Get help understanding your tax balance and the options for addressing it. Call about payment difficulty, IRS correspondence, or another unresolved account concern and discuss a practical next step.
Identify what is known
If you are unsure whether a return was filed, explain what records you have rather than assuming that a prepared copy proves submission. Past-due filing questions and a balance already shown by the IRS may require different follow-up.
Discuss the information needed
Ask which tax years require attention and what income or other records would be useful. Filing a past-due return can be important even when full payment is not possible. The relevant filing requirements and payment questions should be discussed separately.
Keep the work understandable
A proposal should explain whether it includes return preparation, account review, notice response, or payment assistance. Ask what remains your responsibility and how missing information will be handled. Keep copies of submissions and relevant confirmation.
Practical questions for your discussion
Prior-year preparation should have a clear scope rather than be inferred from broader account assistance. Bring year-specific evidence and ask what work is included for the actual gap.
List available return copies, submission records, and missing sources. Keep an uncertain filing event separate from an unavailable income document. Ask what assessment is needed and which further records are required before preparation. A general service explanation should not silently cover every period in the archive.
Read the current official instructions: IRS guidance on past-due returns.