Yes, you can start a dialogue with the IRS if you feel that its findings are incorrect.
The very thought of having to communicate with the Internal Revenue Service about something you believe is an agency error is intimidating to most people. The tax code is massive and often difficult to decipher, and everyone gets at least a little nervous when they consider engaging the governing agency.
But there are numerous reasons why you might dispute something that the IRS has communicated to you. You might think, for example, that the law was not interpreted correctly, so a decision may not have been the right one. Or you don’t believe that a collections effort should have been initiated against you, or you feel that your offer in compromise should have been accepted.
There are three things you need to do first:
Note: You may be able to bypass this formal document if you qualify for something like the Small Case Request. Check with us to see which procedure will be appropriate in your case.
Even if you choose to let us guide you through this complex process, you can start gathering information for the written protest. The IRS expects it to contain a great deal of detail, including:
Talk to us if you’re protesting a lien, levy, seizure, or denial or termination of an installment agreement. These disagreements require a different procedure.
Be Proactive
You may assume that the IRS is always right and therefore may be uncomfortable second-guessing the changes the agency made to your tax return. But you have a perfect right to protest — as long as you’re certain of the rationale for your dispute.
The best way to avoid having to go through this process, of course, is to be exceptionally careful about your tax return in the first place. This requires planning throughout the year and a thorough understanding of all of the information you supply to the IRS. If your return contains more than some simple income and deductions, we’d be happy to work with you from start to finish.
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