IRS Representation in Chicago, IL | Tax Dispute & Audit Help
Received an IRS letter or an audit notice? You do not have to face it alone. We read the notice, explain what it means, respond on your behalf and work toward a resolution you can live with, for individuals, small businesses and nonprofits.
We can help if you have
- An IRS or Illinois notice you do not understand
- An audit letter or a request for documents
- A CP2000 saying your income did not match
- A balance you cannot pay all at once
- A final notice of intent to levy or a lien
- Penalties you believe are unfair
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Most IRS letters can be resolved. The deadline is what matters.
Receiving an IRS notice or facing an audit is stressful, and the instinct is often to set the letter aside. That is the one thing not to do. Nearly every notice has a response date, and missing it is what turns a fixable problem into penalties, a lien or a levy.
Heard & Associates LLC helps individuals, small businesses and nonprofits across Chicago respond to the IRS and the Illinois Department of Revenue. With your authorization, we communicate with the IRS on your behalf, prepare the documentation, and work through audits, balances, penalties and collection actions so your rights are protected and nothing is conceded that should not be.
Many cases start with a return that was never filed or filed incorrectly. Our unfiled tax return and amended return services fix the underlying issue so the case can actually close.
What our IRS representation services include
We act as your advocate in every stage of an IRS or Illinois matter, from the first letter to final resolution.
IRS Notice Response
We read the letter, confirm whether the IRS is right, and prepare the response, payment or correction before the deadline. Many notices end here.
Amended returns →Audit Representation
Correspondence, office and field audits for individuals, businesses and nonprofits. We organize the records, answer the examiner and defend every deduction and credit you are entitled to.
Individual tax preparation →Back Taxes and Payment Plans
Installment agreements, partial payment plans and, where you qualify, an Offer in Compromise to settle for less than the full balance.
Back taxes and unfiled returns →Liens, Levies and Garnishments
When collection has started, we act fast to request holds, release levies on wages or bank accounts and negotiate a solution that stops the enforcement.
Get urgent help →Penalty Abatement and Appeals
First-time abatement, reasonable cause requests and appeals when you disagree with an audit result, a penalty or a collection decision.
Tax advisory →Illinois Department of Revenue
State notices, IL-1040 adjustments, sales tax and withholding issues handled alongside the federal case so both agencies close together.
Illinois state tax →What your IRS notice means and what to do next
The number is printed in the top or bottom right corner of the letter. Here are the ones we see most often in Chicago.
IRS audit and collection timelines
The IRS generally has three years from the date a return was filed to audit it. That window stretches to six years when income was understated by more than 25%, and it never starts for a return that was not filed. Once a balance is assessed, the IRS usually has ten years to collect it, through notices, liens and levies.
Those clocks are why timing matters so much. A quick, complete response to an audit letter can keep the examination narrow. A payment plan set up before a final notice keeps levies off the table. And a hearing requested within 30 days of a final notice preserves rights that are lost after that date.
Ways to resolve an IRS balance or dispute
There is almost always more than one path. The right one depends on what you owe, what you earn and what you own.
Installment agreement
Offer in Compromise
Penalty abatement
Currently not collectible
Appeals and hearings
How we handle your IRS case
Our Discovery, Proposal, Resolution process keeps you informed at every step.
Send us the notice
Upload or email the letter. We confirm the deadline and what the IRS is asking for, usually the same day.
Authorize us
You sign an IRS authorization form so we can pull your transcripts and speak with the IRS on your behalf.
Build the response
We gather records, correct any returns that need it and prepare the response, appeal or payment request.
Resolve and stay compliant
We see the case through to closure and set up estimates and filings so it does not happen again.
What to do when an IRS letter arrives
A few steps in the first days make the rest of the case easier and cheaper.
- Open it and find the notice number and the response date
- Check that it is real: the IRS starts by mail, not by phone, text or email
- Do not ignore it, even if you think it is wrong
- Do not pay a CP2000 or audit adjustment before reviewing it
- Gather the return and documents for the year in question
- Keep every envelope and letter together
Beware of IRS impersonation scams
The IRS will not call to demand immediate payment, ask for gift cards or wire transfers, or threaten arrest. Real IRS contact almost always begins with a letter sent to the address on your return.
If you are unsure whether a letter or call is genuine, send it to us before you respond. We can check your IRS account transcript and tell you exactly what, if anything, is owed.
Have us check a notice →Rated 5.0 by 100+ clients on Google
Clients describe a team that took the stress off their hands, explained every step and stayed with them until the matter was closed.
IRS representation questions
Every case is different. If your question is not here, ask us during a confidential consultation.
Book a consultation →What does IRS representation mean?
It means someone acts on your behalf with the IRS once you sign an authorization form. Your representative can request your account records, respond to notices, speak with IRS employees and negotiate, so you do not have to handle the calls and letters yourself.
I got a letter from the IRS. What should I do first?
Find the notice number and the response date, and do not ignore it. Then send it to us before you call the IRS or pay anything. Many notices, especially CP2000 income mismatches and audit adjustments, are partly or fully wrong, and a correct response can reduce or eliminate what is owed.
How do I know if an IRS letter or call is real?
The IRS almost always starts contact by mail. It does not call demanding immediate payment, ask for gift cards or wire transfers, or threaten arrest. If in doubt, we can pull your IRS account transcript and confirm whether the notice matches your actual account.
Can you stop an IRS levy or wage garnishment?
Often, yes. Setting up an installment agreement, requesting a Collection Due Process hearing within 30 days of a final notice, or showing that a levy creates financial hardship can stop or release it. The sooner we are involved, the more options remain.
Can I settle my tax debt for less than I owe?
Possibly, through an Offer in Compromise. The IRS accepts offers when the amount offered reflects what it could reasonably collect, based on your income, expenses and assets. We run that calculation first so you know whether an offer is realistic before you apply.
How long does an IRS audit take?
A correspondence audit handled by mail can wrap up in a few months once the IRS receives a complete response. Office and field audits take longer, often several months to a year. Organized records and a single point of contact usually shorten the process.
Can penalties be removed?
Frequently. First-time abatement can remove failure-to-file and failure-to-pay penalties if you had a clean record for the prior three years. Reasonable cause relief applies when events such as serious illness or a disaster prevented you from complying.
Do you also handle Illinois Department of Revenue notices?
Yes. State income tax adjustments, sales and withholding tax issues and notices that follow an IRS change are handled alongside the federal case so both agencies are resolved together. See our state and local tax page.
What if I have not filed tax returns for several years?
Filing the missing returns is usually the first step in resolving any IRS balance, because the IRS will not agree to most payment plans until you are compliant. Our unfiled tax return service handles that part.
Get professional IRS help today
Do not wait until the IRS escalates. Send us your notice and we will tell you what it means, what your deadline is and what we recommend.