What you can do yourself
The IRS has built most of the common requests into its online account. For these, paying someone adds cost without changing the result.
| Task | Where | IRS charge |
|---|---|---|
| See your balance and payment history | IRS online account | $0 |
| Get account and wage transcripts | IRS online account or by mail | $0 |
| Short-term payment plan (under $100,000, 180 days) | Online, individuals | $0 |
| Simple Payment Plan ($50,000 or less) | Online, individuals | $29 with direct debit, $69 without |
| Check offer in compromise eligibility | Online account or the Pre-Qualifier tool | $0 |
| File an offer in compromise | Online account, individuals | $205 plus the initial payment, both waived for low income |
| Request First Time Abate for an earlier year | Phone number on the notice | $0 |
| Penalty relief on 2025 and later returns | Applied automatically if you qualify | $0 |
When professional help earns its fee
The common thread is that the outcome depends on the record. In those cases the value of help is in getting the numbers right, not in access to a program.
- You have unfiled returns, or the IRS filed substitute returns that overstate what you owe.
- Your records are missing and income or expenses have to be reconstructed.
- You owe more than $50,000 and need a collection information statement that will hold up.
- You are considering an offer in compromise and need the calculation run before you pay the fee.
- A business owes payroll taxes and owners may be personally exposed.
- A levy, a lien on property you need to sell, or a hearing deadline is involved.
- You owe Massachusetts as well and need both sides handled from one set of figures.
Who is allowed to do what
Two IRS forms control what someone else can do on your account, and the difference matters when you are comparing providers.
| Form | What it allows | Who can be named |
|---|---|---|
| Form 8821, Tax Information Authorization | Lets the person see your tax information and receive copies of notices; it does not let them act for you | Any person or firm you choose |
| Form 2848, Power of Attorney | Lets the person act for you before the IRS on the matters and years listed | Generally attorneys, certified public accountants and enrolled agents |
Ask any provider which form they will use and which of those credentials the person signing it holds. Preparing returns and financial statements needs no power of attorney. Speaking to the IRS for you does. See who is allowed to speak to the IRS about you.
Questions to ask before you pay anyone
Our page on getting organized before you hire tax resolution help lists what to have in hand so the first conversation is about your numbers.
- 1.Who will do the work, and what credential do they hold? Ask for the name and verify it.
- 2.What exactly is included: transcripts, returns, the financial statement, the application?
- 3.Is the fee fixed and in writing, and what triggers any extra charge?
- 4.Will you review my finances before telling me what result to expect?
- 5.What would make you tell me I can do this myself?
- 6.What happens to my fee if the IRS rejects the request?
Fee and sales red flags
The IRS put aggressive offer in compromise marketing on its 2026 Dirty Dozen list, describing "OIC mills" that overpromise results and charge high fees to taxpayers who do not qualify. In June 2026 the FTC and Nevada announced a settlement with the operators of American Tax Service, who the FTC said promised to settle back taxes for "pennies on the dollar," often before evaluating the taxpayer's circumstances, and impersonated tax authorities. The judgment was $77.7 million.
- A promised settlement amount or percentage before anyone has seen your finances
- A large fee due up front for an "investigation" with no written scope
- Claims that Fresh Start is ending, or that enrollment closes soon
- Calls, texts or mailers that look like they come from the IRS or a state agency
- Pressure to decide on the first call
- No named, credentialed person responsible for your case
More warning signs, and what the FTC has shut down, are on how to spot a tax relief scam.
Free alternatives
- Taxpayer Advocate Service: an independent organization within the IRS, at 877-777-4778.
- Low Income Taxpayer Clinics: independent of the IRS, free or low cost, generally for people below an income threshold with less than $50,000 in dispute.
- The IRS "Get help with tax debt" tool, which asks a few questions and lists your options.
- A Taxpayer Assistance Center, by appointment.
Where we come in
We are a local accounting practice in North Easton, not a relief company, and we will tell you if your situation is one you can handle online yourself. Where help is useful, our work is the record: reading the account and wage transcripts for every open year, preparing unfiled returns, reconstructing records, working out the collection statute date for each assessment, preparing the Collection Information Statement with its documents, and explaining in writing which options the numbers support. If your matter needs someone to act for you before the IRS, we will tell you that plainly at the start. We give you a scope and a price in writing before anything starts. Tell us your situation.
Figures on this page were checked against the IRS and Massachusetts sources listed alongside on October 1, 2026. They change — confirm the current amount before relying on one.
General information for owner-led businesses, not advice for your specific situation. Tax and accounting rules change, and how they apply depends on facts particular to your business. Talk to us — or to another qualified professional — before acting on anything here.
