Does the IRS send any kind of warning before they levy my accounts?

Thanks for the info! Do you know if there's any way to protect some of your money once you get that final notice? And how long after the 30 days do they typically start taking stuff?

You have several options after receiving the notice. You can request a Collection Due Process hearing within 30 days, which temporarily halts collection activity. You can also set up an installment agreement to pay over time, make an Offer in Compromise to settle for less, or request Currently Not Collectible status if you can prove financial hardship. The IRS typically moves forward with levy actions shortly after the 30-day period expires if you haven't taken any action. However, their timing varies widely based on workload and the specifics of your case. Some people report levies within days after the period expires, while others might not see action for weeks or months.

How exactly does that work? Do you just upload pictures of the IRS notices and it tells you what they mean? Does it help you respond to them too?

Sounds too good to be true honestly. How do you know it's giving accurate information? Tax stuff is complicated and getting bad advice can make things worse.

You upload pictures or PDFs of your tax documents and notices, and it scans them to identify what type of notice you've received. It then breaks down what the notice means in simple terms and explains your options. The information is very accurate - they use tax professionals to create the explanations and recommendations. I was skeptical too at first, but everything it told me checked out when I later talked to a tax pro. The best part was that it helped me understand I had more options than I thought, including an installment plan that was actually manageable for my budget.

Wait how does this even work? I thought it was impossible to get through to the IRS. Do they have some special hotline or something?

This sounds like BS. If there was a way to skip the IRS wait times everyone would be using it. I've spent hours on hold and nobody can magically get you through faster.

It uses a combination of technology and timing to navigate the IRS phone system more efficiently than a normal caller could. It's not a special hotline - it works with the regular IRS phone numbers but uses their system to navigate the phone tree and wait times. I was super skeptical too! I had spent literally hours on hold across multiple days. But I was desperate with the levy notice and figured it was worth trying. The system actually calls you back when it gets an IRS agent on the line. I'm not saying it's magic - it still took about 15 minutes, but compared to the hours I had wasted before, it was incredible.

What kind of reasons can you give for an appeal? Do you have to have some special circumstances or can anyone file one?

You don't need special circumstances to request a Collection Due Process (CDP) hearing - it's your right after receiving a final notice. You can appeal based on procedural issues (like if you believe you don't actually owe the tax), propose alternative collection methods (like an installment agreement), or claim financial hardship. Even if you know you owe the tax, requesting a CDP hearing buys you time to get your finances in order while collections are paused. During the hearing, you can propose an installment agreement, an Offer in Compromise, or request Currently Not Collectible status. The important thing is that it stops the immediate threat of a levy while you work things out.

What happened after they took the money? Did they keep coming after you for more or was that the end of it?