What Can You Expect from your IRS Appeals?

From the IRS website

Appeals is independent of any other IRS office and provides a venue where disagreements concerning the application of tax law can be resolved on a fair and impartial basis for both the taxpayer and the government.


An Appeals or Settlement Officer will review the strengths and weaknesses of the issues in your case and give them a fresh look. Appeals conferences are conducted in an informal manner, by correspondence, telephone or in person. Most differences are settled in these appeals without expensive and time-consuming court trials. Appeals will consider any reason you have for disagreeing, except for moral, religious, political, constitutional, conscientious objection, or similar grounds. Our goal is to provide a forum for us to work together to resolve the tax dispute.


IRS Commitments
Explain your appeal rights and the Appeals process
Listen to your concerns, be courteous and professional
Be timely and responsive (See Frequently Asked Questions)
Be fair and impartial
Your Responsibilities
Listen to our explanation of your appeal rights and the Appeals process
Give us a statement as to how you understand the facts and the law, listing all issues with which you disagree and why.
Give us any additional information or documentation that will be helpful to your case within a reasonable time.
Tell us when and how you think your case should be resolved.
Let us know the best time to contact you.


Frequently Asked Questions
Q. I sent in my appeal request/protest. How long will it be before I hear from the Appeals office?
A. This varies, depending on the type of case you are appealing and the time needed to review the file before sending your case to Appeals. Normally, you can expect to hear from an Appeals employee within 90 days after you file your appeal request.

If more than 90 days have gone by and you still haven’t heard from Appeals, you should contact the office where you sent your appeal request. They can tell you when they forwarded your case to Appeals. If they were delayed in sending your case, you would not expect to hear from Appeals until at least 90 days from that date. If more than 90 days has gone by and there is no known delay, ask that office to contact Appeals to get a time frame for when Appeals will contact you. You can also contact an Appeals Account Resolution Specialist (AARS) in Fresno Appeals at 559-456-5931. After researching the Appeals data base, they can tell you if your case has been assigned to an Appeals employee, their name and number and you can contact that employee directly.


Q. How long will it take to resolve my case once it is received in Appeals?
A. It depends on the facts and circumstances. It could take anywhere from 90 days to a year. Appeals continues to work towards reducing the time to resolve cases. Your Appeals Officer or Settlement Officer can provide you with a more specific timeframe.



Dealing with the IRS can be a daunting task. There are many details that can be easily overlooked. Self representation is no representation. Find someone who knows how to resolve you IRS issues.