IRS letter help
Getting help with tax debt
You owe the IRS, and you are weighing whether to hire a tax relief company.
If you owe $50,000 or less and filed all your returns, you can set up a payment plan online for $29.
Start with the free IRS options yourself, then call a licensed tax professional if your case needs more.
Which numbers matter?
$50,000
If your tax, penalties and interest add up to this or less, you can apply for a long-term plan yourself.
Add up your full balance before you pay anyone to help.
$29
The IRS charges you $29 to set up a payment plan online, and $107 by phone, mail or in person.
Apply online to pay the lowest setup fee.
$205
An offer in compromise costs $205 to apply, and the IRS does not refund that fee.
Compare that fee with any company quote before you sign.
Help for tax debt past the online plan
If you owe more than $50,000 or have years of missing returns, the online payment plan will not cover you.
A licensed tax professional can file your financial forms and Form 2848, then deal with the IRS for you.
Call now and ask who will work your file and what the total fee is in writing.
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?
Send your latest IRS balance notice through the form so a licensed tax professional sees your real numbers.
Your balance, tax years and any levy warning show which IRS option fits your tax debt.
What changed recently?
Since June 2, 2026, a proposed FTC and Nevada settlement order targets 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).
Who needs help?
Most people with a balance under $50,000 can set up a payment plan online in one sitting. Help pays off when:
- A levy notice gives you 30 days and you want a hearing.
- A 90-day letter means a possible Tax Court case.
- You owe more than the online plan limit and need financial forms filed.
- Several years of returns are missing.
What does it cost?
In a 2010 case, the FTC said one company charged upfront fees of about $3,200 to $25,000 (FTC press release). Compare that with what the IRS charges you directly: $29 to set up a payment plan online, or $205 to apply for an offer in compromise.
A good firm gives you a written fee before it starts and tells you what you could file on your own.
Which do I need: an attorney, an enrolled agent or a company?
Enrolled agents, CPAs and attorneys have unlimited rights to represent you before the IRS, including on collection and appeals, per the IRS credentials page. A company is only as good as the licensed person who actually works your file. See our pages on an enrolled agent and a tax attorney.
What should I ask before I hire?
- Who will work my case, and what is their license?
- What is the total fee, in writing, and when is it due?
- Which IRS option do you think fits me, and why?
- Will you file Form 2848 so you can talk to the IRS for me?
- What happens to my money if the IRS says no?
What are the red flags?
The FTC lists these:
- They say you "qualify" before seeing your numbers. Only the IRS decides that.
- They want the whole fee upfront.
- They charge monthly "maintenance fees" that run on for months or years.
- They quote other customers, such as paying "only 10%" of a debt.
Report a problem company at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
What should you read next?
Questions people ask
Are tax relief companies worth it?
Sometimes, for levies, Tax Court or large balances. For a balance under $50,000, a payment plan you set up online often does the same job.
How much do tax relief companies charge?
It varies. The FTC cited upfront fees of about $3,200 to $25,000 in a 2010 case.
Can a tax relief company stop a levy?
A licensed professional can ask for a hearing or release on your behalf. So can you.
What should I avoid when hiring tax help?
Anyone who wants the whole fee upfront, says you qualify before seeing your numbers, or charges open-ended monthly fees.
Sources
- FTC: Trouble paying your taxes?. Published by consumer.ftc.gov.
- FTC: court halts tax relief scam (2010). Published by ftc.gov.
- Understanding tax return preparer credentials and qualifications. Published by irs.gov.
- Payment plans; installment agreements. Published by irs.gov.
- Offer in compromise. Published by irs.gov.
- FTC and Nevada settlement with tax relief operators (June 2, 2026). Published by ftc.gov.
Last checked October 2026
What to do now
- Check your balance in your IRS online account before you talk to any company.
- Apply for a payment plan online if you owe $50,000 or less and filed every return.
- Ask any company who works your file, their license, and the total fee in writing.
- Report a company that demands the full fee upfront at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Call now and ask who will work your file and what the total fee is in writing.
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.