- Review of IRS and state notices and correspondence
- Identification of response deadlines and required actions
- Transcript analysis (account and wage/income transcripts)
- Written notice responses and adjustment review
- Coordination of documentation and supporting records
IRS & State Authority Representation
When the IRS or a state tax authority contacts you, the stakes are real and the deadlines don’t wait. WhippleWood represents individuals and businesses through audits, notices, outstanding liabilities, and filing gaps, handling every communication, deadline, and negotiation on your behalf.
The Reality of IRS & State Tax Enforcement
Most taxpayers facing a notice, audit, or outstanding liability don’t know where to start, and delay only makes it worse
Notices That Are Hard to Decode
Most taxpayers who receive an IRS or state notice don’t know what it means or how to respond. Missing a deadline or responding incorrectly can quickly turn a routine inquiry into a costly enforcement matter.
Balances That May Not Be Right
IRS proposed assessments frequently overstate what taxpayers actually owe. Errors in income matching, disallowed deductions, and substitute return filings can inflate a balance that looks final but isn’t.
Enforcement Escalates Fast
Unresolved liabilities can escalate into wage garnishments, bank levies, tax liens, and asset seizure. Once enforcement begins, options narrow quickly, making early professional intervention essential.
Filing Gaps Compound Over Time
Unfiled returns accumulate IRS substitute assessments, penalties, and interest that compound over time. Resolving filing gaps requires a structured plan that addresses every open period strategically.
How WhippleWood Makes the Difference
We take over every interaction with the tax authority, so you can stop worrying about what to say, what to send, and what comes next.
Direct Representation
We file a formal Power of Attorney and communicate directly with IRS and state agents on your behalf, so you never have to navigate those conversations alone.
Assessment Review
We thoroughly review every proposed assessment, recalculate liabilities where appropriate, and defend your deductions, credits, and reporting positions with documented technical analysis.
Penalty Abatement
We identify penalty abatement opportunities, including first-time abatement and reasonable cause relief, and submit formal requests to reduce or eliminate penalties where the facts support it.
Clear Action Plan
From the first notice review to final resolution, we give you a defined, step-by-step action plan with transparent communication at every stage, so you always know where things stand.
Awards & Recognition
Comprehensive IRS & State Representation Services
From First Notice to Final Resolution
Our representation process moves in deliberate steps, from understanding exactly what the tax authority is asking to achieving the best available resolution, with clear communication at every stage.
Assessment & Strategy
We review your notices, transcripts, and filing history to understand exactly what the IRS or state is claiming and why. We identify deadlines, quantify the true liability, assess available resolution options, and deliver a clear, step-by-step action plan before any response is submitted.
Representation & Response
We file a Power of Attorney and take over all direct communication with the tax authority. We respond to document requests, defend your tax positions, submit penalty abatement requests, and negotiate resolution terms — managing every deadline and interaction on your behalf.
Resolution & Compliance
We work through the process to final resolution, whether that means a corrected assessment, an installment agreement, a penalty reduction, or a filed return that closes an open period. Where applicable, we coordinate ongoing compliance to prevent the same issues from recurring.
Common Questions About IRS & State Representation
The first step is to not ignore it. IRS notices are time-sensitive, most require a response within 30 to 60 days, and some trigger automatic consequences if left unanswered.
The notice type determines what’s actually being requested, whether it’s a simple correction, an information request, or the beginning of an examination.
We review the notice, identify the deadline and required action, analyze any proposed changes to your return, and respond on your behalf, so you don’t have to interpret the IRS’s language or risk responding incorrectly.
Proposed IRS balances are frequently incorrect. We pull your IRS account and wage/income transcripts, reconstruct what the IRS has on file, and compare it against your actual return history and supporting records.
Errors in income matching, unreported credits, or substitute return assessments that don’t account for deductions you’re entitled to can all inflate what you appear to owe.
Where the proposed amount is wrong, we prepare a documented response that corrects the record and reduces the balance accordingly.
Coming forward voluntarily is almost always better than waiting for the IRS to act. When returns go unfiled, the IRS can file substitute returns on your behalf, which typically result in higher assessments because they don’t account for deductions or credits you’re entitled to claim.
We review each open year, prepare the returns using your actual income and deductions, and develop a filing strategy that gets you current while minimizing your overall exposure.
Voluntary compliance also typically results in better outcomes when collection matters need to be resolved.
The IRS and most state tax authorities offer several resolution options for taxpayers who can’t pay in full.
These include installment agreements that spread payments over time, currently not collectible status for taxpayers who genuinely cannot pay, and in some cases an offer in compromise that settles the liability for less than the full amount owed. The right option depends on your specific financial situation, the type and age of the liability, and your compliance history.
We evaluate all available options, determine which is most appropriate, and manage the entire application and negotiation process.
Levy situations are urgent and require immediate action. Once a Final Notice of Intent to Levy has been issued, you typically have 30 days to request a Collection Due Process hearing, which suspends enforcement while the matter is reviewed.
We assess your situation immediately, determine what enforcement actions are pending, and take steps to protect your assets while pursuing a structured resolution.
Acting before a levy is executed preserves significantly more options than trying to reverse one after the fact.
When we represent you, we file IRS Form 2848 (Power of Attorney), which authorizes us to communicate directly with the IRS. For state matters, a separate state specific Power of Attorney form may be required. Once filed, the taxing authority will contact us, not you.
We handle all correspondence, document requests, phone calls with revenue agents, and written submissions. You stay informed through clear updates from us, but you are relieved of the burden of navigating those interactions directly.
Our goal is to resolve the matter as efficiently as possible while protecting your rights and interests throughout the process.
Don’t Face the IRS Alone.
Let’s discuss your situation and how WhippleWood can take over the process, protect your interests, and move toward the best available resolution.
Questions? info@whipplewoodcpas.com | 303-989-7600
