I received an IRS notice. What should I do first?
Do not ignore it — and do not simply pay it. Every notice carries a number, a tax year, and a deadline, and each one is the IRS stating a position: a proposed change, an assessed penalty, a balance it believes you owe. Positions can be examined against your actual account record, and many do not survive a careful reading. Start with a Notice Analysis: we identify what the notice really claims, whether your account agrees, and what your options are — before the deadline makes the decision for you.
What happens in a Notice Analysis?
You get one focused hour on your notices. We perform a detailed analysis of your IRS or state tax notices to identify the root causes behind them and develop strategic solutions. You leave knowing what the notice claims, what your account shows, which deadlines control, and the clear set of options for resolution or response — in plain language, not code sections.
Can penalties actually be removed?
Sometimes — and the mechanisms are specific. First Time Abate can waive failure-to-file and failure-to-pay penalties for taxpayers with a clean compliance history. Reasonable-cause relief exists when circumstances beyond your control caused the failure. Which route fits depends entirely on your account record, which is why an analysis reads the record first. What we will never do is promise an outcome before we have seen it.
If the penalties go away, does the interest go away too?
Only partly — and this is the detail most people miss. Interest charged on penalties that get relieved is adjusted with them. But interest on the tax itself is generally not removed by penalty relief: it accrues from the due date, compounds daily, and keeps running while a balance stands. The reliable way to shrink interest is to shrink the tax and penalties it rides on — and to start sooner.
Can you represent me before the IRS?
Yes. Jackie W. Pointer is an Enrolled Agent — a federally licensed tax practitioner authorized to represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service in examinations, collections, and appeals. Representation runs from initial review to final agreement: audits, collection actions, and complex tax controversies that require an Enrolled Agent’s advocacy.
I don’t live in Florida. Can you still help?
Yes — we provide tax representation and notice analysis nationwide. Federal tax controversies do not depend on where you live, and we work with taxpayers across the country from our Sarasota, Florida practice. State notices are part of the work as well.
How much does it cost to get started?
Our prices are published, because you should not have to book a sales call to learn them. A Notice Analysis is $150 for one hour. A Tax Account Review — a comprehensive review of your account transcripts — is $200 for ninety minutes. Both are booked directly on our website. Work for fellow tax professionals is arranged by conversation.
What should I send you to get started?
Start with the conversation, not your documents. Do not submit SSNs or tax documents. We will handle secure documentation exchange during our formal engagement process. Bring the notice itself to your analysis — its number, tax year, and response deadline are where the work begins.