IRS and PA notice help
IRS notice help: bring the letter, leave with a plan.
A letter from the IRS, the PA Department of Revenue or the local collector. We read it with you, explain what it is asking, gather the records and draft your reply. $165 per letter on our pricing page (illustrative), and no charge if our return caused it.
On the hall table right now?
- An envelope with a number on it and a deadline.
- A letter from Harrisburg about a credit you claimed.
- A bill from the local collector you were not expecting.
Or call (412) 555-0163. January to April: Monday to Friday 9 am to 7 pm, Saturday 9 am to 2 pm.
How it works
Read it, explain it, reply.
- Step 1
Read it together
We tell you who sent it, what they are asking and by when.
- Step 2
Explain and gather
We compare it with the return it refers to and pull the records that answer it.
- Step 3
Draft the reply
You approve the reply and we help you send it on time.
The letters we see most
Most letters are one of four kinds.
- A proposed change to incomeUsually a 1099 the agency has and the return did not. Often a side-income question.
- A missing formA schedule or a document they want to see.
- A math correctionA change to a credit or a figure, with a new balance or refund.
- A local balanceUsually under-withholding from a job outside the City. See local tax returns.
What we do, and what we do not
Clear about where our help ends.
We do
For most everyday letters.
- Read and explain the letter
- Gather the records
- Draft the reply with you
- Correct the return if it needs it
We refer
When a case needs representation.
- Representation before the IRS
- Audits beyond a letter
- Legal questions
- We tell you so and refer it
Fair questions
What people say before they book.
“I am afraid of making it worse.”
Opening the letter is the hard part. Most letters ask a clear question with a clear answer.
“The deadline is next week.”
Call us. We prioritise letters with a date on them.
How we do it
A calm read of a scary envelope.
Claire reads every notice that comes through the door. She explains it in plain words and tells you honestly what it will take to answer it.
If the letter points to a mistake on a past return, we fix it with an amended return. If it is about a missed credit on a family return, we check the rest of the year too. Many of the letters we read belong to retirees in their first pension year.
Where we work
Brookline first, then the whole city.
Our office is at 1031 Brookline Blvd, Suite 2, Pittsburgh, PA 15226. Most clients live within twenty minutes of it; plenty never visit at all and do everything by secure upload and a phone call.
- Brookline
- Beechview
- Overbrook
- Carrick
- Banksville
- Bon Air
- Dormont
- Mt. Lebanon
- Castle Shannon
- Baldwin
- Whitehall
- Bethel Park
- Green Tree
- Mount Oliver
- Anywhere in Pennsylvania, remotely
Can you make the balance go away?
We cannot promise any outcome. We can explain what the letter means, check whether it is right and draft the best reply.
Do you represent clients before the IRS?
No. We draft and send replies with you. When a case needs representation, we say so and refer it.
What should I bring?
The letter, the envelope, and the return it refers to.
What does it cost?
$165 per letter (illustrative), and nothing if our own return caused it. See pricing.
I got a local balance due. Why?
Often a job outside the City withheld a lower rate than a City resident owes. Our earned income tax guide explains why.
Next step
Bring the letter. Leave with a plan.
Book a 30-minute sit-down this week, or call if the deadline is close.