IRS letter help
Do you need a tax attorney?
You are searching for a tax attorney near you and want to know if your case needs one.
You need one mainly for Tax Court or a criminal case, and a 90-day letter gives you 90 days to petition.
Start with the free IRS options first, then call us to talk with a licensed tax professional about your case.
Which numbers matter?
90 days
You have 90 days from the date on your Notice of Deficiency to petition Tax Court.
Mark that date and talk to an attorney well before it arrives.
150 days
You get 150 days when the notice is addressed to you outside the U.S.
Check the address on the notice to count the right number of days.
$50,000
A dispute of $50,000 or less per tax year can use simpler Tax Court procedures.
Add up the tax and penalties for each year in dispute.
Facing Tax Court after a 90-day letter
A 90-day letter gives you 90 days from the date on the notice to petition Tax Court.
Miss it and you lose your Tax Court option, but a licensed tax professional can review the letter first.
Call now and go over your 90-day letter before you hire anyone.
Call 855-964-5291What happens when you call
- You call during business hours and say which letter or bill you have.
- A licensed tax professional asks for the date, the amount and the tax years on the letter.
- You hear your options for this notice and decide what to do. Nothing is filed without your yes.
A licensed tax professional answers, not the IRS. The call costs nothing, and you give up nothing by calling. IRS Code Lookup is a private tax help service.
Would you rather send your notice details?
Sending your notice code and date shows whether your case points to Tax Court or IRS collection.
That tells you if you need an attorney, an enrolled agent or a CPA.
What changed recently?
In June 2026, the FTC and Nevada filed a proposed settlement order against the operators of American Tax Service. It sets a $77.7 million judgment, suspended except about $8 million, and bans them from debt relief and tax preparation.
Source: FTC and Nevada settlement with tax relief operators (June 2, 2026).
Do I need one?
- You got a 90-day letter and want to fight it in Tax Court with a lawyer.
- An IRS Criminal Investigation special agent contacted you. They are the only armed IRS employees, per the IRS contact page.
- The case involves a business sale, an estate or a dispute over large sums.
Small Tax Court cases, $50,000 or less per year in dispute, can use simpler procedures, according to the IRS deficiency notice page.
What does it cost?
Attorneys set their own fees, often by the hour. Ask for the fee in writing before you sign. For tax debt alone, compare it with the cost of doing it yourself: $29 to set up a payment plan online, or $205 to apply for an offer.
Which do I need: an attorney, an enrolled agent or a company?
Attorneys are licensed by state courts or the state bar. Enrolled agents are licensed by the IRS and pass a three-part exam. Both, and CPAs, have unlimited representation rights before the IRS, per the IRS credentials page.
A company that is not run by an attorney, enrolled agent or CPA has to use one of them to represent you.
What should I ask before I hire?
- Are you licensed in my state, and can I see your bar number?
- How many Tax Court or IRS collection cases did you handle last year?
- Is the fee hourly or flat, and what does it cover?
- Will an enrolled agent on your staff do part of the work at a lower rate?
What are the red flags?
- A promised result, such as a set settlement amount.
- Pressure to sign the same day.
- No written fee agreement.
Check a bar license on your state bar's website. Report problem tax help companies at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, as the FTC advises.
What should you read next?
Questions people ask
Do I need a tax attorney for an IRS levy?
Not usually. An enrolled agent or CPA can ask for a hearing or release just as an attorney can.
Can a tax attorney go to Tax Court for me?
Ask whether the attorney is admitted to practice before the Tax Court. A state law license alone does not establish that admission.
How do I check a tax attorney's license?
Look them up on your state bar's website by name or bar number.
Is a tax attorney better than an enrolled agent?
For court, yes. For IRS collection work, both have the same representation rights.
Sources
- Understanding tax return preparer credentials and qualifications. Published by irs.gov.
- How to know it's the IRS. Published by irs.gov.
- Understanding your CP3219N notice. Published by irs.gov.
- FTC: Trouble paying your taxes?. Published by consumer.ftc.gov.
- FTC and Nevada settlement with tax relief operators (June 2, 2026). Published by ftc.gov.
Last checked October 2026
What to do now
- Find the code and the date printed on your IRS letter.
- Count 90 days from that date if it is a Notice of Deficiency.
- Check any attorney's license on your state bar's website.
- Get the fee in writing before you sign anything.
Call now and go over your 90-day letter before you hire anyone.
A licensed tax professional answers, not the IRS. The call costs nothing, and you give up nothing by calling. IRS Code Lookup is a private tax help service.