This online course gives tax professionals a practical, results focused approach to resolving the IRS notices their clients receive most frequently. With the IRS issuing over 220 million notices a year, practitioners must be prepared to quickly diagnose notice types, identify the underlying tax issues, and communicate next steps with clarity and confidence. Clients expect fast, accurate resolution—and firms that master notice response processes gain stronger client loyalty and year‑round advisory opportunities.
In this course, you will learn how the IRS uses a ‘compliance by notice’ enforcement model, what trends are driving the surge in notices, and which notices require the most immediate attention. We will walk through the most common notice categories, the tax problems they signal, and the proven solutions that resolve them efficiently. You will also gain practice tested tips for reducing response time, handling IRS correspondence professionally, and building a proactive firm strategy that improves outcomes, reduces administrative burden, and positions your team as trusted problem solvers.
Per the IRS Education Provider Standards this course must be COMPLETED by 12/31/2029 to receive credits. NOTE: Go to My Professional Profile in your CCH CPELink account settings to ensure your name, and PTIN number; matches your PTIN card
Publication Date: June 2026
Designed For
This course is ideal for tax professionals who regularly support clients with IRS correspondence or who want to strengthen their firm’s notice‑resolution capabilities.
Topics Covered
- IRS notice trends and the IRS “compliance by notice” enforcement model
- How tax firms typically manage and resolve client IRS notices
- The most common IRS notices and the tax problems they signal
- The five primary tax problem categories and current IRS areas of focus
- Solutions for resolving high‑frequency IRS notices and related tax issues
- Best practices for IRS correspondence, follow‑up, and issue documentation
- How firms can proactively monitor and address client IRS notices year‑round
Learning Objectives
- Identify current IRS notice trends and understand the most common reasons taxpayers receive IRS notices
- Analyze common IRS notice types to determine the underlying tax issue and appropriate resolution strategy
- Apply best practice techniques to reduce time spent resolving notices and improve case outcomes
- Develop a proactive firm wide strategy to efficiently manage and resolve IRS notices
- Identify the percentage of IRS audits conducted by mail in 2023 and its relevance to notice‑based enforcement
Level
Basic
Instructional Method
Self-Study
NASBA Field of Study
Taxes (2 hours)
Program Prerequisites
None
Advance Preparation
None
Instructor
Jim Buttonow
Jim Buttonow, CPA, CITP, has been a leader in helping taxpayers and tax professionals resolve tax problems with the IRS.
For 19 years, Jim worked at the IRS in various compliance enforcement positions. Since 2006, Jim has been in private practice and tax and accounting software development. Jim consulting practice focuses on the areas of tax controversy and tax administration. Jim led product development and marketing for a successful software company that developed tax problem software for tax professionals and has developed and implemented post-filing tax services to large tax providers, such as H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt. This software is currently being used by tens of thousands of tax professionals and businesses in the United States.
Jim has been an IRS partner in improving IRS operations and post-filing service to taxpayers. Jim served as chairperson of the IRS Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee (ETAAC) in 2015 and 2016 during which ETAAC played a central role in promoting the IRS digital strategy to develop transformative technology solutions to systemic challenges in tax administration. Jim also served as the North Carolina representative on the IRS’ Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP) from 2020-2022.
Jim regularly speaks on areas of tax administration and problem solving to national associations and has testified before Congress in areas of tax administration. He has also published many articles in industry publications. In his articles, Jim focuses on delivering practical insights, advocating for IRS transparency and efficiency, and proposing innovative large-scale solutions for taxpayers and tax professionals.
Jim currently authors the Tax Problems and Solutions Handbook, a publication aimed at helping tax pros work more effectively in post-filing matters and resolving their clients’ most common tax problems. The book can be found online at TaxProblemsHandbook.com. Jim can be reached at Jim@buttonowcpa.com or at his website at buttonowcpa.com.