Free IRS letter and notice review assistance
Received a letter from the IRS and unsure what it means? ARBSTAX will review the notice itself at no charge and explain what it appears to say. If you want help responding to the IRS or resolving the underlying issue, that is a separate paid service.
The free service covers only reviewing the IRS notice. Preparing a response, contacting the IRS, representation, and work to resolve the underlying tax issue are separate paid services. We’ll explain the scope and fee before any paid work begins.
Understand the letter before deciding what to do.
IRS notices can ask for information, explain an account change, or identify a response date. A brief review can help clarify what the notice appears to say and whether further professional assistance may be appropriate.
What does it say?
We help you identify the notice type, the issue described, and any stated dates or requested actions.
What may be needed?
We can point out documents or facts that may be relevant before you decide whether to engage us for additional help.
What is the next step?
We explain the next steps. Preparing an IRS response, contacting the IRS, representing you, or resolving the underlying tax issue requires a separate paid engagement with its own scope and fee.
A simple, secure starting point.
- Send an inquiry with the notice type and response date, if shown.
- We’ll reply with instructions for securely sharing the notice.
- ARBSTAX reviews the notice itself at no charge and explains what it appears to say and possible next steps.
- Any response preparation, IRS contact, representation, or work to resolve the issue is a separate paid service, scoped and quoted before work begins.
Protect your personal information
Do not include your Social Security number, full tax return, or other sensitive tax data in the initial inquiry. We’ll provide secure sharing instructions if a copy of the notice is needed.
Keep your deadline in view. A free initial review does not extend an IRS response deadline or pause collection activity. Follow the notice instructions and contact the IRS or a qualified tax professional promptly if a deadline is near.
Common IRS letters and notices we can help you understand
These examples reflect common notice topics. The free review covers the notice itself and what it appears to say; it does not complete IRS actions or resolve the underlying matter. Follow the instructions and deadlines printed on your notice.
CP5071 series: identity verification
The IRS may ask you to verify your identity and tax return before it continues processing. Use the IRS instructions on your notice. The free review does not complete identity verification for you.
CP53E: refund direct deposit
This notice concerns a refund the IRS could not send by direct deposit. Review the notice for the steps and response deadline that apply to your situation.
CP081B: payments or credits, return not received
This notice may say the IRS received payments or credits but has not received the tax return for the year shown. The notice may also discuss a time limit for claiming a refund or credit.
CP321J: Saver’s Match information
This notice provides information about potential eligibility for the Saver’s Match. Check the IRS notice for details that apply to you.
CP2000: proposed tax return changes
The IRS may send a CP2000 when information from an employer, bank, or other third party does not match the return. It is a proposed change, not a bill, and a response may be required by the date shown.
CP14: unpaid tax balance
This notice generally says the IRS shows an unpaid tax balance. Review the tax year, amount, and due date. A free review does not include a payment arrangement, dispute, or collection resolution.
CP3219A: notice of deficiency
This notice proposes a change to your tax and includes a response deadline. Read it promptly; the notice explains how to respond and any Tax Court petition deadline. Representation or response preparation is a separate paid service.
Levy notices, including CP504
A levy-related notice can involve urgent collection deadlines or hearing rights. A free review does not pause collection or include IRS representation; any representation or resolution work is a separate paid engagement.
IRS letter and notice help: FAQs
What is included in the free review?
The free review covers only reading the IRS notice and explaining its apparent purpose, any stated response date, and possible next steps. It does not include preparing or submitting a response, contacting the IRS, representing you, or resolving the underlying tax issue. Those are separate paid services, quoted before work begins.
Do I need to send my notice right away?
Start by sending an inquiry without sensitive tax identifiers. ARBSTAX will respond with instructions for sharing documents securely if they are needed for the review.
Can ARBSTAX respond to the IRS for me?
Preparing or submitting a response, contacting the IRS, representing you, or working to resolve the underlying tax issue is not included in the free notice review. These are separate paid services; ARBSTAX will explain the scope, any authorization requirements, and the fee before work begins.
Does the review guarantee a particular outcome?
No. The IRS makes decisions about tax accounts and notices. The initial review is based on the information provided and does not guarantee an IRS result or replace legal advice.
Why would the IRS or Department of the Treasury send me a letter?
The IRS may mail a notice to ask about a tax return, explain a change to your account, request information or payment, or raise another specific issue. Look for the CP or letter number printed on the notice and check it on the IRS notice and letter lookup. ARBSTAX’s free review explains the notice itself; any response or other IRS work is separate and paid.
Why did my IRS letter come from Ogden, Utah?
An IRS return address by itself does not explain why you received the letter or what you need to do. Check the notice title, CP or letter number, tax year, and response date, then use the IRS’s official notice lookup. If you are unsure what it means, you can request our no-charge review of the notice itself.
How can I check whether an IRS letter is legitimate?
Search the notice or letter number on IRS.gov. If it is not listed or seems suspicious, use contact information found on IRS.gov to verify it. Avoid using unexpected email or text links to provide personal or payment information. See the IRS guidance on warning signs of tax scams.
Does a certified letter from the IRS mean I am being audited?
Not by itself. Read the notice title and number to understand the issue and any required action. The IRS notice lookup can help identify the letter; a free ARBSTAX review is limited to explaining the notice and does not include an IRS response or representation.
Let’s make the notice easier to understand.
Tell us what type of IRS letter you received and when a response is due. We’ll reply with the next step for a no-charge review of the notice itself. Any response, IRS contact, representation, or issue-resolution work is paid and separately scoped.
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