IRS Tax Problems & How to Solve Them

About this course

What you'll learn

• Identify a notice's purpose, tax period, required response and deadline.
• Organize returns, transcripts, payment records and supporting evidence by issue.
• Distinguish original returns, amendments and notice-specific corrections.
• Prepare a supported response to an adjustment or examination and preserve review rights.
• Evaluate administrative penalty relief and reasonable-cause requests.
• Compare payment agreements, hardship delays and offer-in-compromise screening.
• Recognize lien, levy, identity and spouse issues that require specific procedures or prompt help.
• Implement a resolution plan with confirmation steps and current-year compliance.

Course details

Level

beginner

What's included

• 12 lessons
• Progress tracking
• Certificate of completion

Requirements

• Basic arithmetic and familiarity with an individual tax return.
• Personal Income Tax Fundamentals is helpful but not required.
• No actual tax debt is required to practice; worksheets use fictional data.

Curriculum

1. 01

   Lesson 1: Read the Notice and Protect Your Deadlines

   Identify what the IRS is asking, verify the communication, and create an action log that protects response and appeal rights.

   12m
2. 02

   Lesson 2: Build Your Tax Record and Transcript File

   Select useful transcripts, reconcile payments and income documents, and organize evidence without treating a transcript as a complete return file.

   12m
3. 03

   Lesson 3: Resolve Missing Returns and Choose the Right Correction

   Address unfiled years, distinguish an original return from an amendment, and coordinate corrections with an active IRS notice.

   12m
4. 04

   Lesson 4: Respond to Income Mismatches and Return Corrections

   Prepare a documented response to a CP2000 or return-correction notice while keeping the two procedures distinct.

   12m
5. 05

   Lesson 5: Handle an Examination and Preserve Review Rights

   Organize an audit response, understand administrative review, and distinguish IRS correspondence from a Tax Court petition.

   12m
6. 06

   Lesson 6: Request Penalty Relief with a Supported Explanation

   Separate tax, penalties and interest, and evaluate administrative relief and reasonable cause using a documented timeline.

   12m
7. 07

   Lesson 7: Build an Affordable Payment Plan

   Compare payment routes, prepare a realistic household budget, and maintain an agreement without creating new tax debt.

   12m
8. 08

   Lesson 8: Recognize Hardship and Request a Collection Delay

   Document inability to meet basic living expenses and understand what Currently Not Collectible status does and does not do.

   12m
9. 09

   Lesson 9: Evaluate an Offer in Compromise Without False Promises

   Screen an offer in compromise using compliance, assets, income and expenses, and understand application and acceptance obligations.

   12m
10. 10

    Lesson 10: Respond to Liens, Levies and Collection Notices

    Distinguish a lien from a levy, recognize urgent collection deadlines, and identify the appropriate hearing or release request.

    12m
11. 11

    Lesson 11: Handle Identity and Spouse Issues and Find Qualified Help

    Recognize identity-theft procedures, distinguish injured from innocent spouse relief, and choose an appropriate source of assistance.

    12m
12. 12

    Lesson 12: Build and Monitor Your Resolution Plan

    Combine notice response, payment or relief requests, evidence and current-year compliance into a practical follow-through plan.

    12m