IRS letter, audit, or tax debt? Talk to a tax lawyer before it grows.

Read it carefully and note any deadline. Many notices ask for information or propose a change to your return.

Some, like a final notice of intent to levy or a notice of deficiency, start a clock on your rights. Avoid setting it aside. If you are unsure how to respond, we can review the notice with you in a free consultation.

Yes. A bank levy reaches the funds in your account, and a wage levy, often called a garnishment, requires your employer to send part of each paycheck to the IRS.

Collection usually starts with a series of notices. The final notice of intent to levy gives you a limited window to request a Collection Due Process hearing. In many cases a levy can be released.

A lien is a claim: the government's legal claim against your property when a tax debt goes unpaid. A levy is a taking, such as money pulled from a bank account.

A lien is serious but can often be managed, for example through a discharge, a subordination, or a withdrawal of the public notice when the conditions are met.

Most people who owe the IRS cannot pay in full at once, and the system recognizes that. Options can include an installment agreement, an offer in compromise, currently not collectible status, and penalty relief.

The right one depends on how much is owed, your income and expenses, and the value of your assets.

Sometimes. An offer in compromise lets some taxpayers settle for less than the full amount, but it is not available to everyone and it is not the quick fix some advertisements suggest.

The IRS looks at what it believes it could reasonably collect from your income and assets over time. Each offer depends on careful preparation and honest financial disclosure.

The IRS reviews your records and may ask for documents. At the end of an examination it proposes adjustments and offers a route to its Independent Office of Appeals, which reviews disputes before any court case.

Preparing records and answering document requests carefully matters at every step.

If an audit dispute is not resolved, the IRS sends a notice of deficiency, often called a 90-day letter. You generally have 90 days to petition the U.S. Tax Court, which lets you dispute the tax before paying it.

Another route is to pay first and sue for a refund. Which one fits depends on your situation.

When you file a joint return, both spouses can be held responsible for the tax. Innocent spouse relief is a way to ask the IRS to relieve you of tax, interest, and penalties that came from your spouse's or former spouse's items on a joint return.

There are specific requirements and time limits, and the U.S. Tax Court can review these cases.

Yes. IRS matters run under federal law, which is the same in every state. Kathryn Meyer is licensed in California and admitted to practice before the U.S. Tax Court, and she works with clients on federal tax issues wherever they live.

Consultations are by phone or Zoom, and in person at the Alexandria, Virginia office.

A confidential conversation about your situation: we listen, review any notices you have, and talk through your options and possible next steps.

No obligation to hire us afterward.