099s they received and found a discrepancy. Usually resolved with a written response and supporting documentation. Very common, very manageable
• CP14 — Balance due notice. A balance the IRS believes is owed. Sometimes accurate, sometimes not — common after estimated payment credits aren't applied correctly to the account
• CP504 — Final notice before levy. Time-sensitive. This is not the first letter — it means prior notices went unanswered. Needs immediate response
• CP90 — Intent to levy. Urgent. If you receive this, contact us the same day
• Letter 4883C / 5071C — Identity verification. The IRS wants to confirm the return was filed by you, not by someone using your identity. Straightforward to resolve
• Notice 972CG — Penalty for failure to file information returns. Penalties for late or missing 1099s. Often partially or fully negotiable with a first-time penalty abatement request

If you have a notice not listed here, forward it to us anyway. We've handled the full range.

Here's what happens when you forward us a notice:

• You forward the notice to us — scan, photo, or physical mail. We don't need perfection; a clear photo of the letter is enough to get started
• We review the notice and your original return to identify the discrepancy or request — exactly what they're asking for and why
• We draft a response with supporting documentation: worksheets, explanations, and any schedules the IRS needs to close the matter
• You review and sign. We walk you through what we're sending and why, so you're not signing something you don't understand
• We file the response by certified mail or e-submission — with tracking so we know it arrived
• We track the case until it's closed — following up if the IRS doesn't respond within the standard window

Most routine notices are resolved in one exchange. More complex matters — CP504, levy intent, identity fraud — may require multiple rounds and direct IRS phone contact on your behalf.

IRS notice handling is included at no additional charge for clients on our Tier 2 (Bookkeeping + Tax) and Tier 3 (Fractional CFO) plans. We handle it as part of the engagement — it's a foreseeable part of running a business, and we don't think you should pay extra for it.

For Tier 1 (bookkeeping-only) clients, notice handling is available at an hourly rate. The rate is quoted when you forward the notice — before any work begins.

For non-clients:

• We'll review the notice on a 30-minute call and give you an honest assessment of what it is and what's required to respond
• If representation is needed, we'll give you a flat-fee quote for the work
• We don't take a cut of any abatement or reduction — the work is billed at a fixed fee, period

If you're not a current client and received a time-sensitive notice (CP504, CP90), call us directly at (555) 010-0100. Don't wait for an email reply.

Less than 1% of individual returns are audited. The vast majority of IRS notices are automated — triggered by a software mismatch, not a human reviewing your return.

An audit (Form 4564, Information Document Request) looks very different from a CP notice. An audit request is more formal, more specific, and comes with a request for documentation across multiple categories. If you receive one, you'll know.

If you do receive an audit notice, the process is the same: forward it to us, we assess it, we respond. Audit representation is more involved — it typically requires more back-and-forth, document organization, and potentially multiple IRS contacts — but it's handled exactly the same way.

We've never had a client receive a penalty or additional assessment that wasn't accurately predicted at the outset of the case. We'll tell you upfront what we think the likely outcome is. If the notice is wrong, we'll say so. If you owe the money, we'll say that too.