Flowchart titled 'Navigating Tax Relief: A Step-by-Step Guide' with seven color-coded steps: Step 1 (blue): Sign the Tax Power of Attorney; Step 2 (blue): Pull transcripts and account records; Step 3 (green): Check filing compliance; Step 4 (green): Fix the current year, withholding, or estimated payments; Step 5 (yellow): Evaluate your total circumstances for the right program; Step 6 (orange): Apply or request relief; Step 7 (pink): Decision, approval, request for more info, or appeal review.

IRS Tax Resolution Process

Here is exactly what happens after you hire me to deal with the IRS or the state. My job is to get the facts, stop the problem from growing, then push for the best relief you qualify for.

Advertisement for Semper Tax Relief featuring a man in a suit with a red tie. The ad lists their services: tax filings, tax resolution, and audit defense. Logos of various news channels and Google reviews with a 5-star rating are shown. There is a red button labeled 'Book Online' and the website www.semperTax.com. Inset image shows handshake with two men and a woman in a professional setting.

To keep your case moving and your information protected, I run this entire process through a secure client portal. You will use it to upload documents, sign approved forms electronically, and track what I still need from you. It keeps everything in one place, cuts down on email back and forth, and helps me move faster when the IRS or state is requesting items on a deadline.

Illustration of a conversation about signing the tax power of attorney, with a man asking about the process and a woman explaining it. The title reads 'Signing the Tax Power of Attorney.'

The Tax Power of Attorney

What I do: I get your tax power of attorney signed so I can speak to the IRS or state for you.
Why it matters: This gets you out of the middle, and lets me request records and talk directly with the right departments.

Pull transcripts and account records

Flowchart showing the process of gathering tax information, starting with pulling IRS transcripts, then collecting state records, analyzing the information, and reviewing the collected data to understand the tax situation.

Gather transcripts, account history, and records from the IRS and, if needed, the state.


Why it matters: We work from facts, not guesses, including what was filed, what is missing, what the agency believes you owe, and what collections actions are active.

Check filing compliance

Flowchart titled 'Tax Filing Compliance Check' with five steps: Review Tax Returns, Identify Problem Years, Address Compliance Issues, Ensure Compliance, and Identify Missing Years, each with different colors and icons representing the process.

What I do: I review every tax return you were required to file and compare that against what the IRS or state actually has on record.

Why it matters: Missing returns can block almost every relief option before we even start. I identify which years are missing, which years show a balance, and which years may need an amended return before we can move forward.

Fix the current year, withholding or estimated payments

Flow chart titled 'Achieving Tax Balance' visually representing four stages: Growing Tax Balance with unpaid taxes, Review Withholding/Payments with scissors icon, Stop Balance Growth with a mountain and flag, and Balanced Tax Account with no tax balance, each stage outlined in different colors.

Review withholding changes if you are a W2 employee, or estimated tax payments if you are self employed or own a business.

A diagram titled 'Evaluating Tax Circumstances for Relief' with a central box labeled 'Evaluate Tax Circumstances.' Surrounding this are five categories: 'Type of Tax' (including Income Tax and Sales Tax), 'Income' (Monthly and Annual Income), 'Household Facts' (Number of Dependents and Marital Status), 'Assets' (Real Estate and Savings Accounts), and 'Required Living Expenses' (Housing Costs and Food Expenses). Each category has sub-items listed below.

Evaluate the total circumstances

What I do: I review your complete financial picture. That generally means income, household size, assets, required living expenses, and the type of tax involved.

Why it matters: Relief is not one-size-fits-all. The program that may fit your situation depends on your actual numbers, not just the amount you owe.

Apply or request relief

Flowchart titled 'Applying for Tax Relief' outlining steps: Prepare and Submit Relief Request, Track Case Assignment, Track Case Review, Clean Submission, leading to Reduced Delays, Prevented Missed Deadlines, and Improved Chance of Favorable Outcome.

Prepare and submit the relief request, plus supporting documents, and I track the case through assignment and review.
Why it matters: A clean submission reduces delays, prevents missed deadlines, and improves the chance of a favorable outcome.

Decision, approval, request for more info, or appeal review

Flowchart titled 'Tax Issue Resolution Cycle' showing steps with icons: Receive Agency Response, Respond to Questions, Evaluate Decision, Consider Appeal, Pursue Appeal, in a circular sequence.

Handle the agency response, respond to questions, and if the decision is not reasonable, I evaluate whether an appeal is available and worth pursuing.


Why it matters: Many denials are procedural or documentation based, and some cases can be improved with the right follow up or appeal path.

Every case is different, and the timeline and outcome depend on many factors, including your filing compliance, the quality of the records available, IRS or state workflow, and the discretion of the assigned agent or reviewer. Once I pull your transcripts and review your situation, I will explain what options are realistic, what to expect next, and what we can do to move your case forward.