See What the IRS Sees
When you have a tax problem, the first question is often what the IRS has on record. Guessing can lead to wrong decisions. The IRS keeps account information for every taxpayer, and with your authorization, Botwinick & Botwinick, CPAs PC can request that information for you and explain it in plain terms.
What Records Are Available
The IRS makes several types of records available to taxpayers and their authorized representatives. Common examples include:
- Account transcripts, which show activity on your account such as filings, assessments, payments, penalties and interest
- Return transcripts, which summarize the return as originally filed
- Wage and income transcripts, which show income reported to the IRS by employers, banks and others
How a CPA Gets Them for You
To act for you, we need your written permission. You give it by signing a power of attorney, IRS Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative. The form names us as your representative and lists the tax matters and years we may handle for you. After it is on file with the IRS, we can request your records and speak with the IRS about those matters.
- You contact us and tell us what is going on.
- We prepare Form 2848 for the correct taxpayer, tax matters and years, and you review and sign it.
- We submit the form and request the records you need.
- We review what comes back and go over it with you.
The power of attorney is limited to what you specify, and you can revoke it.
What the Records Can Tell Us
- Whether returns for certain years are on file (see Non-Filed Tax Returns)
- How much the IRS says you owe and how it was calculated (see Back Taxes Owed)
- Whether income was reported that you did not include on your return
- Whether payments were credited correctly
Having this information in hand lets us suggest a path forward based on facts. It also helps if you are facing an audit or considering a payment plan.