--- title: "IRS Notices and Tax Help in Southlake, TX | Wallace CPA" description: "IRS notices, back taxes, unfiled returns, payment plans, offers, liens, levies and payroll tax issues: how Wallace CPA in Southlake, TX can review your case." url: https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/services/irs-problems publisher: Wallace CPA phone: +1-877-682-1171 quote: https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/contact --- Wallace CPA ยท Southlake, TX # IRS notices and tax problems in Southlake, TX IRS problem resolution means reading the notice, finding out what the IRS says you owe or must file, and choosing a response. Wallace CPA reviews your letters and records, explains your options in plain terms, and can contact the IRS for you with a signed power of attorney. [Call (877) 682-1171](tel:+1-877-682-1171)[Send a message](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/contact?service=IRS%20problem%20resolution) ![A worried couple at a kitchen table reading paperwork together](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/_astro/couple-with-paperwork.C-199Y5v_ZBSLKX.avif) ## What's included - A line-by-line review of the IRS notice or letter - Preparation and filing of past-due returns - Review of balances, penalties and interest - Help applying for a payment plan or an offer in compromise - Review of lien, levy and payroll tax notices - Communication with the IRS under a power of attorney ## When people call - You received a letter or bill from the IRS - A notice gives a date to respond or to pay - You have not filed one or more returns - You owe more than you can pay at once - Your wages or bank account were levied or you got a notice of intent to levy - Your payroll tax deposits were late or missed ## What should I do first when I get an IRS notice? Read it carefully and keep it. The IRS says that if it asks you to respond, you should act by the due date. Check the notice number in the top right corner, compare the letter with your return, and gather your records. Our guide on [what to do with an IRS notice](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/guides/irs-notice-what-to-do) lists the steps. Wallace CPA can read the notice with you and help plan a reply. ## What if I owe back taxes? An IRS bill starts the collection process. The IRS says unpaid balances collect interest that compounds daily, plus a monthly late payment penalty. The first step is to learn the amount, the tax years and what has been filed. Then the options can be compared, such as a payment plan or an [offer in compromise](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/offer-in-compromise). A [penalty abatement](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/penalty-abatement) request may also apply. See the post on [IRS penalty relief](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/blog/irs-penalty-relief). ## What if I have not filed past returns? Unfiled returns can lead to penalties and collection steps. Late filing penalties are usually five percent of the tax owed for each month, up to 25 percent, according to the IRS. A CPA can gather your income records, prepare the missing returns and file them. The IRS also expects returns to be filed before it considers some collection options. ## How do IRS payment plans work? The IRS offers short-term plans of 180 days or less and long-term monthly plans, called an [installment agreement](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/installment-agreement). Which one is open to you depends on your balance and filing history. Interest and penalties continue while you pay. Read our guide on [payment plans and offers in compromise](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/guides/irs-payment-plans-and-offers-in-compromise). ## What is an offer in compromise? An offer in compromise may allow a taxpayer to settle for less than the full amount owed if paying in full is not possible or would cause hardship. The IRS looks at income, expenses and asset equity, and generally does not accept an offer if you can pay through a plan. Wallace CPA can help you check whether to apply. We cannot promise the IRS will accept an offer. ## What are tax liens and levies? A [tax lien](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/tax-lien) is a legal claim against your property. A [tax levy](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/tax-levy) is the actual seizure of property, which can include wages and bank funds. If you get a Final Notice of Intent to Levy, the IRS says to contact it right away because the notice carries a deadline. Call our office on (877) 682-1171 so we can review the letter. ## What are payroll tax problems? Payroll tax problems come from late deposits, unfiled employment returns or unpaid withholding. The IRS says you must deposit and report employment taxes on time. Wallace CPA can review the notices, compare them with your payroll records and help you reply. If you want help going forward, see our [payroll service](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/services/payroll) and the glossary entries for [payroll tax](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/payroll-tax) and [Form 941](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/form-941). ## What is innocent spouse relief? Innocent spouse relief can remove a spouse's responsibility for extra tax on a joint return when the other spouse understated the tax and the first did not know of the errors. The IRS reviews many facts before deciding. Request it as soon as you learn of the tax. Learn the term in our glossary entry on [innocent spouse relief](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/innocent-spouse-relief). ## Can a CPA speak to the IRS for me? With a signed power of attorney, a CPA can usually communicate with the IRS for you on matters you list. The IRS says taxpayers have the right to retain an authorized representative of their choice. See the glossary entry on [Form 2848](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/form-2848-power-of-attorney) and on an [IRS audit](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/irs-audit). Bankruptcy and legal disputes need an attorney. We cover the tax side. General information, not advice for your situation. Talk with a CPA about your own facts before you act. ## Questions about IRS problem resolution Ask anything else: call [(877) 682-1171](tel:+1-877-682-1171). [Read the guideGot an IRS notice? How to read it and what to do first](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/guides/irs-notice-what-to-do) ### How fast must I reply to an IRS notice? Reply by the due date printed on the notice. The IRS says to act by that date if it asks you to respond. Appeal rights can depend on a timely reply. ### Can Wallace CPA promise to stop a levy or lower my bill? No. No firm can promise IRS outcomes. We review your case, explain the options and help you respond. ### What does the IRS say about unpaid balances? The IRS says an unpaid balance is subject to interest that compounds daily and a monthly late payment penalty, up to the maximum the law allows. ### What if I cannot pay the full amount? The IRS says to file on time and pay what you can. Payment plans and, in some cases, an offer in compromise exist. We can help you compare them. ### Does a CPA handle bankruptcy or lawsuits? No. An attorney handles bankruptcy and legal disputes. A CPA covers the tax side of those matters. ## Related services - [Tax preparation](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/services/tax-preparation) - [Payroll services](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/services/payroll) - [Tax planning](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/services/tax-planning) ## Sources 1. [IRS: Understanding your IRS notice or letter](https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-irs-notice-or-letter) 2. [IRS: Topic no. 201, The collection process](https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc201) 3. [IRS: Online payment agreement application](https://www.irs.gov/payments/online-payment-agreement-application) 4. [IRS: Offer in compromise](https://www.irs.gov/payments/offer-in-compromise) 5. [IRS: Levy](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/levy) 6. [IRS: Understanding a federal tax lien](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/understanding-a-federal-tax-lien) 7. [IRS: Innocent spouse relief](https://www.irs.gov/individuals/innocent-spouse-relief) 8. [IRS: Taxpayer Bill of Rights](https://www.irs.gov/taxpayer-bill-of-rights) 9. [IRS: Topic no. 653, IRS notices and bills, penalties and interest charges](https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc653) 10. [IRS: Employment taxes](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/employment-taxes) ## Talk to Wallace CPA Call the Southlake office and say what you need: a return, an IRS letter, your books or a new business. Have the notice or last year's return nearby if you have one. [Call (877) 682-1171](tel:+1-877-682-1171)[Send a message](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/contact) 180 State Street, Suite 225, Southlake, TX 76092