Playbook
How to price tax resolution services
Short answer
Price tax resolution services in two parts: a flat investigation fee that covers authorization, transcripts, and a written recommendation, then a flat resolution fee set by program complexity. Base each fee on your expected hours times your target hourly rate, and revisit after five cases using actual hours.
By the BestTaxSoftware.com editorial team. Updated . Prices checked on vendor sites that day.
Why charge for the investigation separately?
The investigation is where you learn whether the case is a payment plan or an offer, and the client cannot judge that in advance. A separate fee pays you for the analysis even if the client stops there, and it means your resolution quote is based on the real record.
How do you set a flat fee?
Flat fee = expected hours × target hourly rate + a buffer for IRS delays. Write down your own expected hours by program; we do not publish market fee ranges because we have no survey data to support them.
| Program | Main forms | Complexity drivers |
|---|---|---|
| Short-term payment plan | Online request | Balance under $100,000, pay within 180 days |
| Streamlined installment agreement | 9465 or online | Balance $50,000 or less, all returns filed |
| Non-streamlined installment agreement | 9465, 433-F or 433-A | Full financial disclosure |
| Currently Not Collectible | 433-F or 433-A | Documenting hardship |
| Offer in compromise | 656, 433-A (OIC) | Asset valuation, future income, long IRS review |
| Penalty relief | Phone request or Form 843 | Reasonable-cause evidence if not first-time abatement |
What happens to pricing when software cuts your hours?
With flat fees, saved hours become margin. With hourly billing, they become a smaller invoice. That is the main reason practitioners using resolution automation tend to move to flat fees.
Questions practitioners ask
- Should I quote before pulling transcripts?
- Quote only the investigation. A resolution quote without the transcripts is a guess.
- Can I take payment from the client’s refund?
- Refunds are usually offset against the balance owed while a balance exists, so do not plan fees around them.