IRS Appeals: How to Appeal a Negative IRS Decision

In this world, there is no quicker and easier way of making your life incredibly tough, than falling foul of the IRS. Want an example, just look at Al Capone. Capone was allegedly a notorious mobster and crime boss, allegedly involved in countless organized criminal activities, yet the reason he ended up behind bars was simple tax evasion. Yes, get on the wrong side of the tax man and you will certainly know about it. But what about when the IRS wrongs you, or when you believe that the IRS has wronged you? What then? Well, if you wish to appeal against an IRS tax bill or decision, if you know the system, things can work in your favour. It is also highly recommended that you make use of our professional tax representation firm, to avoid getting into trouble in the first place. Here are some things you should know about appealing against an IRS decision such as an audit report, tax levy or lien.

You will receive a copy of the auditor’s ruling – If being audited, first and foremost you will receive a copy of the auditor’s ruling or report, which will be accompanied by a 30-day letter containing details on how you can file an appeal. The letter is known as a 30-day letter because your appeal must be filed timely within 30 days.

You will need to know what to include – Before sending your protest letter to the IRS appeals division, you will first have to ensure that you have provided them with everything they need. Common things that need including are: your name, contact number, and address. A statement mentioning that you wish to appeal, reasons for disagreeing with each unique item, details of tax periods involved, facts that you believe support your case, law and relevant tax code citations, and much more besides.

The IRS will get back to you – Though it will be a nerve-wracking time, once you send your protest letter (audit, levy or lien) and let the IRS know that you wish to make an appeal, you simply have to play the waiting game. The IRS should get back to you within 90 days, though you can always contact them beforehand to ensure that they received the necessary documents.

There are certain IRS actions which can actually be undone – Obviously if you wish to make an appeal, you should get the ball rolling as quickly as possible. Even if things don’t go in your favor however, there are certain IRS actions which can be undone after the fact at a later date. For example, if the IRS decided to place a levy on your bank account, with a successful appeal, this ruling and this action could be undone. Just remember however, that undoing a decision is likely to cost money and time, so ideally the sooner you can get things cleared up, the better.

You will need to attend a hearing – Once the IRS has received your appeal info, a date will be set and you will need to attend a hearing, audit, levy or lien. Don’t worry, it is quite informal, and it’s certainly not how you would imagine it. You will still need to prepare however, make sure you have an outline of what you wish to say. You may be asked by the officer, for plenty of additional information. Or better-off, contact our tax representation expert, Mike Habib, and let him handle it professionally for you, he knows the appeals protocol as he has represented hundreds of similar cases.

Mike Habib is an IRS licensed Enrolled Agent who owns and operates a specialized tax representation firm serving individual and business taxpayers seeking IRS appeals in various metro areas such as Los Angeles, Whittier, Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank, Orange County, Riverside, Palm Springs, San Bernardino, Palmdale, Bakersfield, New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, San Jose, Detroit, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Columbus, Austin, Memphis, Fort Worth, Baltimore, Charlotte, El Paso, Boston, Seattle, Washington DC, Milwaukee, Denver, Louisville, Jefferson, Las Vegas, Reno, Hempstead, Tucson, Nashville, Davidson, Portland, Tucson, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Anchorage, Atlanta, Long Beach, Fresno, Sacramento, Mesa, Kansas City, Cleveland, Virginia Beach, Omaha, Miami, Oakland, Tulsa, Honolulu, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Colorado Springs, Arlington, Wichita, Birmingham, Montgomery, Tampa, Orlando.

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IRS appeals representation help for clients throughout Southern California including Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, Downey, Pico Rivera, Montebello, Hacienda Heights, La Habra Heights, West Covina, La Habra, Brea, Fullerton, Yorba Linda, Cerritos, La Mirada, Lakewood, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Long Beach, Compton, Torrance, Los Angeles, Pasadena, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and throughout Los Angeles County, Newport Beach, Irvine, Orange County, Corona, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, the Inland Empire, the San Fernando Valley, Ventura county, and the San Gabriel Valley.